# John the Orphanotrophos

_Chief Court eunuch (1000-1043)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/john-the-orphanotrophos
Last updated: 2026-11-08

> John the Orphanotrophos was a highly influential eunuch advisor to the Byzantine Emperor Romanos III. John was born in the region of Paphlagonia. His family were said to be involved in a disreputable trade, perhaps money changing or, according to George Kedrenos, counterfeiting. John was the eldest of five brothers. Two, Constantine and George, were also eunuchs, while the other two, Niketas and Michael, were 'bearded' men; the latter became Michael IV the Paphlagonian after John introduced him to the reigning Empress Zoë. According to Michael Psellos, the two became lovers and may have plotted to assassinate Zoë's husband. Romanos was probably killed in his bath on 11 April 1034. Some contemporary sources implicate John in the assassination.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1000 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Paphlagonia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P19))
- **Died:** 13 May 1043 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P570))
- **Place of death:** Lesbos ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Byzantine Empire ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; eunuch ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P106))
- **Positions held:** regent ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851#P39))

## Questions

**When was John the Orphanotrophos born?**  
John the Orphanotrophos was born on 1000 in Paphlagonia.

**What positions has John the Orphanotrophos held?**  
Positions held by John the Orphanotrophos include: regent.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): John the Orphanotrophos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Orphanotrophos) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q1347851](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347851) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Zoe asks Sgouritzes to poison John the Orphanotrophos.jpg by Unknown, 13th-century author (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoe_asks_Sgouritzes_to_poison_John_the_Orphanotrophos.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article John the Orphanotrophos, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Zoe asks Sgouritzes to poison John the Orphanotrophos.jpg — Unknown, 13th-century author, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"John the Orphanotrophos". DigiNepal. Last updated 8 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/john-the-orphanotrophos. Retrieved 8 November 2026.