Simonida
Encyclopedia
Simonida Nemanjić born Simonis Palaiologina , was a Byzantine
princess and queen consort
of Serbia
as the fourth wife of Serbian king Milutin (r. 1282–1321). She was a daughter of Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos
(r. 1282–1328) and Irene of Montferrat.
ca. 1294. In 1298, as a result of a Byzantine defeat, Emperor Andronikos II promised a marriage alliance to the Serbian ruler Milutin. Initially, Andronikos II intended to wed his sister Eudokia, the empress-dowager of Trebizond, but after she refused, the five-year-old Simonida was proposed instead. Church circles in Constantinople opposed the marriage, but the emperor was determined to push the deal through, and in late 1298 he sent his trusted minister Theodore Metochites
to Serbia to conduct the negotiations. On his part, Milutin too was eager to accept, and even divorced his third wife, Anna
, the daughter of the Bulgarian
tsar.
The marriage was celebrated in Thessalonica in spring 1299, and the couple departed for Serbia in April. After Milutin's death in 1321, Simonida returned to Constantinople, where she entered the monastery of Saint Andrew in Krisei as a nun. She died some time after 1336.
of her in Gračanica monastery
is one of the most valuable frescoes in Serbian art
. Unfortunately, the fresco is partly ruined, so that Simonida has no eyes.
Milan Rakić
wrote a lyric poem about her named Simonida, and Milutin Bojić wrote a psychological drama called Kraljeva Jesen (Eng.
King's autumn) about her. Asteroid 1675 Simonida
discovered by Serbian astronomer Milorad B. Protić
was named after her.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
princess and queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
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,...
as the fourth wife of Serbian king Milutin (r. 1282–1321). She was a daughter of Byzantine Emperor 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...
(r. 1282–1328) and Irene of Montferrat.
Life
Simonida was born in 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:...
ca. 1294. In 1298, as a result of a Byzantine defeat, Emperor Andronikos II promised a marriage alliance to the Serbian ruler Milutin. Initially, Andronikos II intended to wed his sister Eudokia, the empress-dowager of Trebizond, but after she refused, the five-year-old Simonida was proposed instead. Church circles in Constantinople opposed the marriage, but the emperor was determined to push the deal through, and in late 1298 he sent his trusted minister Theodore Metochites
Theodore Metochites
Theodore Metochites was a Byzantine statesman, author, gentleman philosopher, and patron of the arts. From c. 1305 to 1328 he held the position of personal adviser to emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos.- Life :...
to Serbia to conduct the negotiations. On his part, Milutin too was eager to accept, and even divorced his third wife, Anna
Anna Terter of Bulgaria
Anna Terter was a Bulgarian princess and Queen consort of Serbia . She was the third wife of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia....
, the daughter of the Bulgarian
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
tsar.
The marriage was celebrated in Thessalonica in spring 1299, and the couple departed for Serbia in April. After Milutin's death in 1321, Simonida returned to Constantinople, where she entered the monastery of Saint Andrew in Krisei as a nun. She died some time after 1336.
Legacy
Her beauty was well known, and she was known as figure of purity and beauty in Serbian tradition. A frescoFresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
of her in Gračanica monastery
Gracanica monastery
Gračanica is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in Kosovo. It was founded by the Serbian king Stefan Milutin in 1321. Gračanica Monastery was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and on 13 July 2006 it was placed on UNESCO's...
is one of the most valuable frescoes in Serbian art
Serbian art
Serbian art refers to the art of the Serbs and Serbia.The territory of today's Serbia has been inhabited since pre-historical times. Indeed, Sirmium is one of the oldest settlements in Europe with archaeologists tracing some form of urban life as far back as 5000 BC.The Romans conquered Sirmium in...
. Unfortunately, the fresco is partly ruined, so that Simonida has no eyes.
Milan Rakić
Milan Rakic
Milan Rakić was a Serbian poet. He focused on dodecasyllable and hendecasyllable verse, which allowed him to achieve beautiful rhythm and rhyme in his poems. He was quite a perfectionist and therefore only published two collections of poems . He wrote largely about death and non-existence,...
wrote a lyric poem about her named Simonida, and Milutin Bojić wrote a psychological drama called Kraljeva Jesen (Eng.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
King's autumn) about her. Asteroid 1675 Simonida
1675 Simonida
1675 Simonida is a Main-belt asteroid discovered on March 20, 1938 by Milorad B. Protić at Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia.It was named after Queen Simonida, the wife of medieval Serbian king Stefan Milutin.- External links :*...
discovered by Serbian astronomer Milorad B. Protić
Milorad B. Protic
Milorad B. Protić was a Serbian astronomer.He has discovered a handful of asteroids. 1675 Simonida is named after queen Simonida, wife of medieval Serbian king Stefan Milutin; 2348 Michkovitch is named after Vojislav V...
was named after her.