Michael 10 was the emperor Michael II and ruled from 820 to 829. Nicknamed "the Stammerer": Theoph. Cont. I 1 (p. 7), I 9 (p. 19) (Μιχαὴλ ὁ τὴν γλῶτταν φέρων παράσημον), III 1 (p. 84), Georg. Mon. Cont. 782 (ὁ τραυλὸς), Ps.-Symeon 620, 624, Scyl., pp. 7, 9, 11, 13, Genesius I 6, Zon. XV 18.17 (ὁ τραυλὸς Μιχαὴλ), 19.2 (τῷ τραυλῷ Μιχαὴλ), 21.1 (Μιχαὴλ δὲ ὁ τραυλὸς ὁ ἐξ Ἀμορίου), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 493B (Μιχαὴλ γὰρ, ὃν καὶ Ψελλόν φασι). A native of Amorion: Vita Petr. Atr. 33 (Ἀμορραῖος τῷ γένει), Theoph. Cont. II 3 (p. 42) (ἤνεγκε μὲν οὖν αὐτὸν ἡ κατὰ τὴν ἄνω Φρυγίαν πόλις Ἀμόριον οὕτω καλουμένη), Leo Gramm. 211, Georg. Mon. 782, Ps.-Symeon 620, Scyl., p. 7 (ὁ Ἀμορραῖος, ὁ ἐξ Ἀμωρίου, or similar), Genesius I 2, 6, 8, 17, II 12, Zon. XV 21.1 (Μιχαὴλ δὲ ὁ τραυλὸς ὁ ἐξ Ἀμορίου), 22.8 (ὁ Μιχαὴλ οὗτος ἐξ Ἀμορίου), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 493C (Μιχαὴλ Ἀμοριανὸς).

Michael 10 had two wives, Thekla 2 and Euphrosyne 1: Const. Porph., De Cer. II 42 (and see below). His first wife, Thekla 2, was probably a daughter of Bardanes 3 Tourkos (see below). His second wife, Euphrosyne 1, was a daughter of the emperor Constantine VI, (Konstantinos 8): Theoph. Cont. II 24 (p. 78-79), III 1 (p. 86), Zon. XV 24. 8-13 (δευτέροις ... γάμοις ... ... καὶ εἰσοικίζεται γυναῖκά τινα, θυγατέρα λεγομένην γενέσθαι τοῦ βασιλεύσαντος Κωνσταντίνου, ὃν ἡ μήτηρ ὡς ἤδη ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, ἐξετύφλωσεν ... ...καὶ ἡ κλῆσις γυναικὶ Εὐφροσύνη), cf. Theod. Stud., Catech. Parva 74 (he married the daughter of Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8), though she had already taken monastic vows), Genesius II 14. Michael 10 was husband of Euphrosyne 1 and father of Theophilos 5: Vita Petr. Amor. 63, Leo Gramm. 211, 213, Georg. Mon. Cont. 783, 789, Ps.-Symeon 620, 621, 624. Father of Theophilos 5: Theoph. Cont. II 8 (p. 48), 14 (p. 59), 16 (p. 64), III 1 (p. 84), Zon. XV 24. 28 (Ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ Μιχαὴλ ... τῷ υἱῷ Θεοφίλῳ), Vita Method. 1249D, Chron. 1234, §209 (II, p. 22). His son, presumably Theophilos 5, was the godson of the emperor Leo V (Leo 15), already before Leo 15 became emperor in July 813: Theoph. Cont. I 12 (p. 23), II 7 ( p. 46), Scyl., p. 13, Genesius I 11. At Amorion he was brought up inheriting a belief in the local heresy, which, influenced by the Jews and the Athinganoi, accepted baptism but was otherwise Judaism without circumcision; he himself allegedly added other elements to it as he grew up: Theoph. Cont. II 3 (pp. 42-43), cf. II 8 (pp. 48-49) (describing his Judaising tendencies after he became emperor), II 11 (p. 52) (cited below), Zon. XV 22. 8-10 (ὥρμητο δὲ ὁ Μιχαὴλ οὗτος ἐξ Ἀμορίου, πόλεως τῆς ἄνω Φρυγίας, ἐν ᾗ Ἰουδαῖοί τε καὶ Ἀθιγγανοι καὶ ἀσεβῶν ἑτέρων πληθὺς ἐγκατῴκιστο. καί τις ἐκ τούτων ἦν ἐκεῖσε σύμμικτος αἵρεσις, ἧς συμμετέχειν καὶ οὗτος ὁ Μιχαὴλ λέγεται. The heresy accepted baptism, and otherwise followed the Mosaic law apart from circumcision). He is described as a Sabbatian: Nicetas. Vita Ignatii 493C (τὴν αἵρεσιν Σαββατιανὸς ὢν). He received his early education at home from a Hebrew: Zon. XV 22.11 (εἶχε δὲ καὶ Ἰουδαῖόν τινα κατ'οἶκον παιδοτριβοῦντα αὐτόν). He became extremely skilful at judging and handling all forms of livestock: Theoph. Cont. II 4 (pp. 43-44). He grew up in grinding poverty from which he was determined to escape; he therefore presented himself, with his stammer (τῇ τῆς γλώττης τραυλότητι), to his local strategos (καὶ ποτε τῷ ἑαυτοῦ παρέστη δὴ στρατηγῷ), who accepted him and one other man (perhaps Leo 15, see below), on the recommendation of one of the Athinganoi who was close to the strategos and who foretold that Michael 10 and the other man would become famous and rise to the imperial throne; the story continues that the strategos promptly and unexpectedly married his daughters to these two men on the strength of this prophecy: Theoph. Cont. II 5 (pp. 44-45), cf. Genesius II 1, Zon. XV 22. 13-15. This story as it stands is implausible, but it is possible that the strategos was Bardanes 3 Tourkos (see below), that Michael 10 became a soldier who showed ability and was recommended to Bardanes 3 by a co-religionist and who was then enrolled on his staff, later marrying a daughter of his (Thekla 2). This is consistent with the other details of his early career. The prophecy is presumably a later invention, as is the quixotic haste of the marriage. The other man is presumably Leo 15, whose first wife Barka 1 would thus be a daughter also of Bardanes 3 Tourkos.

