342:
315:
During the war Irene remained at
Didymoteicho with her three daughters while John VI was busy campaigning. Irene was given the command of the garrison and defended Didymoteicho. She defended the city from the attacks of King Ivan Alexander the best she could until her husband, with the help of
289:. Irene joined him and was crowned Empress at his side. One of her first acts as Empress was to obtain the release of her two brothers, John and Manuel Asen, who had been imprisoned in Thrace since 1335 on a charge of treason.
369:, then imprisoned by Emperor John V, and reinstate him as Emperor. In 1359, she was joined at the convent by her daughter Maria, and her granddaughter Theodora, the eldest daughter of Matthew.
331:
On 3 February 1347, the two sides reached an agreement. John VI was accepted as senior emperor with John V as his junior co-ruler. The agreement was sealed with the marriage of their daughter
27:
304:
sided with John VI. Both parties were actually taking advantage of the civil war to advance their own political and territorial agendas and John VI even allied himself with
324:, made his way back to Didymoteicho in the winter of 1343. Her courageous efforts impressed many of her contemporaries, such as Umur himself and the historian
171:. She is known to have participated in military issues in a degree uncommon for a Byzantine empress. She commanded the garrison of Didymoteicho during the
389:
Although the date of her death is not recorded, Nicol presumes it happened before 1379 when her husband and other members of her family were taken to
361:
On 4 December 1354, John VI abdicated and the former imperial couple retired themselves to separate monasteries. In her case, it was the convent of
362:
671:
382:, but may have returned to Constantinople in 1362 or 1363, where she may have been one of the "Empresses" whom the ambassadors from the
254:, grandson of Andronikos II and great-grandson of Michael VIII. Andronikos III died on 15 June 1341 and was succeeded by his eldest son
1697:
1539:
794:
492:
of John records that this son died due to "plague". Given the year of his death, Andronikos was probably among the casualties of the
365:
under the monastic name
Eugenia. In 1356 and the following year, Irene rejected the offer of Ziani, to effect the release of her son
239:
335:
to John V. John VI entered
Constantinople and took effective control of the city with Irene serving as senior Empress at his side.
353:
and gained support as the "legitimate" emperor. In 1353, Irene organised the defense of
Constantinople against John Palaiologos.
192:
527:
1712:
1615:
1581:
1423:
764:
749:
277:. Kantakouzenos left Constantinople to try to restore order to the area. Anna took advantage of his absence to declare him an
803:
560:
452:
350:
293:
172:
102:
1544:
301:
270:
201:
1489:
1286:
1068:
406:
1316:
1291:
1220:
667:
The
Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus), ca. 1100–1460: A Genealogical and Prosopographical Study
1372:
1311:
787:
175:, and organized the defense of Constantinople against the Genoese in 1348, and the forces of John V in 1353.
223:. Her last name however indicates being a member of the Branas family which produced military leaders, like
1702:
1692:
1687:
1499:
1428:
1413:
1281:
1113:
1098:
1361:
954:
731:
297:
251:
1534:
1418:
1356:
1322:
1035:
414:
394:
188:
1366:
780:
235:
417:, presumably a cousin by one of the siblings of Michael VIII. The marriage produced six children:
1452:
1441:
1301:
1073:
1058:
1636:
1165:
975:
281:
and to strip him of titles and fortune. But
Kantakouzenos was still in control of part of the
1707:
1509:
1447:
1378:
1235:
847:
421:
372:
Nicol speculates that she followed the rest of her family to the Morea where her younger son
366:
164:
94:
74:
1666:
indicates a consort to an emperor variously regarded as either legitimate or a usurper, and
1610:
1529:
1388:
1296:
1123:
929:
892:
500:
438:
373:
266:. However Andronikos III had entrusted the administration of the empire to Kantakouzenos.
98:
8:
1588:
1571:
1551:
1514:
1494:
1346:
980:
760:
740:
474:
383:
378:
332:
325:
106:
1561:
1519:
1479:
1434:
1341:
1215:
887:
862:
478:
278:
255:
1643:
1472:
1271:
1205:
1088:
1063:
1052:
990:
944:
675:
220:
81:
1398:
1648:
1593:
1504:
1484:
1467:
1403:
1383:
1254:
1225:
1175:
1020:
964:
922:
912:
902:
837:
168:
31:
1598:
1556:
1524:
1457:
1408:
1328:
1153:
1148:
1133:
1108:
1030:
985:
877:
872:
867:
852:
827:
665:
228:
184:
132:
772:
1603:
1462:
1393:
1336:
1143:
995:
939:
934:
907:
857:
832:
468:
309:
282:
224:
152:
207:
The last names of her maternal grandmother indicate descent from the families
1681:
1631:
1566:
1266:
1230:
1190:
1185:
1083:
1000:
724:
522:
263:
338:
In 1348, Irene organised the defense of
Constantinople against the Genuese.
