Maria of Trebizond
Encyclopedia
Maria Megale Komnene known as Maria of Trebizond (died 17 December 1439) was the third wife of John VIII Palaiologos
. She was the last Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire
.
and Theodora Kantakouzene
. Her maternal grandparents were Theodore Kantakouzenos and Euphrosyne Palaiologina.
The parentage of Theodore is not known with certainty. His eldest known son was named Demetrios. Since the eldest sons of Byzantine nobles were typically named after their grandfathers, genealogists have suggested Theodore was son of a senior Demetrios Kantakouzenos. Demetrios I Kantakouzenos, Despot of Morea
has been suggested but the identification is speculative.
. The marriage was recorded in the history of Doukas
. George Sphrantzes
places it in year 6936 of the Byzantine calendar
and thus establishes the date.
John VIII had previously married twice. His first wife Anna of Moscow
had died in 1417. His second marriage to Sophia of Montferrat
had been dissolved in 1426. John remained childless and pursued the marriage in hopes of gaining heirs of his own. The marriage lasted twelve years but resulted in no children. Sphrantzes records the date of her death. Steven Runciman
attributed the death to bubonic plague
.
John never remarried and died childless on 31 October 1448. He was succeeded by his younger brother Constantine XI
. Constantine was a widower when succeeding to the throne and never married again. His reign ended with the Fall of Constantinople
(29 May 1453) and with it the end of the Empire, leaving Maria the last Empress.
John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus , was the penultimate reigning Byzantine Emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.-Life:John VIII Palaiologos was the eldest son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš...
. She was the last Empress consort of the 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...
.
Family
She was a daughter of Alexios IV of TrebizondAlexios IV of Trebizond
Alexios IV Megas Komnenos or Alexius IV , , Emperor of Trebizond from March 5, 1417 to October 1429. He was the son of Emperor Manuel III and Gulkhan-Eudokia of Georgia.- Reign :...
and Theodora Kantakouzene
Theodora Kantakouzene, wife of Alexios IV of Trebizond
Theodora Kantakouzene was the Empress consort of Alexios IV of Trebizond.-Family:Theodora and her relations are named in Dell'Imperadori Constantinopolitani, a manuscript held in the Vatican Library. The document is also known as the "Massarelli manuscript" because it was found in the papers of...
. Her maternal grandparents were Theodore Kantakouzenos and Euphrosyne Palaiologina.
The parentage of Theodore is not known with certainty. His eldest known son was named Demetrios. Since the eldest sons of Byzantine nobles were typically named after their grandfathers, genealogists have suggested Theodore was son of a senior Demetrios Kantakouzenos. Demetrios I Kantakouzenos, Despot of Morea
Despotate of Morea
The Despotate of the Morea or Despotate of Mystras was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its 100 years of existence but eventually grew to take in almost all the southern Greek peninsula, the...
has been suggested but the identification is speculative.
Marriage
In September, 1427, Maria married John VIII PalaiologosJohn VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus , was the penultimate reigning Byzantine Emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.-Life:John VIII Palaiologos was the eldest son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš...
. The marriage was recorded in the history of Doukas
Doukas
Doukas, latinized as Ducas , from the Latin tile dux , is the name of a Byzantine Greek noble family, whose branches provided several notable generals and rulers to the Byzantine Empire...
. George Sphrantzes
George Sphrantzes
George Sphrantzes, also Phrantzes or Phrantza was a late Byzantine Greek historian. He was born in Constantinople. At an early age he became secretary to Manuel II Palaiologos; in 1432 protovestiarites; in 1446 prefect of Mistras, and subsequently great logothete...
places it in year 6936 of the Byzantine calendar
Byzantine calendar
The Byzantine calendar, also "Creation Era of Constantinople," or "Era of the World" was the calendar used by the Eastern Orthodox Church from c. 691 to 1728 in the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It was also the official calendar of the Byzantine Empire from 988 to 1453, and in Russia from c...
and thus establishes the date.
John VIII had previously married twice. His first wife Anna of Moscow
Anna of Moscow
Anna Vasilievna of Moscow was the first wife of John VIII Palaiologos. She died while her husband was still the junior co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:...
had died in 1417. His second marriage to Sophia of Montferrat
Sophia of Montferrat
Sophia of Montferrat was the second wife of John VIII Palaiologos. She was briefly the senior Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:...
had been dissolved in 1426. John remained childless and pursued the marriage in hopes of gaining heirs of his own. The marriage lasted twelve years but resulted in no children. Sphrantzes records the date of her death. Steven Runciman
Steven Runciman
The Hon. Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman CH — known as Steven Runciman — was a British historian known for his work on the Middle Ages...
attributed the death to bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
.
John never remarried and died childless on 31 October 1448. He was succeeded by his younger brother Constantine XI
Constantine XI
Constantine XI Palaiologos, latinized as Palaeologus , Kōnstantinos XI Dragasēs Palaiologos; February 8, 1404 – May 29, 1453) was the last reigning Byzantine Emperor from 1449 to his death as member of the Palaiologos dynasty...
. Constantine was a widower when succeeding to the throne and never married again. His reign ended with the Fall of Constantinople
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
(29 May 1453) and with it the end of the Empire, leaving Maria the last Empress.
External links
- Her listing, along with her husband, in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley.
- http://surprisedbytime.blogspot.com/2008/08/dear-john.html Portrait by Pisanello thought possibly a portrait of Maria.