His father died when Theophanes was three years old, and the Byzantine Emperor Constantine V (740–775) subsequently saw to the boy's education and upbringing at the imperial court.
Ayahandanya meninggal ketika saat Theophanes berusia tiga tahun, dan Kaisar Bizantium Konstantinus V (740–775) kemudian mengawasi pendidikan bocah itu dan membawanya ke istana kekaisaran.