Editing Staurakios (section)

===Rule as sole emperor===
[[File:50-manasses-chronicle.jpg|alt=Two scenes: the top shows a group of soldiers on horses fleeing, and the bottom one shows two monarchs meeting, accompanined by other figures|thumb|Staurakios (above) retreats with his remaining forces, while [[Nikephoros I]] (below) is captured by the Bulgarians. Miniature from the 14th century [[Constantine Manasses|Manasses Chronicle]].]]
The remaining Byzantine forces, including a severely wounded Staurakios, retreated to [[Adrianople]] over three days.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}} Staurakios' spine had been severed during the battle, which along with his demonstrated lack of ability, led three influential figures in the Empire, who travelled with Nikephoros and Staurakios but were uninjured, to consider the issue of Nikephoros' successor. These were the {{lang|la|[[magistros]]}} ({{lit}} Master of Offices, by this time honorific) [[Theoktistos (magistros)|Theoktistos]], the [[Domestic of the Schools]], [[Stephanos (Domestic of the Schools)|Stephanos]], and Nikephoros' son-in-law, the {{lang|grc|[[kouropalates]]}} (high-ranking court official) [[Michael Rhangabe]]. The severity of Staurakios{{'}} wounds led to speculation as to whether he would live, although eventually those assembled judged he would make the best candidate, as the legitimate successor, and declared him emperor.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=16}} The historian [[George Ostrogorsky]] comments that this was done "in strict conformity with the principle of legitimacy", and that the final settlement of the succession was to take place in Constantinople, where Staurakios would crown his successor.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1956|p=196}} This was the first time a Byzantine emperor was installed outside of Constantinople, due to the urgency of the situation.{{sfn|Laes|2019|p=224}}

Staurakios gave a speech to the surviving troops, where he insulted Nikephoros{{'}} military judgment, before being acclaimed by the army.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{efn|Bury conjectures the date was 28 July 811.{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=16f}} [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes]] writes that Staurakios reigned for 2 months and 6 days, from Saturday July 26th to Thursday October 2nd, which fits accurately.{{sfn|Theophanes|loc=AM 6302–6303}}<ref>This can be verified using [https://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html modern tools].</ref> However, Bury follows the later ''[[Theophanes Continuatus]]'' in writing that Staurakios ruled 2 months and 8 days.{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=16f}}}} The historian [[Christian Laes]] comments that it is difficult to assess the condition that Staurakios was in, and how he was able to deliver his virulent speech.{{sfn|Laes|2019|p=224}}
[[File:Facial Chronicle - b.13, p.472 - Stauracius.gif|thumb|Staurakios on the throne, illustration from the 16th century [[Illustrated Chronicle of Ivan the Terrible|Facial Chronicle]].]]
Almost immediately after Staurakios acceded to the throne, Michael was pressured to usurp it, due to the legitimacy granted to him by his marriage to Staurakios' sister Prokopia and his military abilities. Theoktistos and others attempted to convince Michael to take the throne, although he repeatedly refused at this time,{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=17}} citing an oath of loyalty he had made to both Nikephoros and Staurakios, as well as his family ties to Staurakios via his marriage to Prokopia.{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}} The historians [[Edward Foord (historian)|Edward Foord]] and [[George Finlay]] comment that the army seemed willing to stand by Staurakios, but for his mortal wounds posing a threat to the succession of the empire,{{sfn|Foord|1911|p=217}}{{sfn|Finlay|1854|p=127}} and the enemies that had been made by the severe fiscal policies of Nikephoros. As Finlay argues, a change in administration implied a change of emperor, causing many who would profit from a change of ruler to support Michael.{{sfn|Finlay|1854|pp=127–128}}

Staurakios was brought by [[litter (vehicle)|litter]] to Constantinople. By this time, it had been discovered that he had blood in his urine, and was [[paralyzed]] from the waist down. In spite of his ill health, Staurakios endeavored to assert his authority,{{sfn|Jenkins|1993|p=126}} including rebuffing the attempts of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Nikephoros I, to have funds that Nikephoros had collected returned to the church.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}} Laes comments that "Possibly, a link between Staurakios’ bad condition and his father's sins was thus established" by Patriarch Nikephoros' insistence that Staurakios placate God and compensate those who his father had harmed.{{sfn|Laes|2019|p=224}} 

