Theodora Kantakouzene, wife of Alexios IV of Trebizond
Encyclopedia
Theodora Kantakouzene was the Empress consort of Alexios IV of Trebizond
.
. The document is also known as the "Massarelli manuscript" because it was found in the papers of Angelo Massarelli
(1510–1566). Masarelli is better known as the general secretary of the Council of Trent
, who recorded the daily occurrings of the council.
Her parents were Theodore Palaiologos Kantakouzenos, uncle of the emperor of Constantinople Manuel II, and Euphrosyne Palaiologina. The Massarelli manuscript names her brothers in order of birth as Demetrios, Manuel (protostrator
), George, Andronikos (megas domestikos) and Thomas.
Theodora is given as the eldest daughter of her parents. Her younger sisters are given as Maria and Eirene Kantakouzene
. Eirene was married to Đurađ Branković, Prince of Serbia. Theodore Spandounes, a 16th century historian, ignoring Theodora, names another sister of Eirene as Helena Kantakouzene
. He calls her wife of David of Trebizond
, a son of Theodora, who in fact was the husband of Maria of Gothia. Spandounes was confused on which Emperor of Trebizond was brother-in-law to Eirene.. Born in Constantinople around 1382, Theodora was only thirteenth when she became in 1395 the consort of the co-emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond
, who approximatively had the same age. She became ruling empress when her husband became sole emperor in Trebizond at the death of her father-in-law the emperor Manuel III of Trebizond
, in 1417. Celebrated for her great beauty, she died in 1426. The Byzantine chronicler Laonikos Chalkokondyles, who finished his work in 1464, a long time after the death of Theodora, accused her to be the mistress of the protovestiarios
of the court of Trebizond, a scandalous adultery which, according to him, provoked the rebellion of her eldest son the co-emperor John IV who imprisoned his parents and tempted to kill them before be forced by the aristocracy to fly in Georgia. But this gossip is contradicted by the chronology and the other sources. It appears that Chalkokondyles is confusing with a precedent affair between a member of the imperial dynasty of Trebizond and a protovestiarios, namely Manuel III, the father-in-law of Theodora. This event is reported by the Spanish traveller Gonzalez de Clavijo, who visited Trebizond in 1404 not much after the facts. He adds that this scandalous relationship induce the young Alexios IV, Theodora's husband, to rebel against his father Manuel, so a very similar story which can explain Chalkokondyles' mistake. In fact, John IV rebelled against his father Alexios IV only after the death of Theodora (1426), at the end of 1427, certainly because his late mother couldn't now prevent the increasing rivalry between father and son to break out. On the contrary, the virtue, the piety, the great qualities and especially the perfect fidelity of Theodora are celebrated by his compatriot, the future cardinal Bessarion, in the three monodies he dedicated to his benefactress, and in a special discourse of consolation addressed to Alexios IV, really desperate by the death of his beloved empress. Last but not least, John IV himself, after his accession of the throne in 1429, paid homage to the virtues of his deceased mother in a chrysobull for the convent she founded..
, she gave him at least five children:
Alexios 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 :...
.
Family
Theodora and her relations are named in Dell'Imperadori Constantinopolitani, a manuscript held in the Vatican LibraryVatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
. The document is also known as the "Massarelli manuscript" because it was found in the papers of Angelo Massarelli
Angelo Massarelli
Angelo Massarelli was a notable Roman bishop, notable for having kept the Acts of the Council of Trent, which were the minutes of the council, and published only 300 years after the council was held....
(1510–1566). Masarelli is better known as the general secretary of the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, who recorded the daily occurrings of the council.
Her parents were Theodore Palaiologos Kantakouzenos, uncle of the emperor of Constantinople Manuel II, and Euphrosyne Palaiologina. The Massarelli manuscript names her brothers in order of birth as Demetrios, Manuel (protostrator
Protostrator
Prōtostratōr was a Byzantine court office, originating as the imperial stable master, which in the last centuries of the Empire evolved into one of the senior military offices...
), George, Andronikos (megas domestikos) and Thomas.
Theodora is given as the eldest daughter of her parents. Her younger sisters are given as Maria and Eirene Kantakouzene
Eirene Kantakouzene
Irene Kantakouzene was the wife of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković. In Serbian folk legends, she is the founder of many fortresses in Serbia.-Family:...
