Marina Smilets of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
Marina Smilets (before 1292 – 7 April 1355) was the eledest daughter of tsar Smilets of Bulgaria
and his Byzantine
wife.
. Her mother was the daughter of sebastocrator Constantine Palaiologos
and niece of Michael VIII Palaiologos
. In the histories she was called just Smiltsena
(Bulgarian: Смилцена; the wife of Smilets), without a name being given. Marina was the elder sister of tsar Ivan II of Bulgaria
and Theodora
, queen-consort of Kingdom of Serbia
. Marina Smilets was maternal aunt of King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
.
succeeded him as emperor in Tarnovo. The new tsar
was a child, and the government was in the hands of the widowed empress Smiltsena. Marina's mother apparently defeated Smilets' brothers Radoslav and Voysil, who sought refuge in the Byzantine Empire
and entered into Byzantine service. To meet this threat and the invasion of the Mongol prince Chaka
, Smiltsena sought an alliance with Aldimir
(Eltimir), the brother of the former ruler George Terter I. Aldimir was accordingly married to Marina and, if this had not happened earlier, was given the title of despotēs
and invested with an extensive landholding around Kran. As his wife, Marina was granted the title of despina of Kran.
Despina Marina gave birth to a son, called Ivan Dragushin.
The regents of Ivan II were unable to strengthen their position, and abandoned Tarnovo to Chaka
, who installed himself as emperor in 1299. Smiltsena and Ivan II
settled in the possessions of Aldimir and Marina, where they may have remained until the accession of Aldimir's nephew Theodore Svetoslav to the throne in 1300. Aldimir entered into an alliance with Theodore Svetoslav and his own possessions around Kran were enlarged. Аs result Aldemir maybe asked Marina's family to leave Kran and they fled to Constantinople
.
.
After 1321 despina
Marina and her son relocated in the Kingdom of Serbia
, where the power was seized by King Stefan Dečanski
, who was married Marina's sister Theodora
. Marina was threatened with high respect by Stefan Dečanski
and his son Stefan Dušan
, who was her nephew
. In Serbia
Marina and Ivan Dragushin were granted with an extensive landholding in Macedonia (region)
. Later Despina Marina retired to a monastery under the monastic name Maria. Despina Marina was portrayed along with a boy, а grandson of her, in the church of Kavadarci
.
Marina Smilets survived her son and died on 7 April 1355. She was buried in Skopie.
Smilets of Bulgaria
Smilets reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1292 to 1298. The date of his birth is unknown.Although Smilec is credited with being descended "from the noblest family of the Bulgarians", his antecedents are completely unknown...
and his 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...
wife.
Family
The date and the place of Marina's birth are unknown, but she was born before her father's ascension on the Bulgarian throne in 1292, maybe in his official residence in KranKran, Bulgaria
Kran is a town in central Bulgaria. It is located just south of the Balkan Mountains and is administratively part of Kazanlak Municipality, Stara Zagora Province. Kran was an important castle of the Second Bulgarian Empire in the 13th–14th century...
. Her mother was the daughter of sebastocrator Constantine Palaiologos
Constantine Palaiologos (half-brother of Michael VIII)
Constantine Palaiologos was a son of Andronikos Palaiologos, Grand Domestic of the Empire of Nicaea and an unknown second wife...
and niece of Michael VIII Palaiologos
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...
. In the histories she was called just Smiltsena
Smiltsena Palaiologina
Smiltsena was а Byzantine princess, niece of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, and empress-consort of Tsar Smilets of Bulgaria.-Family:...
(Bulgarian: Смилцена; the wife of Smilets), without a name being given. Marina was the elder sister of tsar Ivan II of Bulgaria
Ivan II of Bulgaria
Ivan II , reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1298 to 1299. The date of his birth is unknown, but probably not much earlier than c. 1290. He died as a monk in exile before 1330.Ivan II succeeded his father Smilets as emperor in Tărnovo in 1298...
and Theodora
Theodora Smilets of Bulgaria
Theodora Smilets was a Bulgarian princess and queen consort of Serbia, the first wife of king Stefan Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia....
, queen-consort of Kingdom of Serbia
Raška (state)
Principality of Serbia or Serbian Principality was an early medieval state of the Serbs ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, that existed from ca 768 to 969 in Southeastern Europe. It was established through an unification of several provincial chiefs under the supreme rule of a certain Višeslav,...
. Marina Smilets was maternal aunt of King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
Stephen Uroš IV Dušan the Mighty , was the King of Serbia and Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks until his death on 20 December 1355. Dušan managed to conquer a large part of Southeast Europe, becoming one of the most powerful monarchs in his time...
.
Despina of Kran
Tsar Smilets died in 1298 and Ivan II of BulgariaIvan II of Bulgaria
Ivan II , reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1298 to 1299. The date of his birth is unknown, but probably not much earlier than c. 1290. He died as a monk in exile before 1330.Ivan II succeeded his father Smilets as emperor in Tărnovo in 1298...
succeeded him as emperor in Tarnovo. The new tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
was a child, and the government was in the hands of the widowed empress Smiltsena. Marina's mother apparently defeated Smilets' brothers Radoslav and Voysil, who sought refuge in 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...
and entered into Byzantine service. To meet this threat and the invasion of the Mongol prince Chaka
Chaka
Chaka may refer to:* Shaka , Zulu chieftain* Chaka , a Turkic tribe* Chaka , a yogurt-based cheese popular in Afghanistan and Tajikistan* Chaka of Smyrna 11th Century emir...
