Staurakios
Staurakios was the son of Nikephoros I who survived the catastrophic Battle of Pliska in 811 only to reign for a mere two months before dying from his wounds. He had been co-emperor since 803 and was present at the disastrous battle in which his father was killed and he himself was severely wounded in the neck, leaving him partially paralyzed. Brought back to Constantinople in terrible condition, he was unable to exercise any real imperial functions. A power struggle erupted almost immediately around his deathbed between his wife Theophano, who urged him to name her empress, and his brother-in-law Michael Rangabe, who had the backing of the senior court officials and military. The palace factions around Michael Rangabe prevailed, and Staurakios was deposed and tonsured as a monk in October 811. He died shortly after in January 812. His reign of approximately two months is one of the shortest in Byzantine history.
- Lived: 778 CE – 812 CE
- Nationality: byzantine
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state
