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Irene Palaiologina (Byzantine empress)

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Irene Palaiologina
Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire
Tenure15 April 1353-1357
Diedafter 1356
SpouseMatthew Kantakouzenos
IssueJohn Kantakouzenos
Demetrios I Kantakouzenos
Theodora Kantakouzene
Helena Kantakouzene
Maria Kantakouzene
Theodore Kantakouzenos (?)
HousePalaiologos
FatherDemetrios Palaiologos
MotherTheodora Komnene

Irene Palaiologina (died after 1356) was the empress consort of Matthew Kantakouzenos.

Family

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Irene was a daughter of despotēs Demetrios Palaiologos and his wife, possibly Theodora Komnene. Irene's paternal grandparents were Andronikos II Palaiologos and his second wife Irene of Montferrat. The paternal uncles of Irene included Michael IX Palaiologos and Theodore I, Marquess of Montferrat. Her maternal aunt was possibly Simonida.

Empress

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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 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 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).

On 4 December 1354, John VI abdicated and he and Asanina retired to separate monasteries while John V secured control of Constantinople. Matthew was able to keep his title and part of Thrace as his own dominion. On February, 1356, he and Irene were captured by Serbian forces and remained in captivity until delivered to John V in December, 1357. Matthew was forced to abdicate and Irene ceased being considered an Empress. The date of her death was not recorded.

Marriage

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The History of John VI Kantakouzenos records the marriage of Irene to Matthew Kantakouzenos in 1340.

The couple had at least five children:[1]

References

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  1. ^ Nicol 1968, pp. 121ff., 156–164.
  2. ^ Donald M. Nicol, The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos: Some Addenda and Corrigenda, Dumbarton Oaks Papers, Vol. 27 (1973), p. 312-3

Sources

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  • Nicol, Donald M. (1968). The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus), ca. 1100–1460: A Genealogical and Prosopographical Study. Dumbarton Oaks studies 11. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies. OCLC 390843.
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Irene Palaiologina (Byzantine empress)
Born:  ? Died:  ?
Royal titles
Preceded by Byzantine Empress consort
1353–1357
with Irene Asanina (1353–1354)
Helena Kantakouzene (1353–1357)
Succeeded by