, Smiltsena sought an alliance with Aldimir
Aldimir
Aldimir or EltimirWhile Aldimir is mentioned in Medieval Greek sources solely as Ἐλτιμηρῆς, Eltimiris, his original name Aldimir has been established thanks to the discovery of his son Ivan Dragushin's epitaph. was a Bulgarian noble of the 13th–14th century...
(Eltimir), the brother of the former ruler George Terter I. Aldimir was accordingly married to Marina and, if this had not happened earlier, was given the title of despotēs
Despotes
Despot , was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent...
and invested with an extensive landholding around Kran. As his wife, Marina was granted the title of despina of Kran.
Despina Marina gave birth to a son, called Ivan Dragushin.
The regents of Ivan II were unable to strengthen their position, and abandoned Tarnovo to Chaka
Chaka
Chaka may refer to:* Shaka , Zulu chieftain* Chaka , a Turkic tribe* Chaka , a yogurt-based cheese popular in Afghanistan and Tajikistan* Chaka of Smyrna 11th Century emir...
, who installed himself as emperor in 1299. Smiltsena and Ivan II
Ivan II of Bulgaria
Ivan II , reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1298 to 1299. The date of his birth is unknown, but probably not much earlier than c. 1290. He died as a monk in exile before 1330.Ivan II succeeded his father Smilets as emperor in Tărnovo in 1298...
settled in the possessions of Aldimir and Marina, where they may have remained until the accession of Aldimir's nephew Theodore Svetoslav to the throne in 1300. Aldimir entered into an alliance with Theodore Svetoslav and his own possessions around Kran were enlarged. Аs result Aldemir maybe asked Marina's family to leave Kran and they fled to 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:...
.
Exile
In 1305 Aldemir appears to have entered into negotiations with the Byzantines, and Theodore Svetoslav annexed his uncle's lands. Despina Marina maybe had strong influence over the policy of her husband and after Aldimir's subjugation by Theodore Svetoslav, she and Ivan Dragushin fled to ConstantinopleConstantinople
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:...
.
After 1321 despina
Despina
Despina is a given name for girls, meaning 'lady' in Greek. It may refer to:* Despina Delios* Despina Pavlou* Despina VandiIt may also refer to:* Despoina, a figure in Greek mythology* Maria Despina* Despina , a moon of Neptune...
Marina and her son relocated in the Kingdom of Serbia
Raška (state)
Principality of Serbia or Serbian Principality was an early medieval state of the Serbs ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, that existed from ca 768 to 969 in Southeastern Europe. It was established through an unification of several provincial chiefs under the supreme rule of a certain Višeslav,...
, where the power was seized by King Stefan Dečanski
Stefan Uroš III Decanski of Serbia
Stephen Uroš III of Dečani was King of Serbia from January 6, 1322 to 8 September 1331. He defeated and killed several of his family members who wanted to take the throne from him. He took his epithet Dečanski from the great monastery he built at Dečani.-Early:He was the son of King Stefan Uroš II...
, who was married Marina's sister Theodora
Theodora Smilets of Bulgaria
Theodora Smilets was a Bulgarian princess and queen consort of Serbia, the first wife of king Stefan Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia....
. Marina was threatened with high respect by Stefan Dečanski
Stefan Uroš III Decanski of Serbia
Stephen Uroš III of Dečani was King of Serbia from January 6, 1322 to 8 September 1331. He defeated and killed several of his family members who wanted to take the throne from him. He took his epithet Dečanski from the great monastery he built at Dečani.-Early:He was the son of King Stefan Uroš II...
and his son Stefan Dušan
Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
Stephen Uroš IV Dušan the Mighty , was the King of Serbia and Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks until his death on 20 December 1355. Dušan managed to conquer a large part of Southeast Europe, becoming one of the most powerful monarchs in his time...
, who was her nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
. In Serbia
Raška (state)
Principality of Serbia or Serbian Principality was an early medieval state of the Serbs ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, that existed from ca 768 to 969 in Southeastern Europe. It was established through an unification of several provincial chiefs under the supreme rule of a certain Višeslav,...
Marina and Ivan Dragushin were granted with an extensive landholding in Macedonia (region)
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
. Later Despina Marina retired to a monastery under the monastic name Maria. Despina Marina was portrayed along with a boy, а grandson of her, in the church of Kavadarci
Kavadarci
Kavadarci is a town located in the Tikveš region of the Republic of Macedonia. Situated in the heart of Macedonia’s wine country, it is home to the largest winery in south-eastern Europe, named after the Tikveš plain. The town of Kavadarci is the seat of Kavadarci Municipality...
.
Marina Smilets survived her son and died on 7 April 1355. She was buried in Skopie.
Sources
- Pavlov, Plamen, "Търновските царици". ДАР-РХ, 2006.