All Rights Reserved. © Copyright 2021 by Factinate.com. Since Charlemagne was a powerful king, Irene probably figured that uniting their families would secure her and Constantine’s position as rulers. Irene’s distinguished relatives put her in the running to marry the Emperor’s son. If this is how Leo and Irene’s meet-ugly went down, it was definitely an unorthodox method for choosing a royal bride. He became more accepting about his wife’s reverence for icons, even though his family had a long history of banning that kind of thing. Irene realized that she was finally without any options, and there was no way she would be able to continue her rule. This time, they tried to take over Irene’s power but of course Irene discovered their plot and thwarted their plans. With that, Irene’s road to power was cleared of its main obstruction. Apparently jealous that his wife had eyes for another (even if said other was a long-dead saint), Leo became furious. Just like last time, Irene discovered his plot and surprise, surprise, was none too pleased! Ironically, she chose her through a bride show (the same unromantic chattel-y way that Irene herself was allegedly chosen for Leo IV). These were economically disastrous moves for the empire as a whole, leading the patriarchs to want to end her reign. Sheesh, I’ll do anything to procrastinate on most housework this weekend. She was the empress of the Byzantines ………, Known for: sole Byzantine emperor, 797 – 802; her rule gave the Pope the excuse to recognize Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor; convened the 7th Ecumenical Council (2nd Council of Nicaea), restoring icon veneration in the Byzantine Empire, Occupation: empress consort, regent and co-ruler with her son, ruler in her own rightDates: lived about 752 – August 9, 803, ruled as co-regent 780 – 797, ruled in her own right 797 – October 31, 802Also known as Empress Irene, Eirene (Greek), https://www.thoughtco.com/irene-of-athens-p2-3529666. Remember Elpidios, the Sicilian governor who escaped Irene’s wrath back in the day? This was the last straw; Constantine hatched a plot to depose and banish Irene. His betrayal infuriated her and she lashed out with a deranged gesture. Irene’s incredible beauty caught Leo’s eye—but at the same time, her good looks had a dark side too. In a humiliating concession, Irene was forced to pay an annual tribute of 70-90k dinars to the Abbasids to get them to agree to a three-year truce. Britannica Explores. ), Leo appointed iconophile monks to high positions in his court. Once that happened, Irene could appoint a new patriarch, who’d support her beliefs. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? An uneasy truce was struck between mother and son, according to which Irene could retain her title of “co-ruler,” but gave her little more authority than that of a figurehead. But not all of Irene’s enemies would be so easy to dispatch…. Tzitzak (Turkish: Çiçek ; died c. 750), baptised Irene (Greek: Ειρήνη ), was a Khazar princess, the daughter of khagan Bihar, who became empress by marriage to … Remember how Constantine forced the wife of his mom’s choosing into a nunnery? She served (780–90) as regent for her son, Constantine VI , and later was made (792) joint ruler. It sounded like a solid plan, but Irene shocked everyone (and puzzled historians forever after) with her next action. Nuh uh, she had yet another plan up her sleeve. But this wasn’t going to be a quick fix, so Irene started drawing up a clever plan. Honest to God, that’s what this enormous disagreement boils down to—old timey religion is weird! Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. On paper, the plan made perfect sense. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. The public didn’t love this outcome but they were even more upset when they discovered why Constantine had lost interest in his wife. By this point, Irene’s son (remember, the real emperor) was getting older and craving independence. Empress Irene and the Silk Trade (752-803 CE). She said that someone was framing her, which was a fair point. Maybe Irene felt that choosing Constantine’s bride would help her keep control over the throne and the Empire? This fact, combined with the limited information available about her family, has led some scholars to speculate that Irene may have been sel… If so, she may have been onto something. Irene did seem to have it all. She came up with the brilliant idea to have him and his other brothers all ordained as priests, since a member of the clergy wasn’t allowed to rule. Irene Constantina Flavia was born to Emperor Constantine XI as his youngest child in 1575. We don’t know much about her parents, but she was very young when they passed, leaving the poor little girl at the mercy of different relatives. He discovered that Irene was a closet Iconodule. While sheltering in place….why not learn something? I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. The ones who tried to overthrow him? Prior to becoming empress regnant, Irene was empress consort from 775 to 780, and empress dowager and regent from 780 to 797. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Agia Theodora (February 11) helped to defeat the iconoclast heresy and to restore the holy icons. It is believed that she was born of a Greek noble family. