Constantine VIII
On March 15, 963, Emperor Romanos II died unexpectedly at the age of twenty-six. Again, Theophano was rumored to have poisoned him, although she had nothing to gain and everything to lose from this action and, indeed, was still in bed only 48 hours after giving birth to Anna Porphyrogenita when the emperor died. Their sons, Basil II and Constantine VIII, five and three years old respectively, were the heirs and Theophano was named regent.