970:
882:
695:
661:
286:
197:
122:
679:
242:
which makes
Asanina a member of the extended Imperial family of her time.
917:
493:
216:
341:
1138:
812:
285:
and, on 26 October 1341, he answered by proclaiming himself emperor at
1195:
1040:
842:
1351:
1276:
1159:
1025:
1010:
317:
212:
321:
1306:
1240:
1210:
1093:
1078:
897:
305:
259:
117:
234:
Her paternal grandmother, Irene
Palaiologina, was a daughter of
1200:
1046:
390:
274:
208:
1103:
822:
528:
Byzantine
Empresses: Women and Power in Byzantium AD 527-1204
464:
187:
and his wife Tarchanaiotissa. Her paternal grandparents were
157:
204:
and his wife Maria Doukaina Komnene Palaiologina Branaina.
300:
soon allied with the faction under John V and Anna while
16:
Empress consort of John VI Kantakouzenos/Byzantine Empire
258:, who was only nine-years-old and was placed under the
567:
539:
537:
639:
627:
615:
603:
591:
579:
534:
499:Maria Kantakouzene (died after 1379), who married
802:
1679:
413:, John records his mother being a kinswoman of
163:; died after 1354), was the empress consort of
788:
670:. Dumbarton Oaks studies 11. Washington, DC:
1662:indicates a consort to a junior co-emperor,
672:Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies
431:– 1383), co-emperor 1353–1357, later
409:and Theodora Angelina Palaiologina. In his
405:Irene married John Kantakouzenos, a son of
795:
781:
231:, but whose genealogy is poorly recorded.
554:
552:
518:
516:
340:
250:Kantakouzenos was a trusted advisor of
1680:
549:
513:
776:
660:
645:
633:
621:
609:
597:
585:
573:
543:
294:civil war that would last until 1347
477:(1333 – 1396), who married Emperor
202:Michael Doukas Glabas Tarchaneiotes
13:
14:
1724:
273:launched an invasion of Northern
195:. Her maternal grandparents were
1698:14th-century Byzantine empresses
173:Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347
351:restarted the conflict in 1352
302:Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
271:Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
1:
1713:Mothers of Byzantine emperors
1670:incidates an empress regnant.
507:
485:
460:
456:
442:
425:
356:
178:
87:
53:
1500:Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera
292:This was the beginning of a
7:
400:
10:
1729:
654:
484:Andronikos Kantakouzenos (
463:1396), who married Sultan
386:met there in April 1363.
298:Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria
252:Andronikos III Palaiologos
245:
219:who each produced several
183:Asanina was a daughter of
158:
1657:
1624:
1535:Elena Asenina of Bulgaria
1253:
1174:
1122:
1036:Flavia Maximiana Theodora
1009:
953:
811:
757:
732:Byzantine Empress consort
729:
721:
716:
689:
415:Andronikos II Palaiologos
395:Andronikos IV Palaiologos
189:Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria
156:
138:
128:
116:
80:
70:
62:
49:
45:
37:
26:
21:
345:Byzantine Empire in 1350
269:At about the same time,
236:Michael VIII Palaiologos
110:Andronikos Kantakouzenos
1453:Eudokia Makrembolitissa
1059:Flavia Julia Constantia
976:Marcia Otacilia Severa
346:
1540:Theodora Palaiologina
1510:Anna Komnene Angelina
1448:Catherine of Bulgaria
1379:Eudokia Dekapolitissa
848:Agrippina the Younger
453:Theodora Kantakouzene
422:Matthew Kantakouzenos
407:Michael Kantakouzenos
367:Matthew Kantakouzenos
344:
240:Theodora Palaiologina
165:John VI Kantakouzenos
103:Theodora Kantakouzene
95:Matthew Kantakouzenos
75:John VI Kantakouzenos
66:between 1363 and 1379
1611:Sophia of Montferrat
1530:Anna of Hohenstaufen
1389:Theophano Martinakia
1297:Theodora of Khazaria
930:Julia Cornelia Paula
893:Faustina the Younger
501:Nikephoros II Orsini
439:Manuel Kantakouzenos
374:Manuel Kantakouzenos
99:Manuel Kantakouzenos
1703:Palaiologos dynasty
1693:14th-century deaths
1688:14th-century births
1589:Keratsa of Bulgaria
1572:Helena Kantakouzene
1552:Irene of Montferrat
1515:Philippa of Armenia
1495:Margaret of Hungary
1347:Theophano of Athens
1166:Julius Nepos's wife
981:Herennia Etruscilla
804:Roman and Byzantine
761:Helena Kantakouzene
741:Helena Kantakouzene
558:Guglielmo Cavallo,
475:Helena Kantakouzene
384:Empire of Trebizond
333:Helena Kantakouzene
326:Nikephoros Gregoras
107:Helena Kantakouzene
1616:Maria of Trebizond
1582:Irene Palaiologina
1562:Irene of Brunswick
1520:Maria of Courtenay
1480:Bertha of Sulzbach
888:Faustina the Elder
863:Statilia Messalina
765:Irene Palaiologina
750:Irene Palaiologina
576:, pp. 104ff..
