Eirene of Montferrat
Encyclopedia
Yolande of Montferrat (also known as Violante, then Empress Irene
) was the second Empress-Consort of Andronikos II Palaiologos
, the ruler of Constantinople
and the entire Byzantine Empire
, and heiress of the Margraviate of Montferrat.
Born in Casale
, she was daughter of William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
and his second wife Beatrice of Castile
. Her maternal grandparents were King Alfonso X of Castile
and his wife Violante of Aragon
. Yolande (variation of Violante) was named after her grandmother.
In 1284, Andronikos II, a widower by his first marriage, married Yolanda (who was renamed Eirene as Empress). She and Andronikos II were fifth or fourth cousins once removed both being descendants Andronikos Doukas Angelos, the father of Emperor Isaac II Angelos
, Eirene's great-great-great-great grandfather, and Emperor Alexios III Angelos
, Andronikos II's great-great-great grandfather. With her, Eirene brought the Montferrat rights to the kingdom of Thessalonica
, a dominion that, despite having been conquered half-a-century before Eirene's birth by the Byzantine
state of Epirus
, was still claimed by its short-lived (1204-1224) Montferrat royal dynasty.
It was later proven that the Italian Montferrat
had no living male heirs of the Aleramici dynasty, and Eirene's sons were entitled to inherit it upon the 1305 death of Eirene's brother John I, Marquess of Montferrat
.
The marriage produced the following children:
Eirene's stepson, Michael IX Palaiologos
was intended to succeed her husband as emperor, but ultimately it was Michael's son Andronikos III Palaiologos
who became the successor instead of Michael. This was largely due to the work Eirene did to ensure some power and property to her own offspring.
Eirene left Constantinople in 1303 and settled in Thessaloniki
. She set her own court in the city and controlled her own finances and foreign policy until her death fourteen years later. Nicephorus Gregoras
portrayed her as an ambitious and arrogant leader in his historical writings.
Irene
Irene is a name derived from the Greek word εἰρήνη meaning "peace". It may also be spelled or transliterated as "Irini", "Eirene", or "Eirini".It may refer to:-Mythical figures:* Eirene , one of the Horae...
) was the second Empress-Consort of Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos , Latinized as Andronicus II Palaeologus, was Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. He was the eldest surviving son of Michael VIII Palaiologos and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina, grandniece of John III Doukas Vatatzes...
, the ruler of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and the entire Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, and heiress of the Margraviate of Montferrat.
Born in Casale
Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato, population 36,058, is a town and comune in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, part of the province of Alessandria. It is situated about 60 km east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrato hills. Beyond the river lies the...
, she was daughter of William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
William VII , called the Great , was the twelfth Margrave of Montferrat from 1253 to his death. He was also the titular King of Thessalonica.-Youth:...
and his second wife Beatrice of Castile
Beatrice of Castile, Marchioness of Montferrat
Beatrice of Castile was a daughter of Alfonso X of Castile and his wife Violant of Aragon. She was Marchioness of Montferrat by her marriage and was mother of Irene of Montferrat.- Family :...
. Her maternal grandparents were King Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
and his wife Violante of Aragon
Violant of Aragon
Violant or Violante of Aragon, also known as Yolanda of Aragon , was Queen consort of Castile and León from 1252 to 1284 as the wife of King Alfonso X.- Life :...
. Yolande (variation of Violante) was named after her grandmother.
In 1284, Andronikos II, a widower by his first marriage, married Yolanda (who was renamed Eirene as Empress). She and Andronikos II were fifth or fourth cousins once removed both being descendants Andronikos Doukas Angelos, the father of Emperor Isaac II Angelos
Isaac II Angelos
Isaac II Angelos was Byzantine emperor from 1185 to 1195, and again from 1203 to 1204....
, Eirene's great-great-great-great grandfather, and Emperor Alexios III Angelos
Alexios III Angelos
Alexios III Angelos was Byzantine Emperor from 1195 to 1203.- Early life:Alexios III Angelos was the second son of Andronikos Angelos and Euphrosyne Kastamonitissa. Andronicus was himself a son of Theodora Komnene, the youngest daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Irene Doukaina. Thus...
, Andronikos II's great-great-great grandfather. With her, Eirene brought the Montferrat rights to the kingdom of Thessalonica
Kingdom of Thessalonica
The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Byzantine lands.- Background :...
, a dominion that, despite having been conquered half-a-century before Eirene's birth by the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
state of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
, was still claimed by its short-lived (1204-1224) Montferrat royal dynasty.
It was later proven that the Italian Montferrat
Montferrat
Montferrat is part of the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. It comprises roughly the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy...
had no living male heirs of the Aleramici dynasty, and Eirene's sons were entitled to inherit it upon the 1305 death of Eirene's brother John I, Marquess of Montferrat
John I, Marquess of Montferrat
John I was the Margrave of Montferrat, last the Aleramici dynasty, from 1292 to his death.John was the only son of William VII of Montferrat and his second wife Beatrice, daughter of Alfonso X of Castile. In his youth, John was put under the tutelage of Thomas I of Saluzzo during the period of...
.
The marriage produced the following children:
- John Palaiologos (c. 1286–1308), despotes
- Theodore I, Marquis of Montferrat (1291–1338)
- Demetrios Palaiologos (d. after 1343), despotēs. Father of Irene PalaiologinaIrene PalaiologinaIrene Palaiologina was the Empress consort of Matthew Kantakouzenos.-Family:Irene was a daughter of despotēs Demetrios Palaiologos and his wife Theodora. Her paternal grandparents were Andronikos II Palaiologos and his second wife Irene of Montferrat....
. - Simonis PalaiologinaSimonidaSimonida Nemanjić , born Simonis Palaiologina , was a Byzantine princess and queen consort of Serbia as the fourth wife of Serbian king Milutin . She was a daughter of Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos and Irene of Montferrat.- Life :Simonida was born in Constantinople ca. 1294...
(1294–after 1336), who married King Stefan Milutin of Serbia
Eirene's stepson, Michael IX Palaiologos
Michael IX Palaiologos
Michael IX Palaiologos or Palaeologus , , reigned as Byzantine co-emperor with full imperial style 1294/1295–1320...
was intended to succeed her husband as emperor, but ultimately it was Michael's son Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia...
who became the successor instead of Michael. This was largely due to the work Eirene did to ensure some power and property to her own offspring.
Eirene left Constantinople in 1303 and settled in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. She set her own court in the city and controlled her own finances and foreign policy until her death fourteen years later. Nicephorus Gregoras
Nicephorus Gregoras
Nikephoros Gregoras, latinized as Nicephorus Gregoras , Byzantine astronomer, historian, man of learning and religious controversialist, was born at Heraclea Pontica....
portrayed her as an ambitious and arrogant leader in his historical writings.
Ancestry
External links
- A pedigree of the Montferrat family
- 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."