The severity of his injury, and the lack of any children to nominate as heirs led to a debate about who would succeed him, as his impending death was considered a certainty.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}} Ostrogorsky comments that an [[interregnum]] was seen as particularly undesirable due to the imminent danger from the Abbasid Caliphate and the Bulgarian Khanate, and that a return to normality was therefore essential. The delay of Staurakios in selecting a successor caused passionate dispute within the capital.{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1956|p=197}} Staurakios{{'}} sister Prokopia backed her husband Michael, while Empress Theophano was put forth as a candidate for the succession; she may have hoped to take the throne the same way her kinswoman Irene had.{{sfn|Herrin|2002|p=149}} The only proof of such intrigues given by contemporary historians comes from records that Staurakios became hostile to Theoktistos and Michael, which would suggest he was aware of their plottings, and that he suspected Prokopia of conspiring to kill him.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=17}} Staurakios reportedly wavered between two possible options for his succession. The first, to make Theophano [[empress-regnant]], and the second, attested in a ninth-century chronicle, to institute a form of imperial democracy. Bury dismisses the second option as the machinations of Staurakios' addled brain, and furthermore questions the authenticity of the report.{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=19}} The historian [[Aikaterina Christophilopoulou]] argued that Bury's narrative of an imperial democracy stems from a misunderstanding of a passage from Theophanes.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Christophilopoulou|1993|pp=215-216}} Instead, the proper reading seems to be that Staurakios feared that crowning his wife might lead to a civil war, or the empowering of the [[Chariot racing#Byzantine racing factions|chariot factions]].{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1956|p=197}} After hearing of the options Staurakios was considering, Patriarch Nikephoros began to align himself with Stephanos, Theoktistos, and Michael. Afraid of the possibility of a public uprising due to the lack of an heir, Staurakios declared Theophano his successor.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1946}}{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}}{{sfn|Garland|1999|p=94}} This decision united the chief leaders and officials of the Byzantine Empire behind Michael, as they did not desire to return to the uncertainty which had pervaded Irene's rule, due to her ruling despite being a woman.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}}{{sfn|Garland|1999|p=94}}
[[File:Facial Chronicle - b.13, p.473 - Stauracius and Michael I Rhangabes.gif|thumb|Staurakios is forced to give up the purple to Michael Rhangabe.]]
On 1 October 811, Staurakios summoned Stephanos, whom he trusted likely because Stephanos was the first to proclaim Staurakios emperor. He proposed [[political mutilation in Byzantine culture|blinding]] Michael, unaware that Stephanos supported him. Stephanos assured Staurakios of the strength of his position, and dissuaded him from having Michael blinded, claiming he was too well-protected for an attempted blinding to succeed.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=18}} Stephanos, after swearing he would not reveal the discussion to anyone else, organized a [[coup]] to bring Michael to power.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|pp=18–19}} Stephanos gathered the remaining [[Tagma (military)|tagmatic forces]] and [[Byzantine Senate|senate]] at the [[Great Palace of Constantinople]], and declared Michael emperor. Michael first proposed that the ''[[stratēgos]]'' [[Leo V the Armenian|Leo]], future emperor ({{reign|813|820}}), take the throne, but agreed to accept the crown himself when Leo promised to support him.{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}} Michael gained the full support of Patriarch Nikephoros by forging an agreement wherein he promised to uphold Orthodoxy, to not persecute Christians, or use violence against clergy or monks.{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}}{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1362}} At dawn on the morning of 2 October, Michael was publicly proclaimed emperor in the [[Hippodrome of Constantinople]],{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|pp=18–19}} and crowned a few hours later by Patriarch Nikephoros, at the pulpit of the Hagia Sophia.{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}}{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1956|p=197}} Upon hearing of this, Staurakios hastened to [[abdicate]], fearing his execution otherwise;{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Martindale|2001|loc=[http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D54/F73.htm Michael 7]}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|pp=18–19}} his reign was one of the shortest in Byzantine history.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}} Staurakios summoned his relative, the monk Simeon, and was tonsured and dressed in monastic garb.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=20}} Staurakios also sent a letter of protest to Patriarch Nikephoros for his role in the ''coup d'état''; Nikephoros answered in person, writing alongside Michael and Prokopia, and assured Staurakios that he had not betrayed him, but rather protected him. Staurakios was unimpressed and informed the Patriarch that "you will not find him [Michael] a better friend", meaning that Michael would not be more useful to Nikephoros than Staurakios himself had been.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|p=19}}{{sfn|Jenkins|1993|p=127}}
[[File:Byzantine_Empire_814.svg|alt=A map showing the extent of the Byzantine empire in 814|thumb|350x350px|The Byzantine Empire (green) shortly after the end of the reign of Staurakios, in 814]]
Staurakios lived another three months before dying of [[gangrene]] on 11 January 812. He was buried in the [[Monastery of Braka]], which was given to Theophano by Prokopia.{{sfn|Marsh|2013}}{{sfn|Bury|1912|pp=16, 21}}{{sfn|Lawler|2004|loc=Staurakios (p. 240)}} There were allegations that he was poisoned by his sister Prokopia, rather than dying of gangrene, reported by the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] sources—the ''[[Chronicle of 813]]'' and [[Michael the Syrian]]—and the chronicle of the [[Petros of Alexandria]]. Theophanes considered these rumors possible and mentions that Theophano herself considered these rumors to be true.{{sfn|PmbZ|loc=[https://www.degruyter.com/view/PMBZ/PMBZ18083 Staurakios (#6866/corr.)]}} According to the {{lang|la|[[De Ceremoniis]]}}, a 10th-century book describing Byzantine courtly protocol and history written by [[Constantine VII]], Staurakios was buried in a white marble [[sarcophagus]] that would later be shared with Theophano.{{sfn|PmbZ|loc=[https://www.degruyter.com/view/PMBZ/PMBZ18083 Staurakios (#6866/corr.)]}}{{sfn|Grierson|1962|p=35}}