488:1334 – 1347). The
479:John V Palaiologos
347:
279:enemy of the state
256:John V Palaiologos
221:Byzantine Emperors
193:Irene Palaiologina
112:Maria Kantakouzene
1675:
1674:
1644:Byzantine emperor
1473:Dobrodeia of Kiev
1249:
1248:
1053:Valeria Maximilla
991:Cornelia Salonina
945:Sallustia Orbiana
771:
770:
758:Succeeded by
754:(1353–1354)
745:(1347–1354)
310:Ottoman Sultanate
146:
145:
1720:
1594:Irene Gattilusio
1505:Eudokia Angelina
1485:Maria of Antioch
1468:Irene of Hungary
1404:Zoe Karbonopsina
1384:Eudokia Ingerina
1257:Byzantine Empire
1120:
1119:
965:Caecilia Paulina
923:Fulvia Plautilla
913:Manlia Scantilla
903:Bruttia Crispina
838:Milonia Caesonia
797:
790:
783:
774:
773:
722:Preceded by
712:
705:
687:
686:
683:
662:Nicol, Donald M.
649:
643:
637:
631:
625:
619:
613:
607:
601:
595:
589:
583:
577:
571:
565:
556:
547:
541:
532:
520:
487:
462:
458:
444:
430:
427:
349:However, John V
169:Byzantine Empire
162:
161:
160:
91:
58:
55:
32:Byzantine Empire
19:
18:
1728:
1727:
1723:
1722:
1721:
1719:
1718:
1717:
1678:
1677:
1676:
1671:
1653:
1620:
1557:Rita of Armenia
1545:Anna of Hungary
1525:Irene Laskarina
1490:Agnes of France
1458:Maria of Alania
1409:Helena Lekapene
1259:
1256:
1245:
1178:
1170:
1154:Marcia Euphemia
1149:Licinia Eudoxia
1126:
1118:
1109:Aelia Flaccilla
1031:Galeria Valeria
1013:
1005:
986:Cornelia Supera
957:
949:
878:Pompeia Plotina
873:Domitia Longina
868:Galeria Fundana
853:Claudia Octavia
828:Livia Orestilla
815:
807:
801:
767:
747:
737:
736:1341–1354
735:
727:
706:
700:
699:
692:
657:
652:
644:
640:
632:
628:
620:
616:
608:
604:
596:
592:
584:
580:
572:
568:
557:
550:
542:
535:
521:
514:
510:
428:
403:
393:as hostages by
359:
308:of the nascent
248:
229:Theodore Branas
185:Andronikos Asen
181:
142:Tarchanaiotissa
133:Andronikos Asen
111:
109:
105:
101:
97:
85:
84:
56:
28:Empress consort
17:
12:
11:
5:
1726:
1716:
1715:
1710:
1705:
1700:
1695:
1690:
1673:
1672:
1658:
1655:
1654:
1652:
1651:
1646:
1641:
1640:
1639:
1628:
1626:
1622:
1621:
1619:
1618:
1613:
1608:
1604:Anna of Moscow
1596:
1591:
1586:
1574:
1569:
1564:
1559:
1554:
1549:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1465:
1463:Irene Doukaina
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1438:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1399:Eudokia Baïana
1396:
1394:Zoe Zaoutzaina
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1337:Maria of Amnia
1334:
1326:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1263:
1261:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1246:
1244:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1182:
1180:
1176:Eastern Empire
1172:
1171:
1169:
1168:
1163:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1144:Galla Placidia
1141:
1136:
1130:
1128:
1124:Western Empire
1117:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1049:
1044:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1017:
1015:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1003:
998:
996:Ulpia Severina
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
961:
959:
951:
950:
948:
947:
942:
940:Annia Faustina
937:
935:Aquilia Severa
932:
927:
915:
910:
908:Flavia Titiana
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
858:Poppaea Sabina
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
833:Lollia Paulina
830:
825:
819:
817:
816:27 BC – AD 235
809:
808:
800:
799:
792:
785:
777:
769:
768:
759:
756:
728:
723:
719:
718:
714:
713:
693:
691:Irene Asanina
690:
685:
684:
656:
653:
651:
650:
648:, p. 130.
638:
636:, p. 129.
626:
624:, p. 134.
614:
612:, p. 108.
602:
600:, p. 107.
