Angels, Snakes, and Everything In Between: The Fall of the Byzantine Eunuch

Abstract

Great figures of fascination, eunuchs have mystified ancients and contemporaries alike through their physical mutilation, sexual ambiguity, and distinct roles within civilizations and societies. Underpinning Byzantine imperial court life, eunuchs possessed great influence in domestic and political spheres for much of the empire's history. Following the Latin occupation of Constantinople in the 13th century and extending onwards, however, eunuchs and their influence became increasingly obsolete. This paper explores the broad scope of the Byzantine eunuch's social and political power and the causes for the eunuch's decline nearing the collapse of the Byzantine empire.