Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) / Ζωὴ Πορφυρογέννητη (Empress Zoë) and Ῥωμανὸς Γ΄ Ἀργυρὸς (Emperor Romanos III Argyros)

Zoë (Greek: Ζωή "life"), the daughter of Constantine VIII, succeeded her father on his death as the only surviving member of the Macedonian dynasty, along with her sister Theodora. Her three husbands, Romanos III (1028–1034), Michael IV (1034–1041) and Constantine IX (1042–1050) later ruled alongside her. From April 19 to June 11, 1042 she reigned as Byzantine Empress alongside her sister Theodora.

Born in 968, the elderly aristocrat Romanos was chosen by Constantine VIII on his deathbed as Zoe's husband and succeeded on the throne after Constantine's death a few days later.