590:
588:, p. 106.
578:
566:
561:The Byzantines
548:
546:, p. 104.
533:
511:
509:
506:
505:
504:
497:
482:
472:
469:Ottoman Empire
450:
445:1326 – 1380),
436:
402:
399:
358:
355:
283:Byzantine army
262:of his mother
247:
244:
225:Alexios Branas
180:
177:
159:Εἰρήνη Ἀσανίνα
144:
143:
140:
136:
135:
130:
126:
125:
120:
114:
113:
92:
78:
77:
72:
68:
67:
64:
60:
59:
51:
47:
46:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1725:
1714:
1711:
1709:
1706:
1704:
1701:
1699:
1696:
1694:
1691:
1689:
1686:
1685:
1683:
1669:
1665:
1661:
1656:
1650:
1647:
1645:
1642:
1638:
1635:
1634:
1633:
1632:Roman emperor
1630:
1629:
1627:
1623:
1617:
1614:
1612:
1609:
1606:
1605:
1600:
1599:Helena Dragaš
1597:
1595:
1592:
1590:
1587:
1584:
1583:
1578:
1577:Irene Asanina
1575:
1573:
1570:
1568:
1567:Anna of Savoy
1565:
1563:
1560:
1558:
1555:
1553:
1550:
1547:
1546:
1541:
1538:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1475:
1474:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1443:
1439:
1437:
1436:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1374:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1331:
1327:
1325:
1324:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1267:Fabia Eudokia
1265:
1264:
1262:
1258:
1252:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1231:Ino Anastasia
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1191:Aelia Eudocia
1189:
1187:
1186:Aelia Eudoxia
1184:
1183:
1181:
1177:
1173:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1161:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1121:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1084:Marina Severa
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1054:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1008:
1002:
1001:Magnia Urbica
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
966:
963:
962:
960:
956:
952:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
925:
924:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
820:
818:
814:
810:
805:
798:
793:
791:
786:
784:
779:
778:
775:
766:
762:
755:
752:
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1708:Asen dynasty
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971:Tranquillina
921:
883:Vibia Sabina
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1664:underlining
1236:Constantina
918:Julia Domna
494:Black Death
429: 1325
217:Palaiologos
57: 1300
1682:Categories
1367:Euphrosyne
1139:Thermantia
1099:Constantia
813:Principate
646:Nicol 1968
634:Nicol 1968
622:Nicol 1968
610:Nicol 1968
598:Nicol 1968
586:Nicol 1968
574:Nicol 1968
544:Nicol 1968
508:References
503:of Epirus.
357:Later life
179:Early life
1419:Theophano
1357:Theodosia
1332:of Athens
1287:Anastasia
1196:Pulcheria
1041:Minervina
843:Messalina
806:empresses
449:in Morea.
435:in Morea.
41:1341–1354
1649:Augustae
1625:See also
1442:Theodora
1424:Theodora
1414:Theodora
1373:Theodora
1352:Prokopia
1342:Theodote
1277:Gregoria
1260:610–1453
1255:Eastern/
1221:Theodora
1216:Euphemia
1160:Placidia
1069:Faustina
1026:Eutropia
1011:Dominate
664:(1968).
447:despotēs
433:despotēs
401:Marriage
213:Komnenos
1660:Italics
1317:Eudokia
1307:Tzitzak
1292:Eudokia
1272:Martina
1241:Leontia
1211:Zenonis
1206:Ariadne
1179:395–610
1127:395–480
1094:Domnica
1089:Justina
1079:Charito
1064:Eusebia
1014:284–610
958:235–285
898:Lucilla
711: ?
704: ?
655:Sources
564:, p.119
531:, p.227
490:History
467:of the
459:1330 –
411:History
316:Sultan
306:Orhan I
260:regency
246:Empress
167:of the
30:of the
1429:Helena
1362:Thekla
1282:Fausta
1226:Sophia
1201:Verina
1074:Helena
1047:Fausta
1021:Prisca
955:Crisis
707:
680:390843
678:
391:Galata
379:Despot
275:Thrace
209:Doukas
139:Mother
129:Father
88:Detail
71:Spouse
38:Tenure
1330:Irene
1312:Maria
1302:Maria
1134:Maria
1114:Galla
1104:Laeta
823:Livia
739:with
709:Died:
702:Born:
465:Orhan
322:Aydın
153:Greek
118:House
82:Issue
1668:bold
1637:list
1601:(w.
1579:(w.
1542:(w.
1470:(w.
1323:Anna
920:(w.
763:and
676:OCLC
376:was
318:Umur
238:and
227:and
215:and
191:and
123:Asen
63:Died
50:Born
1435:Zoë
1043:(?)
967:(?)
328:.
320:of
1684::
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551:^
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515:^
486:c.
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