He was a son of Theophylaktos Rhangabe, admiral of the Aegean fleet.. wikipedia Powerful Facts About Empress Irene, The Byzantine Rebel Mehroo S. Beauty, brains, and an iron will: Irene of Athens used all of these to stay in power in the cut-throat world of the Byzantine Empire. In 1280, Ivan Asen and Irene secretly fled Tarnovo with choice treasures taken from the palace treasury, including pieces captured from defeated Byzantine emperors in former victories. In the interval a Byzantine force besieged the Bulgarian capital, Tarnovo, and, hearing a rumor of Ivaylo's death in battle, the local nobility surrendered and accepted Ivan Asen III as emperor in 1279 and Irene became the new empress consort of Bulgaria. Irene was also known for her generous financial policies, which were especially friendly to monasteries. Although Ivaylo defeated several of Michael VIII's attempts to depose him, he was blockaded for three months in Drăstăr (Silistra) by the Mongol allies of Michael VIII. In 798 she opened diplomatic relations with the Western emperor Charlemagne, and in 802 a marriage between her and Charlemagne was reportedly contemplated.According to the contemporary Byzantine historian Theophanes, the scheme was frustrated by one of Irene’s favourites. Leo exiled his half-brothers. She is venerated as a saint. Empress Irene (image from “Pala d’Oro”, Venice) Not much is known about Irene’s early life. Especially unusual is that, while Constantine V was a militant iconoclast who was known for persecuting venerators of icons, Irene herself displayed iconophile predilections. The civil war lasted until 2 November 743. Empress Irene of Athens was the first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire. On 4 December 1354, John VI abdicated and he and Asanina retired to separate monasteries while John V secured control of Constantinople. Charlemagne-Wikipedia. Examples of Empress Irene in the following topics: The Emperor Irene. George Pachymeres reports that in 1305 Irene Palaiologina attempted to arrange a mutiny against her brother Andronikos II Palaiologos in revenge for the assassination of her son-in-law Roger de Flor. In 797, the Eastern Emperor Constantine VI was deposed and replaced as monarch by his mother, Irene. However, civil war broke out almost immediately as Artabasdos, brother-in-law of Constantine, claimed the throne for himself. Empress Irene stands on the left side of the Virgin, wearing ceremonial garments, offering a document. Although the ex-tsaritsa Maria Kantakouzene and her son were sent to exile in Byzantium, Ivan Asen III and Irene failed to assert themselves throughout the country. On 3 February 1347, the two sides reached an agreement. In 800, Charlemagne was crowned emperor by Pope Leo III, on Christmas Day. One of Irene's descendants, Irene Asanina (daughter of her son Andronikos Asen) married the future Byzantine Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos and through their daughter Helena (who married emperor John V Palaiologos), became the ancestress of later Byzantine emperors. ναία, Eirénē ē Athēnaía; c. 752 – 9 August 803), surnamed Sarantapechaina (Σαρανταπήχαινα), was Byzantine empress consort by marriage to Emperor Leo IV from 775 to 780, regent during the minority of her son Constantine VI from 780 until 790, co-regent from 792 until 797, and finally sole ruler and first empress regnant of the Byzantine Empire from 797 to 802. On 15 April 1353, Matthew was declared co-emperor and the conflict between John V and John VI restarted over what was seen as an attempt of John VI to secure his succession. Irene Palaiologina(died after 1356), was the Empress consort of Matthew Kantakouzenos. This caused an alliance between Ivaylo and the dowager Bulgarian empress Maria Kantakouzene: she married Ivaylo, who was recognized as Bulgarian emperor in 1278, without deposing or disinheriting the young Michael Asen II, her son by the late Constantine Tikh, whom Ivaylo killed at the beginning of the revolt. Perhaps she was taking cues from Marcy from Peanuts, who called Peppermint Patty "Sir Michael VIII then sent several Byzantine armies in an attempt to install Ivan Asen III on the throne. After Irene's rise to sole rule, Aetios developed an intense rivalry with her eunuch chief minister Staurakios. By her marriage with Ivan Asen, Irene Palaiologina had several children: They became the progenitors of the large and influential Asen/Asanes family Asen in the Byzantine Empire, which prospered in various court and provincial offices until the end of the empire and its dependencies in the mid-15th century. The plot was uncovered and Irene was placed under house arrest. English: Empress Irene, born Princess Piroska of Hungary (*1088 – †13 August, 1134), was a daughter of King Ladislaus I of Hungary and Princess Adelaide of Swabia.She was married to Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus.She