Irene Palaiologina
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- For her namesake Empress of Trebizond, see Irene Palaiologina of Trebizond.
Irene Palaiologina was the Empress consort of Matthew Kantakouzenos.
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[edit] Family
Irene was a daughter of despotes Demetrios Palaiologos and his wife Theodora. Her paternal grandparents were Andronikos II Palaiologos and his second wife Eirene of Montferrat.
The paternal uncles of Irene included Michael IX Palaiologos and Theodore I, Marquess of Montferrat. Her maternal aunts included Simonida.
[edit] Marriage
The History of John VI Kantakouzenos records the marriage of Irene to Matthew Kantakouzenos in 1340. Matthew was a son of John VI and Irene Asanina.
The couple had at least five children:
- John Kantakouzenos (c. 1342 - after 1361), despotēs.
- Demetrios I Kantakouzenos (c. 1343 - 1383), sebastokratōr. Briefly ruled the Despotate of Morea.
- Theodora Kantakouzene. Eldest daughter. The History records her being educated by her paternal grandmother Irene Asanina, under the monastic name Eugenia. Persumed to have become a nun herself.
- Helena Kantakouzene. Married Count Luis Fadrique of Salona. Her husband was a son of Alfonso Fadrique. She served as Regent of Salona from 1382 to 1394.
- Maria Kantakouzene. Married John Laskaris Kalopheros, a man of senatorial rank from the Kingdom of Cyprus.
[edit] Empress
On 26 October 1341, her father-in-law John VI was crowned emperor at Didymoteicho. His rival John V Palaiologos reigned from Constantinople. The civil war between them lasted until 1347. On 3 February 1347, the two sides reached an agreement. John VI was accepted as senior emperor with John V as his junior co-ruler.
On 15 April 1353, Matthew was declared co-emperor. The conflict between John V and John VI had been raging again. John VI was attempting to secure his succession. Irene was the third Empress consort with her mother-in-law Irene Asanina (wife of John VI) and sister-in-law Helena Kantakouzene (wife of John V).
On 4 December 1354, John VI abdicated. He and Asanina retired to separate monasteries while John V secured control of Constantinople. Matthew kept his title and part of Thrace as his own dominion.
Matthew and Irene were captured by Serbian forces in February, 1356. They remained in captivity until delivered to John V in December, 1357. Matthew was forced to abdicate and Irene ceased beng considered an Empress. There is no report for her time of death.
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Irene Palaiologina
Born: ? Died: ? |
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| Royal titles | ||
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| Preceded by Irene Asanina and Helena Kantakouzene |
Byzantine Empress consort 1353–1357 with Irene Asanina (1353–1354) Helena Kantakouzene (1353–1357) |
Succeeded by Helena Kantakouzene |
[edit] External links
- Her listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."