In 802 Michael 10 was enrolled by Bardanes 3 Tourkos among his bodyguard and close staff, together with Leo 15 and Thomas 7 (τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ δορυφόροις ... καὶ διακόνοις); they were of humble origins but had all recently attracted the attention of military officers: Theoph. Cont. I 1 (p. 7) (cited under Leo 15). Their prospects depended on Bardanes 3; it was supposedly in 803 that a monk at Philomelion (Anonymus 57) foretold to Bardanes 3 that Michael 10 and Leo 15 would become emperors and that Thomas 7 would be proclaimed emperor but would not secure the throne: Theoph. Cont. I 2 (pp. 7-8), Zon. XV 19. 6-8, Scyl., pp. 9-10, 13, Genesius I 6. However, when Bardanes 3 rebelled in July 803 against the emperor Nikephoros 8, Michael 10 and Leo 15 both deserted to Nikephoros 8; as a reward Michael 10 was appointed komes of the korte and given the Domus of Karianos: Theoph. Cont. I 3 (p. 9) (τὴν τῆς κόρτης κόμητος ἀρχὴν καὶ τὸν τοῦ Καριανοῦ οἶκον) and I 4 (p. 12), Scyl., pp.10-11 (Μιχαὴλ ... ὃν κόμητα τῆς κόρτης ἡ ἐκ τοῦ Βαρδανίου μετάτα ις προετίμησεν), Genesius I 8 (τὴν κόμητος κόρτης ἀρχὴν ἐγχειρίζεται). He was later reproached for ingratitude towards his first benefactor, Bardanes 3: Theoph. Cont. II 7 (p. 46). Early in the reign of the emperor Michael I Rhangabe (Michael 7), Michael 10's former friendship with Leo 15 was revived and Leo 15, newly appointed strategos of the Anatolikoi, made him his close confidant, entrusting him with his closest secrets and with the most important tasks: Theoph. Cont. I 4 (p. 12) (τῶν ἀπορρήτων μύστην λαμβάνων, τῶν ἔνδον τε εἶχεν πιστότατον καὶ τῶν ἐκτὸς πρακτικώτατον). In 813 Michael 10 was commander of a military unit (τάγματός τινος καὶ αὐτὸς Ῥωμαïκοῦ ἐξηγούμενος) under Leo 15 (who was strategos of the Anatolikoi) in Thrace; after the defeat of the emperor Michael I (Michael 7) at Bersinikia, Michael 10 was a leader of those who urged Leo 15 to accept the throne, allegedly threatening to kill him if he failed to agree: Scyl., p. 7, Genesius I 2, cf. Zon. XV 18.17 (ὁ τραυλὸς Μιχαὴλ τάγματος ἄρχων). He was made protostrator by Leo 15 and accompanied him in this capacity when he entered the palace on first assuming the throne (late in 813): Scyl., p. 8 (τῷ τῶν ἱπποκόμων πρωτεύοντι Μιχαήλ), Theoph. Cont. I 9 (p. 19) (ἐπιμελητὴς τῶν τοῦ Λέοντος ἵππων τηνικαῦτα τυγχάνων), Genesius I 4 (Μιχαὴλ τῶν αὐτοῦ ἱπποκόμων πρωτάρχῳ). Two occurrences supposedly foretold Michael 10's own later accession to the throne in succession to Leo 15, first when the emperor Leo V (Leo 15), about to pray, handed him his cloak, and again when he trod on the edge of the emperor's robe while following him into the church in the palace; Leo 15 allegedly was suspicious of him thereafter: Scyl., p. 8, Theoph. Cont. I 9 (p. 19), Genesius I 4, Zon. XV 19.2-3. Soon after Leo 15 became emperor, Michael 10 was made patrikios: Theoph. Cont. I 12 (p. 23) (Μιχαὴλ μὲν τὸν τὴν γλῶτταν ὑποσυρίζοντα τῇ τῶν πατρικίων ἐγκαταλέγει τιμῇ), Scyl., p. 13 (cited below). Possibly identical with the Michael who was protostrator and owner of a seal which is dated by its editor to the late eighth century: Schlumberger, Sig., p. 358, no. 2. The text given by Schlumberger reads: Κύριε βοήθει (in cruciform monogram) τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Μιχαὴλ [πρωτο]στράτορι.

