Eudokia Palaiologina
Encyclopedia
Eudokia Palaiologina or (c. 1265 – 1302) was the third daughter of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos
and his wife, Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina, a grandniece of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes
of Nicaea.
In 1282 Eudokia married in Constantinople
John II Megaskomnenos
, Emperor of Trebizond
with whom she had two sons, Alexios and Michael
. In 1298, after her husband's death and ascension of her son Alexios II, she took the younger son with her and returned to her brother's court at Constantinople.
Andronikos II Palaiologos
received his sister well, promising to send her back whenever she wished to her elder son, whose position — such was the official Byzantine version — he did all in his power to consolidate.
Eudokia had become entirely devoted to Trapezuntine interests. She refused a second marriage with King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia
, as she wished to keep her troth to her first consort, and secretly opposed her brother’s plan of marrying Alexios II to a daughter of the Byzantine prime minister Nikephoros Choumnos
. She pretended, however, to approve this match, so that, under pretence of making arrangements for her son’s wedding, she might return to Trebizond.
Meanwhile, Alexios II decided for himself to marry Djiadjak Jaqeli
, an Iberian
princess. His uncle Andronikos II wanted this marriage annulled, so Eudokia, on the pretext of inducing her son to dissolve the marriage, succeeded in returning to Trebizond in 1301, where she advised her son to keep his Iberian wife. Eudokia died in the following year, and was perhaps buried in the church of Saint Gregory.
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus reigned as Byzantine Emperor 1259–1282. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453...
and his wife, Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina, a grandniece of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes
John III Doukas Vatatzes
John III Doukas Vatatzes, Latinized as Ducas Vatatzes |Nymphaion]]) was emperor of Nicaea 1221–1254.-Life:John Doukas Vatatzes was probably the son of the general Basileios Vatatzes, Duke of Thrace, who died in 1193, and his wife, an unnamed daughter of Isaakios Angelos and cousin of the Emperors...
of Nicaea.
In 1282 Eudokia married in 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:...
John II Megaskomnenos
John II of Trebizond
John II Megas Komnenos was Emperor of Trebizond from 1280 to 1297. He was the youngest son of Emperor Manuel I and his third wife, Irene Syrikaina, a Trapezuntine noblewoman...
, Emperor of Trebizond
Empire of Trebizond
The Empire of Trebizond, founded in April 1204, was one of three Byzantine successor states of the Byzantine Empire. However, the creation of the Empire of Trebizond was not directly related to the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, rather it had broken away from the Byzantine Empire...
with whom she had two sons, Alexios and Michael
Michael of Trebizond
Michael Megas Komnenos , , Emperor of Trebizond for one day, July 30, 1341 and from May 3, 1344 to December 13, 1349. He was a younger son of Emperor John II of Trebizond and Eudokia Palaiologina...
. In 1298, after her husband's death and ascension of her son Alexios II, she took the younger son with her and returned to her brother's court at Constantinople.
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...
received his sister well, promising to send her back whenever she wished to her elder son, whose position — such was the official Byzantine version — he did all in his power to consolidate.
Eudokia had become entirely devoted to Trapezuntine interests. She refused a second marriage with King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, as she wished to keep her troth to her first consort, and secretly opposed her brother’s plan of marrying Alexios II to a daughter of the Byzantine prime minister Nikephoros Choumnos
Nikephoros Choumnos
Nikephoros Choumnos was a Byzantine scholar and official of the early Palaiologan period, one of the most important figures in the flowering of arts and letters of the so-called "Palaiologan Renaissance"...
. She pretended, however, to approve this match, so that, under pretence of making arrangements for her son’s wedding, she might return to Trebizond.
Meanwhile, Alexios II decided for himself to marry Djiadjak Jaqeli
Djiadjak Jaqeli
-Family:Jiajak was a daughter of Beka I, the Jaqeli atabeg of Samtskhe. The Jaqelis held the Georgian feudal office of Eristavi. An Eristavi could be "governor of a region" or an "army-commander", roughly equivalent to the Byzantine strategos and normally translated into English as "duke".David...
, an Iberian
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
princess. His uncle Andronikos II wanted this marriage annulled, so Eudokia, on the pretext of inducing her son to dissolve the marriage, succeeded in returning to Trebizond in 1301, where she advised her son to keep his Iberian wife. Eudokia died in the following year, and was perhaps buried in the church of Saint Gregory.