, ▁apparently ▁even ▁by ▁Bas il ▁himself . ▁The ▁strange ▁promotion ▁of ▁Bas il ▁to ▁co - em peror ▁in ▁May ▁ 8 6 7 ▁l ends ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁great ▁probability ▁that ▁at ▁least ▁Leo ▁was ▁actually ▁Michael ▁III ' s ▁il leg it imate ▁son . ▁ ▁The ▁parent age ▁of ▁E ud ok ia ' s ▁younger ▁children ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁subject ▁of ▁dispute , ▁as ▁Michael ▁III ▁was ▁murder ed ▁in ▁September ▁ 8 6 7 . ▁ ▁A ▁de cade ▁into ▁Bas il ' s ▁reign , ▁E ud ok ia ▁became ▁involved ▁with ▁another ▁man , ▁whom ▁the ▁em peror ▁ordered ▁to ▁be ▁tons ured ▁as ▁mon k . ▁ ▁In ▁ 8 8 2 , ▁she ▁selected ▁The oph ano ▁as ▁wife ▁for ▁her ▁son ▁Leo , ▁and ▁died ▁shortly ▁afterwards . ▁ ▁Children ▁E ud ok ia ▁and ▁Bas il ▁officially ▁had ▁six ▁children : ▁ ▁Leo ▁VI ▁( 1 9 ▁September ▁ 8 6 6 ▁– ▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁ 9 1 2 ), ▁who ▁succeeded ▁as ▁em peror ▁and ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁majority ▁view ▁of ▁sch ol ars ▁was ▁a ▁son ▁of ▁Michael ▁III . ▁ ▁Stephen ▁I ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁( Nov ember ▁ 8 6 7 ▁– ▁ 1 8 ▁May ▁ 8 9 3 ), ▁patri arch ▁of ▁Constantin ople , ▁who ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁majority ▁view ▁of ▁sch ol ars ▁was ▁a ▁son ▁of ▁Michael ▁III . ▁ ▁Alexander ▁( c . ▁ 8 7 0 ▁– ▁