Yes, according to medieval chronicles, Emperor Justinian II of Constantinople (r. 685-695, 705-711) sentenced the wife of a rebel to marry her household cook. Specifically, a chronicler named Theophanes (c. 750s-818) stated that Justinian “made her marry her own cook, who was an Indian” (Theophanes, Chronographia, entry for Annus Mundi 6203 [Sep 711-Aug 712]). The … Continue reading Sentenced To Marry Her Cook? Emperor Justinian II’s Bizarre Punishment Of A Rebel’s Wife