▁ 8 1 7 ▁and ▁officer ▁in ▁ 8 1 9 , ▁dece ased ▁after ▁ 8 2 1 , ▁and ▁wife , ▁a ▁sister ▁of ▁em peror ▁Michael ▁II , ▁and ▁grand son ▁of ▁The oph y la ct os ▁Martin ak ios , ▁son ▁of ▁Martin akes , ▁grand son ▁of ▁Martin os ▁and ▁great - grand son ▁of ▁Andreas , ▁nep hew ▁of ▁em press ▁Mart ina , ▁nie ce ▁and ▁second ▁wife ▁of ▁em peror ▁Her ac lius . ▁ ▁Life ▁Because ▁her ▁family ▁was ▁icon oc last ic , ▁the ▁Em press ▁Mother ▁The od ora ▁strongly ▁disapp ro ved ▁of ▁them . ▁About ▁ 8 5 5 ▁E ud ok ia ▁became ▁the ▁mist ress ▁of ▁The od ora ' s ▁son , ▁Michael ▁III , ▁who ▁thus ▁in cur red ▁the ▁anger ▁of ▁his ▁mother ▁and ▁the ▁powerful ▁minister ▁The ok t ist os . ▁Unable ▁to ▁risk ▁a ▁major ▁sc andal ▁by ▁leaving ▁his ▁wife , ▁Michael ▁married ▁E ud ok ia ▁to ▁his ▁friend ▁Bas il ▁but ▁continued ▁his ▁relationship ▁with ▁her . ▁ ▁Bas il ▁was ▁compens ated ▁with ▁the ▁em peror ' s ▁sister ▁The k la ▁as ▁his ▁own ▁mist ress . ▁ ▁E ud ok ia ▁gave ▁birth ▁to ▁a ▁son , ▁Leo , ▁in ▁September ▁ 8 6 6 ▁and ▁another , ▁Stephen , ▁in ▁November ▁ 8 6 7 . ▁ ▁They ▁were ▁officially ▁Bas il ' s ▁children , ▁but ▁this ▁pat ern ity ▁was ▁question ed