[1] According to Gyula Moravcsik, Tzitzak is most likely a Hellenized version of a Turkic word descending from Proto-Turkic *čeček and cognate with Chuvash чечек and Turkish çiçek, all meaning 'flower'.
Seeking allies, Leo III the Isaurian sent an embassy to Bihar, Khagan of the Khazars.
The alliance was sealed with the marriage of Tzitzak to Constantine V, son and junior co-ruler of Leo.
Tzitzak's wedding gown became famous, starting a new fashion craze in Constantinople for male robes called tzitzakia.
However, civil war broke out almost immediately as Artabasdos, brother-in-law of Constantine, claimed the throne for himself.