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Constantine IX Monomachus (c. 1000 - January 11, 1055) reigned as Byzantine emperor from June 11, 1042 to January 11, 1055. He had been chosen by Zoë as a husband and co-emperor in 1042, although he had been exiled for conspiring against her previous husband Michael IV. They ruled together until Zoë died in 1050.

In 1043 he relieved General George Maniaces from his command in Italy, and Maniaces declared himself emperor. His troops were about to defeat Constantine in battle, but he was wounded and died on the field, ending the crisis. Immediately after the victory, Constantine was attacked by a fleet from the Kievan Rus', which had probably been hired by Maniaces. They too were defeated, with the help of Greek fire.

In 1046 the Byzantines came into contact for the first time with the Seljuks. They met in battle in ArmeniaArmenia ( Armenian: ''Hayastan is a landlocked country in southern Transcaucasia, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan in the east and Iran and the Naxcivan exclave of Azerbaijan in th in 1048Events The city of Oslo is founded by Harald Hardrade of Norway. Births May 31 Omar Khayyam, Persian poet, astronomer, mathematician and philosopher (+ 1131) Deaths August 9 Pope Damasus II December 3 Al-Biruni, mathematician (b. 973) 1048., and settled a truce the following year. However, Constantine was forced to disband the Armenian troops for financial reasons in 1053Events June 18 Battle of Civitate 3000 horsemen of Norman Count Humphrey rout the troops of Pope Leo IX Good harvests in Europe Malcolm Canmore invades Scotland. Births Emperor Shirakawa of Japan Vladimir Monomakh twins Ramon Berenguer II the Towhead and, leaving the eastern frontier poorly defended.

In 1054Events July 4 A supernova is recorded by the Chinese and possibly Native Americans near the star ζ Tauri. For several months it remains bright enough to be seen during the day. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula. Pope Leo IX and Michael Cerularius, Pa the centuries-old differences between the GreekEastern Orthodox Christianity (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) is the modern name primarily applied to the Christian church that claims to be the original historical church started by Christ Jesus and his Apostles 2000 years ago. They claim unbroken apo and Roman churches led to their final separation. Legates from Pope Leo IX excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius when Cerularius would not agree to adopt western church practises, and in return Cerularius excommunicated the legates. This annulled Constantine's attempts to ally with the Pope against the Normans.

Constantine tried to intervene, but he fell ill and died on January 11 of the following year. Theodora, the elderly daughter of Constantine VIII who had ruled with her sister Zoë, was recalled and named empress.

Constantine was also a patron of the scholar Michael Psellus the Younger, whose Chronographica records the history of Constantine's reign.