Who was the Byzantine Empress Irene?
Irene, (born c. 752, Athens—died Aug. 9, 803, Lesbos), Byzantine ruler and saint of the Greek Orthodox Church who was instrumental in restoring the use of icons in the Eastern Roman Empire.
Who was the first Byzantine empress?
Empress Irene
Empress Irene was the wife of Leo IV and, on her husband’s death, she reigned as regent for her son Constantine VI from 780 to 790 CE. From 797 to 802 CE she ruled as emperor in her own right, the first woman to do so in Byzantine history.
What did Empress Irene do?
Empress Irene of Athens was the first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire. She was also known to have initiated the Second Council of Nicea. Irene was also known for her generous financial policies, which were especially friendly to monasteries. After her death, she became a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Was there ever a Byzantine empress?
Theodora, a 6th-century Byzantine empress married to Emperor Justinian I, is remembered for being one of the most powerful women in Byzantine history. She used her power and influence to promote religious and social policies that were important to her.
Why was Byzantine Empress Irene imprisoned?
In 797, Irene organized a conspiracy in which her supporters gouged out her son’s eyes, maiming him severely. He was imprisoned and probably died shortly afterwards.
Who did Irene blind?
In 797, a conspiracy led by Irene to regain power for herself succeeded. Constantine tried to flee but was captured and returned to Constantinople, where, on the orders of Irene, he was blinded by his eyes being gouged out.
Who was the last empress of Rome?
| Licinia Eudoxia | |
|---|---|
| Golden medallion with portrait of Licinia Eudoxia. | |
| Empress of the Roman Empire (in the West) | |
| Tenure | 437–455 |
| Born | 422 Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) |
Are there any empresses?
There’s No Definitive List of Roman Empresses. Their Individual Stories Still Matter. Sitting statue of Livia Drusilla, wife of the Emperor Augustus, a Roman sculpture of the early first century. National Archaeological Museum In Madrid.
What legacy did Empress Irene leave?
Irene has had a mixed legacy. On the one hand, by initiating the Seventh Ecumenical Council, she is still considered a hero to Orthodox Christians. She also tried to help the poor. But her brutal murder of her son has understandably tainted her memory.
Who did Empress Irene marry?
Leo IV
In 797, Irene organized a conspiracy in which her supporters gouged out her son’s eyes, maiming him severely. He was imprisoned and probably died shortly afterwards….
| Irene of Athens | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 750–755 Athens, Byzantine Empire |
| Died | 9 August 803 Lesbos, Byzantine Empire |
| Spouse | Leo IV |
| Issue | Constantine VI |
What happened to the last empress of Rome?
She may be presumed to have committed suicide, following the example of Lucretia. Regardless, Maximus arranged the marriage of his son Palladius to his new stepdaughter Eudocia, the daughter of Eudoxia from her first marriage, again to secure a dynastic relation to the Theodosian dynasty.
What happened to eudoxia?
In 1698 Peter sent her to a monastery. There she took vows (1699) but left after six months and resumed life as a laywoman. Following the trial of her son, Tsarevich Alexis, for treason (1718), she was kept in confinement at a fortress east of St. Petersburg on Lake Ladoga.
Why was Irene exiled?
In 802 the patricians conspired against her, deposing her on 31 October, and placing Nikephoros, the minister of finance (logothetēs tou genikou), on the throne. Irene was exiled to Lesbos and forced to support herself by spinning wool.
How did Empress Irene blind her son?
One of these revolts succeeded, but in 792, Irene was re-established in all imperial powers as co-emperor with Constantine. In 797, Irene organized a conspiracy in which her supporters gouged out her son’s eyes, maiming him severely. He was imprisoned and probably died shortly afterwards.
Did Nero love Sporus?
According to Suetonius, Nero had Sporus castrated, afterward keeping the boy shrouded in a woman’s stola and veils, and announced to the world that his lover was now a woman. He even held a wedding ceremony in 67 A.D. and took the boy as his wife and new empress.
What happened to Empress licinia Eudoxia?
The three women stayed prisoners in Carthage for seven years. In 462, Leo I, Eastern Roman Emperor paid a large ransom for Eudoxia and her daughter Placidia. Eudoxia returned to Constantinople after an absence of twenty-five years, Placidia joining her. Eudocia stayed in Africa and took Huneric as her husband.
What happened Eudoxia Lopukhina?
During the prosecution of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia, all the bishops who supported her were executed, and Eudoxia was transferred to a convent in Ladoga.
How old was Irene of Bulgaria when she became empress?
When Constantine V died in September 775, Leo IV ascended to the throne at the age of twenty-five, and Irene became empress. An unnamed female relative of Irene was married to the Bulgar ruler Telerig in 776. Irene also had a nephew.
When did Irene become empress of France?
In 792, Irene’s title as empress was reconfirmed, and she also regained power as co-ruler with her son. Constantine was not a successful emperor.
What happened to the emperor of Greece in 790?
Co-emperor since 14 April 776, sole emperor upon Leo’s death in 780, until 790 under the regency of his mother, Irene of Athens. He was overthrown on Irene’s orders, blinded and imprisoned, probably dying of his wounds shortly after. Born c. 752 in Athens, she married Leo IV on 3 November 768 and was crowned empress on 17 December.
What happened to Constantine the Great after 797?
In 797, a conspiracy led by Irene to regain power for herself succeeded. Constantine tried to flee but was captured and returned to Constantinople, where, on the orders of Irene, he was blinded by his eyes being gouged out. That he died shortly after is assumed by some; in other accounts, he and Theodote retired to private life.