Editing Constantine VIII (section)

===Childhood===
Romanos died suddenly in 963. Although Constantine was only three years old, he had already been crowned co-emperor in the preceding year, probably on 30 March.{{sfn|Brand|Cutler|1991|pp=503–504}} The widowed Theophano installed herself as [[regent]] for her sons and stocked the [[Byzantine bureaucracy and aristocracy|imperial government]] with supporters, but she faced competition for power with [[Joseph Bringas]], a former advisor of Romanos. Theophano allied with [[Nikephoros II|Nikephoros Phokas]], a celebrated general and opponent of Bringas. In return for her hand, the childless Nikephoros gave his sacred pledge to protect her children and their interests. Three months after Romanos' death, supporters of Nikephoros ousted Bringas from power.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1957|p=284}} Nikephoros was crowned emperor in the presence of his nominal co-emperors, Constantine and Basil. A month later he married their mother.{{sfn|Norwich|1991|pp=174–75, 183–190}}

Six years later, Nikephoros was murdered at Theophano's instigation and her lover and co-conspirator [[John Tzimiskes]] was acclaimed emperor. Fearing that the empress' many enemies would damage his political prospects, Tzimiskes turned against Theophano and sent her into exile. Constantine and Basil stayed in the capital and retained their status as co-emperors.{{sfn|Ash|1995|p=248}}{{sfn|Norwich|1991|p=240}}