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Irene knew that Constantine’s popularity was at an all-time low and that the people were already angry with him for divorcing his wife and marrying a maid. Mother and son were already clashing on certain ideas (Irene loved icons; Constantine hated them). To get out of an uncomfortable situation, she poisoned her husband. Apparently, Leo discovered some sacred images beneath Irene’s pillow. There are many theories about just how and why Emperor Leo passed. How do they not know better by this point? 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. Thanks for your time! Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. From 797 to 802 CE she ruled as emperor in her own right, the first woman to do so in Byzantine history. Still, he might have continued in his position, if it wasn’t for one especially heinous mistake. It resulted in a solar eclipse, which went on for a whopping seventeen days. When Constantine VI discovered I-üs mother's treachery, he left Byzantine emperor in 775. Spoiler: Irene’s love life would get even weirder as the years went on. Although Catherine's successor Queen Anne Boleyn suffered an infamously dark fate, Aragon's own life was somehow even more tragic. Naturally, this did not sit well with many people, including several contenders to Irene’s throne. Irene’s unprecedented position as an empress ruling in her own right was emphasized by the coincidental rise of the Carolingian Empire in western Europe, which rivaled Irene’s Byzantium in size and power. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Apparently not a subtle woman, Irene’s image also held the orb that was traditionally wielded by the ruler in power. Her husband died in an expedition to Syria in 1143 AD. Since Irene didn’t have any siblings, she must have had quite a lonely childhood being shuttled from one house to another. No one knows exactly how the Roman Emperor, Constantine V, came to choose Irene as the bride of his son Leo IV. His own half-brothers challenged his reign, forcing Irene and Leo to fight fire with fire. She was just filling in until her son was old enough. He didn’t say no to marrying Maria, but once he decided that he didn’t like her, he sentenced his mother’s #1 bride to a grim fate. Seriously, these idiots are back AGAIN and they’re still trying to get Irene and her family off the throne. Irene may have imagined that she could keep Constantine in her shadow forever and continue to reign in his place. Irene decided that she’d had enough of Constantine’s disloyalty and the ordered her men to gouge out his eyes. Irene made an ambitious match for her son with Charlemagne’s daughter, Rotrude. Some historians believe that Leo selected Irene at a dicey event called a “bride show.” This was an unholy hybrid of a fashion show and an auction, with the grand prize being marriage with the Emperor’s son. Much like Empress Theodora, Empress Irene was not born into royalty – it was the beauty of the young orphan that caught the eye of Emperor Constantine V. Emperor Constantine brought Irene to Constantinople to marry his son (and heir to the Byzantine Empire), Leo. ( Log Out / Part of the Isaurian (Syrian) dynasty ruling the Eastern Roman Empire. Gonna probably read on that this weekend before returning to a much scarier work (the Old testament–shudder) and a more fun one (A Storm of Swords). Once Leo was out of the picture, his nine-year-old son inherited the title. The clergy may have reluctantly accepted Constantine VI’s divorce and subsequent marriage, but they just couldn’t stomach the idea of having a woman on the throne after his passing. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. It might have been a wise move as well, as it would have united the Eastern and Western parts of the Byzantine Empire. From 797 to 802 CE she ruled as emperor in her own right, the first woman to do so in Byzantine history. Drinks copious amounts of tea and can often be found lost in books to avoid adulting. Empress Irene (image from “Pala d’Oro”, Venice) Not much is known about Irene’s early life. Their leader invaded Anatolia on Elpidios’s behest. Technically, Irene wasn’t the emperor. She made sure that coins had both herself as well as her son on them, with her image on the obverse (the “heads” side of the coin). And yet, he got pretty darn close. Theophanes had his strong prejudices, against the iconoclasts and, later, against Irene’s successor, Nicephorus. The people never accepted her and they showed their displeasure by slicing her tongue, chopping her sons’ noses off, then exiling her. And her revenge didn’t stop there. The most scandalous theory is that Irene saw the tide was turning against her. Here’s the deal: Irene was still holding onto power at this point. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Devoted to the Orthodox Church, she bent most of her efforts to suppressing iconoclasm . He blinded one of his uncles, Nikephoros, and slit the tongues of the others. After ousting his mother, his reign was a series of let-downs. Irene was brought to Constantinople by Emperor Constantine V on 1 November 768 and was married to his son Leo IVon 17 December. Leo believed firmly in iconoclasm (the destruction of icons) maintained a tolerance for those who were Iconodules (venerated icons). Irene had to think a way of bringing him to heel, fast. As you can imagine, his people were none too pleased. He passed when the child was just four and with his demise, his son Leo officially became the Emperor. She waited until she was sure that public opinion was completely against her son, and then she took her revenge. Pope Leo III therefore crowned Charlemagne as the true Roman emperor. Since Irene didn’t have any siblings, she must have had quite a lonely childhood being shuttled from one house to another. The Emperor Irene Irene of Athens (c. 752 – 803 AD) was Byzantine empress from 797 to 802. Of course, that plan went south. She born between 750 and 755 CE and was related in some way to the noble Greek Sarantapechos family of Athens. She gave birth to a son, Constantine, on January 14, 771. Irene was born in Athens about the year 752. However, the latter had no interest in seizing Irene’s authority. After trying to oust Irene and Leo, they gave Constantine’s reign a .02g.1o. It was, in other words, Irene’s rock bottom. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. I got a book on the 1918 pandemic in the mail recently. Tell a friend. It’s simple: She was hot. In practice, however, it was a complete disaster. Was his demise just good fortune…or something more sinister? Clearly, she believed she was much more than her son’s regent. Patriarch Tarasius opposed the marriage and only accepted it after weeks had passed. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. 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. Even this seemingly pious campaign was really only a means for Irene to defeat her enemies and keep power. There was just one problem: The threat didn’t exist. She took advantage of the opportunities she had and built nursing homes and hostels, and left large sums of money for their safe and comfortable maintenance. Unfortunately for Irene, her method to retain rule didn’t work too well because the army liked Constantine way more than Irene. Sure, Irene had controversial ideas about religion—but she had what’s most important in a royal bride: A healthy reproductive system Our girl got pregnant and gave birth to a son soon after she celebrated her first anniversary with Leo. Irene īrē´nē , c.750–803, Byzantine empress (797–802). However, Irene’s ascent to Empress wasn’t without complications. Charlemagne marries Empress Irene in 801 AD. The image of Justinian from San Vitale is distinguishable from the other figures by a: halo, purple cloak, crown, large golden bowl 5. Our best guess as to how Irene snagged Leo’s hand? Almost immediately after Leo became the head honcho of the Byzantine Empire, he learned that the job had other, let’s say, interested applicants. I can assure you that it was not pretty. ( Log Out / However, if you know Irene, you know that she didn’t support the young couple out of the goodness of her heart. Even though it sounds like small change to us, this disagreement was a major problem. While she definitely came from an honorable family, many other hopefuls were better suited to the title. She signed royal documents using the title of “Emperor” for herself. After all, Irene was smart—and trying to hide things from your husband by putting them in the bed you share is a really dumb idea. Well, one of the reasons he never loved Maria was because he loved someone else: His mom’s lady-in-waiting. This individual is sometimes confused with Byzantine Empress Irene, who was her daughter-in-law.. Tzitzak (Greek: Τζιτζάκ) (died c. 750), baptised Irene (Greek: Ειρήνη), was a Khazar princess, the daughter of khagan Bihar, who became empress by marriage to … Irene was also known for her generous financial policies, which were especially friendly to monasteries. In this uncertain time, contenders began vying for the throne, but in the end, it was the public finance minister, Nikephoros, who deposed Irene. Still wanting complete rule, Irene plotted against her son over the next few years. Unfortunately for Leo’s Evil Brother-In-Law #1, he didn’t learn his lesson. She spent the rest of her days spinning wool to support herself and breathed her last in 803, less than a year after Nikephoros’s coup. Best wishes, Pete. She was very, very intelligent. I think it’s safe to say that Irene was a woman you wouldn’t wanna cross. Their story ultimately had a heartbreaking end, especially for poor Maria. Trust me, things will get worse later. The portrait of Empress Irene, wife of Alexius I Commenus, was added to which of the following: Pala d'Oro 4. Spoiler alert: It didn’t. But Irene’s beauty was simply not enough to make for an agreeable marriage. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways…. Anthousa was having none of it however and politely refused to rule alongside her sister-in-law. Leo IV got his wife a unique push present: Religious tolerance! He still had a bone to pick with Irene, so he defected to the Abbasid Caliphate, the ruling authority in Africa and Asia. Mosaic of Empress Irene, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. She got to work coming up with a brand new plan. Despite this frightening setback, our gal Irene was undeterred. 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. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. She summoned a council, the second council of Nicaea, to reinstate the use and veneration of icons. The first Byzantine Empress, Martina, had met a horrendous fate. After her death, she became a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.. VI from the palace. The only original source that deals at all fully with the reign of the empress Irene is the chronicle of Theophanes. Everyone knew that she called the shots. So Irene simply sat by and bided her time. Unfortunately she…did not. Leo’s half brothers were nothing if not persistent. Back again? But as we’ll see, even this wouldn’t deter them forever. When Constantine realized that his mother was about to lash out, he fled the palace, only to realize that he couldn’t go far. She also gave them silk garments and provided them with a safe passage to vacate the territory. However, because Constantine was just a kid, his mother generously offered to act as his co-regent. She had to deal with a conflict with the Franks, who seized some important land away from her. Irene’s men captured him and returned him to his furious mother. Nikephoros was a nasty piece of work. They stood by him and proclaimed him to be the sole ruler of the empire, leaving Irene with no choice but to step down. ( Log Out / Well, they resurfaced after his passing and decided to get the gang back together for one more shot at the throne. Constantine married Theodote when he was around 25. With them gone, Irene replaced them with a force that was more sympathetic to her cause and called another meeting with the Papal delegates. To keep the people on her side, she waived taxes and lowered duties. Fearing that she’d probably put her in-laws’ backs up, Irene made an effort to extend an olive branch to her husband’s family. Irene was an iconophile, which means she worshipped holy images, while Constantine V and Leo were totally against sacred pictures. We want our readers to trust us. After three years of accepting his wife’s different beliefs, Leo IV suddenly had a change of heart. Called “Irene of Athens” in honor of her birthplace, Irene is mainly remembered for two dramatic events. Saint Irene was the daughter of a wealthy family from Cappadocia and was born in the ninth century. Irene, on the other hand, didn’t throw any tantrums when she found out about Constantine and Theodote. After staying on top for so long, Irene finally met her match. Irene came up with the genius idea to send half of army to Asia to defend the empire against the Arabs. Irene had Constantine confined to the palace until he swore an “oath of fidelity to her.” If you think that strong-arming your Emperor-son into an unconvincing pledge of loyalty sounds like a recipe for disaster, you’re not wrong! In 792, however, Constanfine VI pardoned Irene and allowed her to return as empress. Bookworm, word-enthusiast, and struggling writer. There is no denying the historical significance of Irene’s rule. Irene was born in Athens, sometime between 750-755. Are you even an emperor if you don’t have power-hungry relatives trying to kick you off the throne? Leo’s brother, Nikephoros was the main mastermind of the plan to dethrone Irene. At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. 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. Constantine exiled Maria to a convent and then divorced her later on. Let’s just…, Wikimedia Commons, Thammarith Likittheerameth, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife, 101 Charming Facts About Hollywood Leading Men, Timeless Facts About Little Women, The Beloved Classic, Bloody Facts About The Hundred Years' War. A number of Leo’s own ex-courtiers faced these drastic treatments. But he was a conscientious and, as far as one can tell, a reliable recorder of facts. She retaliated by seizing his family, whom he had left in Constantinople. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history. Don’t think I’d heard of her before. Tragic Facts About Queen Victoria, The Widow Of Windsor, These People Got Revenge In The Most Ingenious Ways, Absolute Legends: The Wildest Pranks Ever Pulled, Grandiose Facts About Marie Antoinette, The Doomed Queen, Overheard Once, Forgotten Never: These Hurtful Comments Are Completely Brutal, Stay Out Of The Woods: Campers And Hikers Share Their Creepiest Experiences, These Jerks Had No Idea Who They Were Messing With. One is her role in helping restore the use of Christian icons or images in Byzantium, which had been forbidden in the Eastern Orthodox form of Christianity. Theodora moved to higher studies, Justin was enthroned and puppeted by Maximian Prothoperos and Irene also studied, but she was still on gymnasium. Despite this, Irene enjoyed her time near the throne. And sadly, there was yet another bend in the road for Irene. Since this change in circumstances meant that Irene levelled up to become Leo’s Empress Consort, one can imagine she wasn’t too heartbroken about her father-in-law’s passing. Empress Irene of Athens was the first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire. Over the years, it would lead to enormous feuds, as we shall soon see…. Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. She was 17, when her father died and siblings were estranged by circumstances. But even if her extended family didn’t shower Irene with love, their general fanciness did help her out. 100 Women Trailblazers. Plus, allegedly the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrated her as a saint as well, although she was never canonized. 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