He was subsequently made komes of the exkoubita: Zon. XV 19. 11 (ὁ Λέων τὸν Μιχαὴλ μὲν τὸν τραυλὸν πατρίκιον ἐτίμησε καὶ κόμητα τῆς τῶν ἐξκουβίτων σχολῆς), Scyl., p. 13 (Μιχαὴλ δὲ τὸν τραυλὸν ... πατρίκιον ἀνεῖπε καὶ κόμητα τῆς τῶν ἐξκουβίτων σχολῆς). He was made patrikios and commander of the Exkoubiton by Leo 15: Genesius I 11 (τῇ πατρικίου καὶ ἐξκουβίτου τιμῇ). In 820 he was commander of the Exkoubita (ὁ τὴν τοῦ ἐξκουβίτων ταγμάτος ἀρχὴν διέπων) (i.e. δομεστικὸς τῶν ἐξκουβίτων) under the emperor Leo V (Leo 15) (one source, Theoph. Cont. I 21, p. 33, calls him commander of the Phoideratoi - τὴν φοιδεράτων τότε ἐπειλήμμενος ἀρχήν - wrongly); accusations of plotting against the emperor were brought against him and he was imprisoned; Michael 10 was in prison on Christmas Eve when the emperor Leo 15 wished to have him executed but his life was saved by the intervention of the empress (Theodosia 1) who considered it wrong to execute him during the Christmas celebrations; Michael 10, it is said, then contacted his fellow-conspirators and told them to rescue him or he would denounce them to the emperor; they included a relative of Michael 10 who was papias of the palace (Anonymus 31); with Anonymus 31's aid, on Christmas Day they assassinated Leo 15, released Michael 10 and crowned him emperor Michael II: Leo Gramm. 210, Georg. Mon. Cont. 777-778, Ps.-Symeon 619, Theoph. Cont. I 21-25 (pp. 33-40), Zon. XV 21. 1-10, 21. 24-41, Genesius I 17-21, Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 493B (δομέστικος τῶν ἐξκουβίτων ὢν τότε); convicted of conspiracy to seize the throne and imprisoned, he was saved by his fellow-conspirators and proclaimed emperor: cf. Vita Petr. Atr. 33 (successor of Leo 15 as emperor), Vita S. Evaristi 2 ( p. 297) (διαδέχεται δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν Μιχαὴλ ἀρχηγὸς ὑπάρχων ἕνος τῶν στρατιωτικῶν ταγμάτων), Vita Nic. Stud. 889B (ὁ ἐκσκούβιτος), Vita A Theod. Stud. 205D (τότε τὴν μὲν βασιλείαν ὁ τοῦτον διαχειρίσας Μιχαὴλ, ἑαυτῷ λαμβάνει εὐθύς) Vita B Theod. Stud. 304BC (murdered Leo 15 and acquired the throne (Μιχαὴλ ὁ τοῦτον πατάξας, τὰ τῆς βασιλείας μεταχειρίζεται λάβορα), Chron. 1234 §209 (II, p. 21) (he murdered Leo 15 and became emperor, in year 1132 Sel., i.e 821), Ignatius, Vita Tarasii 67. Commander of the guards; he assassinated Leo V (Leo 15) and became emperor with the support of the people and the guards: Annales Regni Francorum s.a. 821. He is said to have been too free with his tongue under Leo 15 and to have made threats against the emperor as well as criticising him; he had already survived one charge of treason before his final arrest, following allegations made by Leo 15's agents, among whom was Ioannes 81 Hexaboulios: Theoph. Cont. I 21 (pp. 33-34), cf. Genesius I 17, Zon. XV 21. 1 (too free in his speech). During the night of his captivity one of his own attendants (Anonymus 186) was on hand and reported a surreptitious visit to his bedside by the emperor Leo 15 himself: Theoph. Cont. I 24 (pp. 37-38), Genesius I 19, but cf. Zon. XV 21. 29 and Anonymus 228. On the next morning he contacted a friend, Theoktistos 3, and sent the message to his fellow-conspirators which resulted in the death of Leo 15: Theoph. Cont. I 25 (p. 38), Genesius I 19-20. He was allegedly encouraged to plot against Leo 15 by the earlier prophecies that he would be emperor (cf. above): Theoph. Cont. II 7 (p. 46), Genesius II 1. According to one version, the desire to avenge the murder of Leo 15 was one of the reasons for the revolt of Thomas the Slav (Thomas 7); Thomas 7 and Michael 10 had a history of hostility since their earlier years (ἐξ ἡλικιωτῶν): Theoph. Cont. II 11 (p. 52). Released from prison, Michael 10 was proclaimed emperor in the palace and then hastened to Hagia Sophia where he was crowned by the patriarch to popular acclamation: Theoph. Cont. II 2 (p. 41) (and cf. above), Genesius II 1. He was emperor for eight years and nine months: Leo Gramm. 211, Georg. Mon. 782, Ps.-Symeon 620, Theoph. Cont. II 28 (p. 83), III 1 (p. 84), Zon. XV 24.28. Emperor for nine years and a half (wrongly): Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 493C (ἐπὶ ἐννέα μὲν χρόνους καὶ ἥμισυ τὰ σκῆπτρα δίεπε τῆς ἀρχῆς), cf. Vita Method. 1249B (nine years was the duration of the imprisonment of Methodios 1, whom Michael 10 imprisoned at the start of his reign and released at the end). He crowned his son Theophilos 5 emperor in Hagia Sophia: Leo Gramm. 211, Georg. Mon. Cont. 783, Ps.-Symeon 621. After the death of his first wife, Thekla 2, he married Euphrosyne 1: Theoph. Cont. II 24 (pp. 78-79), Zon. XV 24. 8-13 (and cf. above). An iconoclast (εἰκονομάχος), he relaxed the persecution of iconophiles for a while, but then resumed it: Leo Gramm. 211, Georg. Mon. Cont. 783, Ps.-Symeon 620, cf. Vita Petr. Atr. 33 (he relaxed the persecution but allowed the persecuting bishops to remain in their sees), Vita Nicetae Medicii (AASS, April I) 47 (μέσος ἀρετῆς καὶ τοῦ ἔμπαλιν γενόμενος, he recalled exiles and released prisoners, although he did not abandon iconoclasm), Vita Nic. Stud. 889B-C (relaxed the severity of the persecution), 897D, Genesius II 14. He gave no help to the orthodox (i.e. to iconophiles) but used violence against displays of piety (presumably towards icons): Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 493C (οὐδεμίαν δὲ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας φροντίδα ἐποιεῖτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ βίαν τοῖς εὐσεβεῖν ἐθέλουσιν ἐπῆγεν). His religion displayed strong Judaising tendencies (see above) and his earlier contacts with the Athinganoi allegedly made him unpopular: Theoph. Cont. II 11 (p. 52) (ἅτε δὴ κακῆς μὲν αἱρέσεως μετεσχηκὼς τῆς τῶν Ἀθιγγάνων).

