Romanos I Takes Imperial Title

Syres is subject to a coup when he is in Constantinople. Constantine is still a young man and his protectors are defeated politically by an uneducated Greek peasant who takes the name Romanos I as senior Emperor over the young Constantine VII. Syres is surprised by the bloodless coup as Romanos uses his control of the navy and his alliances with Anatolian and Greek nobles to win the throne. Romanos blocks the harbor, takes control of the palace and the Emperor before Leo and Zoe can react, as they are busy trying to convince a priest to perform their secret marriage. Romanos also exposes Empress Regent Zoe as unable to rule on behalf of her son and accuses her of favoritism and sexual relations with her preferred general, Leo Phokas. Leo is Syres master and eventually becomes his friend but Syres cannot help him. Romanos ships both Zoe and Leo to religious houses on the Greek Islands nearby while he reigns in Constantinople. He keeps Constantine in the background, agreeing to allow Syres to be his bodyguard under the cunning and dishonest gaze of Constantine's tutor. Syres hates the man and eventually has him assassinated. This causes slight suspicion but the death of the tutor is overshadowed by Romanos' decision to promote his son, Christopher, to the rank of Caesar and then Emperor. This angers Constantine and the entire coup finally reveals itself. For over 20 years Constantine is controlled first by his mother, then by Leo, and finally by Romanos and his family. Constantine is even forced to marry the admiral's daughter, Helena. He doesn't like this at first but he falls for her in an unexpected way as they mature into teens and young adults. However, Constantine is not a forgiving man, being cunning and coy to oust his father-in-law from power as well as his 3 sons.