and Emperor John had eight children. Irene Palaiologina (died after 1356), was the Empress consort of Matthew Kantakouzenos. The so-called "Eighth Session" (October 23, 787) held in Constantinople at the Magnaura Palace supposedly in the presence of the emperors Constantine IV and Irene. She was the heir of the Margraviate of Montferrat. Reaching Mesembria (Nesebar), the imperial couple sailed for Constantinople, where the enraged Michael VIII refused to receive them for days for their cowardice. Holy Roman Emperor-Wikipedia. Constantine V succeeded him with Irene as empress. Her listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. Δούκαινα, Eirēnē Doukaina; c. 1066 – 19 February 1138) was a Byzantine Empress by marriage to the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, and the mother of the emperor John II Komnenos and of the historian Anna Komnene. The paternal uncles of Irene included Michael IX Palaiologos and Theodore I, Marquess of Montferrat. She gave birth to a son, Constantine, on January 14, 771. Prior to becoming empress regnant, Irene was empress consort from 775 to 780, and empress dowager and regent from 780 to 797. Irene Palaiologina (Greek: Ειρήνη Παλαιολογίνα, Bulgarian: Ирина Палеологина) was the eldest[citation needed] daughter of Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos and empress Theodora Palaiologina, and empress consort of Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria. Ivaylo reappeared before the walls of the capital and defeated two Byzantine attempts to relieve Ivan Asen III. It is unclear why she was selected as the bride for the young Leo IV. Irene of Athens (c. 752 – 803 AD) was Byzantine empress from 797 to 802.; Before that, Irene was empress consort from 775 to 780, and empress dowager and regent from 780 to 797. Matthew was forced to abdicate and Irene ceased being considered an Empress. Matthew was able to keep his title and part of Thrace as his own dominion. Παλαιολογίνα, Bulgarian: Ирина Палеологина) was the eldest daughter of Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos and empress Theodora Palaiologina, and empress consort of Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria. Her maternal aunts included Simonida. She apparently was a beautiful but orphaned girl who at the age of seventeen was brought to Constantinople by the Emperor Constantine V to be married to his son Leo in November 769. Michael Asen, titular emperor of Bulgaria. Δούκαινα, Eirēnē Doukaina) (c. 1066 – February 19, 1123 or 1133) was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, and the mother of the emperor John II Komnenos and of the historian Anna Komnene. After her death, she became a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.. Born in Athens of a Greek noble family, between the years of 750 and 755, little is known regarding Irene Sarantapechaina's life before ascending to the Byzantine throne. The date of her death was not recorded. Yolande of Montferrat (c. 1274 – 1317 in Constantinople) (also known as Violante, then Empress Irene) was the second wife of Andronikos II Palaiologos and thus empress of the Byzantine Empire. Depiction of Byzantine Empress Irene, the wife of Emperor John II (r. 1118-1143 CE) as found in the Hagia Sophia in modern-day Istanbul (previously Constantinople), Turkey. , Eirēnē) (c. 752 – August 9, 803) was Byzantine empress from 797 to 802. Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished. Irene then reigned alone as emperor (not empress) for five years. The civil war between them lasted until 1347. One was with his five younger half-brothers, who challenged him for the throne. Constantine V died in 775, and Leo IV, known as the Khazar for his maternal heritage, became the emperor, and Irene the empress consort. She born between 750 and 755 CE and was related in some way to the noble Greek Sarantapechos family of Athens. From 797 to 802 CE she ruled as emperor in her own right, the first woman to do so in Byzantine history. John VI was accepted as senior emperor with John V as his junior co-ruler. Empress Irene by Sailko (CC BY-SA) Empress Irene was the wife of Leo IV and, on her husband’s death, she reigned as regent for her son Constantine VI from 780 to 790 CE. Theodora Asenina, who married Fernan Jimenez d'Aunez and then, This page was last edited on 9 January 2021, at 11:14. Their eldest son Alexius Comnenos is represented on an adjacent pilaster. On February, 1356, he and Irene were captured by Serbian forces and remained in captivity until delivered to John V in December, 1357. Irene was brought to Constantinople by Emperor Constantine V on 1 November 768 and was married to his son Leo IVon 17 December. After Staurakios's death, Aetios became the leading man in the state. Nov 9, 2014 - Captain Janeway was referred to as "Sir," despite clearly not being a man. License. Aetios or Aetius (Greek Ἀέτιος) was a Byzantine eunuch official and one of the most trusted advisers of Byzantine empress Irene of Athens (r. 797–802). The role of Irene in the war is not described by Theophanes. The History of John VI Kantakouzenos records the marriage of Irene to Matthew Kantakouzenos in 1340. Irene Palaiologina, was the Empress consort of Matthew Kantakouzenos. