The Atrocious Empress: Power, Cruelty, and the Shadows of History
But beneath the tales of blood and excess lies a complex question: were these women truly monsters, or were they victims of a historical narrative written by their enemies? The Architecture of Cruelty atrocious empress
Irene’s hunger for power reached a chilling peak when she ordered her own son, Emperor Constantine VI, to be blinded so she could take his place. He died shortly after from his wounds. The Atrocious Empress: Power, Cruelty, and the Shadows
A king who executed his rivals was "strong" or "decisive"; an empress who did the same was "hysterical," "bloodthirsty," or "atrocious." Much of the "gore" in their biographies comes from secondary sources written decades or even centuries after their deaths, intended to serve as cautionary tales against female leadership. The Allure of the Dark Empress A king who executed his rivals was "strong"