Romanus II (939 - 963) succeeded his father Constantine VII as Byzantine emperor in 959 at the age of twenty-one, and died, poisoned, it was believed, by his wife, Theophanu in 963. Their daughter, also Theophanu married Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor.
He was a pleasure-loving sovereign, but showed judgment in the selection of his ministers. The great event of his reign was the conquest of Crete by Nicephorus Phocas in 961.
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.