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irene_Palaiologina_(Byzantine_empress)&oldid=971858254, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Theodora Kantakouzene. Irene became thus the third Empress consort along with her mother-in-law Irene Asanina (wife of John VI) and sister-in-law Helena Kantakouzene (wife of John V). She was an orphan, and there is some mystery around why she was chosen from obscurity to be the bride of Leo IV, heir to Constantinople. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irene_Palaiologina,_Empress_of_Bulgaria&oldid=999281247, Articles containing Bulgarian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2013, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. By her marriage to Emperor Leo IV the Khazar, Irene had only one son Constantine VI, whom she succeeded on the throne. Empress Irene was born between 750 and 755 into a noble family of Athens. The Second Council of Nicaea reintroduced the veneration of icons under Empress Irene. Fearing the rapid success of Ivaylo's revolt in Bulgaria, Michael VIII summoned Ivan Asen, a descendant of Bulgaria's ruling dynasty living at the Byzantine Empire (he was the son of Mitso Asen, who reigned in 1256–57), granted him the title of despotes, and married him to Irene in 1277 or 1278. The couple had at least five children:[1], Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies. Leo, however, was a steadfast iconoclastwho, according to tradition, found that Irene possessed icons and thereafter would no longer … Also, to open the posts of this year, certainly later than planned, we begin with the Byzantine Empress Irene of Athens and how important she was to the Orthodox Eastern Church. Σαρανταπήχαινα), Byzantine empress regnant from 797 to 802. This fact, combined with the limited information available about her family, has led some scholars to speculate that Irene may have been se… Δούκαινα, Eirēnē Doukaina; c. 1066 – 19 February 1138) was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, and the mother of the emperor John II Komnenos and of the historian Anna Komnene. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Saint Irene of Hungary (1088 – 13 August 1134), born Piroska, was a Byzantine empress by marriage to John II Komnenos. His mournful features, reflect his death from tuberculosis in the same year. She was later venerated as Saint Irene. She was also known to have initiated the Second Council of Nicea. The years of Leo’s rule were full of conflicts. It is believed that she was born of a Greek noble family. Prokopia married Michael Rhangabe during the late 8th century. In 802, reigning Empress Irene was deposed by an alliance of patricians and eunuchs.Their leader was Nikephoros, father of Prokopia, who at the time held the position of finance minister (logothetēs tou genikou). Her family background is not known. Married John Laskaris Kalopheros, a man of senatorial rank from the, This page was last edited on 8 August 2020, at 17:44. Irene was a daughter of despotēs Demetrios Palaiologos and his wife Theodora. Irene Yolande of Montferrat Eirene of Montferrat Yolanda (renamed Irene) of Montferrat Yolanda/Violante Yolande Yolande of Montferrat (c. 1274 – 1317 in Constantinople) (also known as Violante, then Empress Irene) was the second wife of Andronikos II Palaiologos and thus empress of the Byzantine Empire. Irene’s unprecedented position as an empress ruling in her own right was emphasized by the coincidental rise of the Carolingian Empire in western Europe, which rivaled Irene’s Byzantium in size and power. Eldest daughter. On 26 October 1341, her father-in-law John VI was crowned emperor at Didymoteicho. Her paternal grandparents were Andronikos II Palaiologos and his second wife Irene of Montferrat. Erich Lamberz has proved that this "session" is a late ninth-century forgery (see Price, The Acts of the Second Council of Nicaea, 655-6). An emperor (from Latin: imperator, via Old French: empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Byzantine authors say that the tsar and the tsarina did not feel comfortable living in the palace where they had been surrounded by еnemies. Marriage. Theodora (/ ˌ θ iː ə ˈ d ɔːr ə /; Greek: Θεοδώρα; c. 500 – 28 June 548) was an Eastern Roman empress by marriage to emperor Justinian.She became empress upon Justinian's accession in 527 and was one of his chief advisers, albeit from humble origins. 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