For part of its history, the Byzantine Empire carried out an unusual tradition for selecting the women who would marry the emperors. These were the imperial “bride-shows,” in which the young emperor’s parents would have a variety of noblewomen who showed great beauty and moral character compete for the hand of the leader of the Eastern Christian Empire.
If it sounds like the basis for the folktale “Cinderella,” that’s because it wasn’t too far off. A young ruler seeking a beautiful bride was a pleasant distraction for the Byzantine aristocracy and way to remind the Emperor’s subjects about his presence in their lives.
One anecdote from 830 reflects the staged nature of the bride-shows: the Empress Euphrosyne held a show for her 17-year old Theophilus, and gave her young son a golden apple, saying to him “give this to whichever one you like.” Of course, this was in direct mimicry of the mythological origins of the Trojan War, when the Greek Goddesses fought over the golden apple bearing the inscription “to the fairest”.
Here you see the Empress Irene, who likely started the bride-show tradition for her son Constantine VI in 788.
Source(s): “The Bride-Shows of the Byzantine Emperors,” by Warren T. Treadgold, _Byzantion_, vol 49, 1979, pp 395-413, quote at p. 403.