The early years of his reign were troubled by the revolt of Thomas 7; his role in this is narrated by e.g. Genesius. He was an object of hatred to the whole Anatolikoi army because of his place of origin, from which came many Athinganoi, and because of his stammer and his supposed lack of courage; he fought personally in the defence of Constantinople during the siege by Thomas 7: Genesius II 2. He led a small expedition against Thomas 7 in Thrace, then withdrew into Constantinople and made preparations for its defence; he sent his son Theophilos 5 around the walls in holy procession: Genesius II 5. Cousin of Katakylas 1: Genesius II 3. Michael 10 had murdered Leo 15 and succeeded him on the throne: Genesius II 5. Michael 10 tried to persuade some of Thomas 7's men to defect, without success, then led a sortie and defeated those he met; Thomas 7's fleet deserted with many men, among them Gregorios 71; Thomas 7 obtained more ships but Michael 10 attacked them with Greek fire and destroyed them: Genesius II 6. Michael 10 declined Mortagon's (Omurtag 1's) offer of military aid against Thomas 7, but the Bulgars came anyway and defeated Thomas 7: Genesius II 7. Michael 10 now defeated the weakened Thomas 7, who fled to Arkadiopolis, where Michael 10 besieged him; finally starvation made the people surrender Thomas 7 to the emperor Michael II (Michael 10), who had him humiliated and executed, in mid October: Genesius II 8. He captured Panion and Herakleia Perinthos, and then returned to Constantinople to celebrate his triumph with horse contests; he made his captives walk backwards in the Hippodrome with hands tied, but apart from sending some into exile did them no further harm: Genesius II 9.

