Eirene Lakapena
Encyclopedia
Irene Lekapene was the Empress consort of Peter I of Bulgaria
. She was а daughter of Christopher Lekapenos
, son and co-emperor of Romanus I, and his wife Augusta Sophia.
To prove himself a worthy successor to his father
both at home and in the eyes of foreign governments, Bulgaria's new emperor Peter I made a show of force by invading Byzantine Thrace in May 927, but showed himself ready to negotiate for a more permanent peace. Romanos seized the occasion and proposed a marriage alliance between the imperial houses of Byzantium and Bulgaria. Romanus arranged for a diplomatic marriage between his granddaughter Maria and the Bulgarian monarch. For the first time in Byzantine history, a Byzantine princess was to be married to a foreign ruler and decades later, Constantine VII
criticized Romanos for this concession. In October 927 Peter arrived near Constantinople
to meet Romanos and signed the peace treaty, marrying Maria on November 8. To signify the new era in Bulgaro-Byzantine relations, Maria was renamed Irene ("peace").
Irene and Peter I of Bulgaria had several children, including:
Peter I of Bulgaria
Peter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...
. She was а daughter of Christopher Lekapenos
Christopher Lekapenos
Christopher Lekapenos or Lecapenus was the eldest son of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos and co-emperor from 921 until his death in 931.- Life :...
, son and co-emperor of Romanus I, and his wife Augusta Sophia.
To prove himself a worthy successor to his father
Simeon I of Bulgaria
Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...
both at home and in the eyes of foreign governments, Bulgaria's new emperor Peter I made a show of force by invading Byzantine Thrace in May 927, but showed himself ready to negotiate for a more permanent peace. Romanos seized the occasion and proposed a marriage alliance between the imperial houses of Byzantium and Bulgaria. Romanus arranged for a diplomatic marriage between his granddaughter Maria and the Bulgarian monarch. For the first time in Byzantine history, a Byzantine princess was to be married to a foreign ruler and decades later, Constantine VII
Constantine VII
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
criticized Romanos for this concession. In October 927 Peter arrived near Constantinople
Constantinople
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:...
to meet Romanos and signed the peace treaty, marrying Maria on November 8. To signify the new era in Bulgaro-Byzantine relations, Maria was renamed Irene ("peace").
Irene and Peter I of Bulgaria had several children, including:
- Plenimir
- Boris IIBoris II of BulgariaBoris II was emperor of Bulgaria from 969 to 977 .-Reign:Boris II was the eldest surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria and Maria Lakapena, a granddaughter of Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos of Byzantium...
, who succeeded as emperor of Bulgaria in 969 - Roman, who succeeded as emperor of Bulgaria in 977