. Eirene was married to Đurađ Branković, Prince of Serbia. Theodore Spandounes, a 16th century historian, ignoring Theodora, names another sister of Eirene as Helena Kantakouzene
Helena Kantakouzene, Empress of Trebizond
-Family:The primary source about her is the account "On the Origin of the Ottoman Emperors" by Theodore Spandounes. Theodore was related to the Kantakouzenoi. He was a son of Matthew Spandounes and Eudokia Kantakouzene. His father was a soldied of the Republic of Venice...
. He calls her wife of David of Trebizond
David of Trebizond
David Megas Komnenos was the last Emperor of Trebizond from 1459 to 1461. He was the third son of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene....
, a son of Theodora, who in fact was the husband of Maria of Gothia. Spandounes was confused on which Emperor of Trebizond was brother-in-law to Eirene.. Born in Constantinople around 1382, Theodora was only thirteenth when she became in 1395 the consort of the co-emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond
Alexios 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 :...
, who approximatively had the same age. She became ruling empress when her husband became sole emperor in Trebizond at the death of her father-in-law the emperor Manuel III of Trebizond
Manuel III of Trebizond
Manuel III Megas Komnenos was Emperor of Trebizond from March 20, 1390 to his death in 1417. He was the son of Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond by Theodora Kantakouzene.Manuel became the heir of his father in 1377, after the death of his elder brother Basil...
, in 1417. Celebrated for her great beauty, she died in 1426. The Byzantine chronicler Laonikos Chalkokondyles, who finished his work in 1464, a long time after the death of Theodora, accused her to be the mistress of the protovestiarios
Protovestiarios
Protovestiarios was a high Byzantine court position, originally reserved for eunuchs.-History and functions:The title is first attested in 412, as the comes sacrae vestis, an official in charge of the Byzantine emperor's "sacred wardrobe" , coming under the praepositus sacri cubiculi...
of the court of Trebizond, a scandalous adultery which, according to him, provoked the rebellion of her eldest son the co-emperor John IV who imprisoned his parents and tempted to kill them before be forced by the aristocracy to fly in Georgia. But this gossip is contradicted by the chronology and the other sources. It appears that Chalkokondyles is confusing with a precedent affair between a member of the imperial dynasty of Trebizond and a protovestiarios, namely Manuel III, the father-in-law of Theodora. This event is reported by the Spanish traveller Gonzalez de Clavijo, who visited Trebizond in 1404 not much after the facts. He adds that this scandalous relationship induce the young Alexios IV, Theodora's husband, to rebel against his father Manuel, so a very similar story which can explain Chalkokondyles' mistake. In fact, John IV rebelled against his father Alexios IV only after the death of Theodora (1426), at the end of 1427, certainly because his late mother couldn't now prevent the increasing rivalry between father and son to break out. On the contrary, the virtue, the piety, the great qualities and especially the perfect fidelity of Theodora are celebrated by his compatriot, the future cardinal Bessarion, in the three monodies he dedicated to his benefactress, and in a special discourse of consolation addressed to Alexios IV, really desperate by the death of his beloved empress. Last but not least, John IV himself, after his accession of the throne in 1429, paid homage to the virtues of his deceased mother in a chrysobull for the convent she founded..
Marriage
Wife 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 :...
, she gave him at least five children:
- John IV of TrebizondJohn IV of TrebizondJohn IV Megas Komnenos , was Emperor of Trebizond from 1429 to 1459. He was a son of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene....
(c. 1403 – 1460). - Maria of TrebizondMaria of TrebizondMaria Megale Komnene , known as Maria of Trebizond was the third wife of John VIII Palaiologos. She was the last Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:...
(c. 1404 – 1439). Married John VIII PalaiologosJohn VIII PalaiologosJohn 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...
. - Alexander of Trebizond. Co-Emperor with his father. Married Maria Gattilusio, a daughter of Dorino of LesbosDorino of LesbosDorino Gattilusio, Lord of Lesbos was the fourth ruler of an independent Lesbos from 1428 to 1455.He was the second son of Francis II, Lord of Lesbos and Valentina Doria. He succeeded his older brother Jacopo of Lesbos in 1428....
. - David of TrebizondDavid of TrebizondDavid Megas Komnenos was the last Emperor of Trebizond from 1459 to 1461. He was the third son of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene....
(c. 1408 – 1463). - A daughter. Married Jahan ShahJahan ShahMuzaffar al-Din Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf was the leader of the Kara Koyunlu Turkmen tribal federation in Azerbaijan and Arran who reigned c.1438-1467. During his reign he managed to expand the Kara Koyunlu’s territory to its largest extent, including Western Anatolia, most of present day Iraq,...
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