Michael 10 received three letters from Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite), the last one jointly with his son Theophilos 5): Theod. Stud., Epp. 418, 429, 532.

On his deathbed he issued a general amnesty, which secured the release of Methodios 1: Vita Method. 1249B. He died of a kidney disease and inability to pass water: Leo Gramm. 213 (ἐκ δυσουρίας καὶ τῆς τῶν νεφρῶν ἀλγηδόνος), Georg. Mon. Cont. 783, 789, Ps.-Symeon 624, Vita Petr. Atr. 63, Theoph. Cont. II 28 (p. 83), Zon. XV 24. 28 (νεφρίτιδι νόσῳ καὶ ἐπισχέσει τῶν οὔρων ἢ δυσεντερίᾳ), Genesius II 15. He shared the beliefs of his predecessor and his death was a punishment for his impiety: Vita S. Evaristi 2 (p. 297). He was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles, in the chapel of Justinian, in a sarcophagus made of green Thessalian marble: Theoph. Cont. II 28 (p. 84). He was buried, like his wife Thekla 2, in the Mausoleum of Justinian, in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople; his other wife, Euphrosyne 1, was buried in the Monastery of Euphrosyne in Constantinople with her sister and her parents (see Euphrosyne 1): Const. Porph., De Cer. II 42 (Reiske, 647). His successor was his son, Theophilos 5: Leo Gramm. 213, Georg. Mon. Cont. 789, Ps.-Symeon 624, Vita Petr. Atr. 63, Theoph. Cont. III 1 (p. 84) (in October 829), Zon. XV 24.28 (τῷ υἱῷ Θεοφίλῳ τὴν βασιλείαν καταλιπών), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 493C (υἱὸς), Vita Method. 1249D, Vita Nic. Stud. 900C, Chron. 1234, §209 (II, p. 22). For his imperial seals, see Seibt I 17, Zacos and Veglery 50a and b, 51a and b.

He was made emperor after the murder of Leo V (Leo 15); his first wife was Thekla 2; when she died after he had reigned for four years, he took from the convent where she was living as a nun the granddaughter (?daughter) of the emperor Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and married her (see Euphrosyne 1); they had a son (Anonymus 728): Bar Hebr., p. 129, p. 131. Michael II (Michael 10) died in the year 1140 Sel. (828/829) and was succeeded on the throne by his son Theophilos 5; he is said never to have worn the crown or sat on the throne after the death of his first wife Thekla 2 and his second marriage to Euphrosyne 1, since it was not allowed for a twice-married man to reign over the Romans: Bar Hebr., p. 131.

Nicknamed the Stammerer (ὁ Τραυλός); he was a native of Amorion; described as a bad ruler under whom the empire declined greatly and the cities of Dalmatia became independent: Const. Porph., DAI 29, 61ff.

See further references in Vita Euthymii Sard. (BHG 2145), lines 209-213, p. 37, (BHG 2146) chap. 23-26, pp. 87-89 (and see J. Gouillard, "La Vie d' Euthyme de Sardes (+831), une oeuvre du patriarche Méthode", in TM 10 (1987), p. 7), Vita Euthymii Iun. (BHG 655), chap. 4, p. 171, 27 (τοῦ ἀπὸ ἐκσκουβίτων)

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