Irene Angelina
Encyclopedia
Irene Angelina was the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos
by his first wife, perhaps named Herina, possibly a member of the Tornikes family.
, but he died on 24 December 1193. Irene was captured in the German invasion of Sicily on 29 December 1194 and was married on 25 May 1197 to Philip of Swabia
. In Germany, she was renamed Maria.
Her father, who had been deposed in 1195, urged her to get Philip's support for his reinstatement; her brother, Alexius, subsequently spent some time at Philip's court during the preparations for the Fourth Crusade
. She thus had an early influence on the eventual diversion of the Crusade to Constantinople
in 1204.
She was described by Walther von der Vogelweide
as "the rose without a thorn, the dove without guile".
Philip and Irene had four daughters:
After the murder of her husband on 21 June 1208, Irene - who was pregnant by that time - retired to the Burg Hohenstaufen. There, two months later on 27 August, she gave birth to a daughter (called Beatrice Postuma); but both mother and child died shortly afterwards. She was buried in the family mausoleum in the Staufen proprietary monastery of Lorch Abbey, along with her daughter and sons. Her grave, now destroyed, cannot be reconstructed today.
Isaac II Angelos
Isaac II Angelos was Byzantine emperor from 1185 to 1195, and again from 1203 to 1204....
by his first wife, perhaps named Herina, possibly a member of the Tornikes family.
Marriage and issue
In 1193 she married Roger III of SicilyRoger III of Sicily
Roger III was the son and heir of Tancred of Sicily by Sibylla of Acerra. He was made duke of Apulia, probably in 1189, at his father's succession....
, but he died on 24 December 1193. Irene was captured in the German invasion of Sicily on 29 December 1194 and was married on 25 May 1197 to Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV.-Biography:Philip was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Frederick I and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Renaud III, count of Burgundy, and brother of the emperor Henry VI...
. In Germany, she was renamed Maria.
Her father, who had been deposed in 1195, urged her to get Philip's support for his reinstatement; her brother, Alexius, subsequently spent some time at Philip's court during the preparations for the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
. She thus had an early influence on the eventual diversion of the Crusade to 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:...
in 1204.
She was described by Walther von der Vogelweide
Walther von der Vogelweide
Walther von der Vogelweide is the most celebrated of the Middle High German lyric poets.-Life history:For all his fame, Walther's name is not found in contemporary records, with the exception of a solitary mention in the travelling accounts of Bishop Wolfger of Erla of the Passau diocese:...
as "the rose without a thorn, the dove without guile".
Philip and Irene had four daughters:
- Beatrice of Hohenstaufen (1198–1212), married Otto IV, Holy Roman EmperorOtto IV, Holy Roman EmperorOtto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, died without issue. - Cunigunde of HohenstaufenKunigunde of HohenstaufenKunigunde of Hohenstaufen or Kunigunde of Swabia was the second daughter of Philip, Duke of Swabia and his wife, Irene Angelina.-Family:...
(1200–1248), married King Wenceslaus I, King of Bohemia, by whom she had issue. - Marie of HohenstaufenMarie of HohenstaufenMarie of Hohenstaufen was a member of the powerful Hohenstaufen dynasty of German kings which lasted from 1138 to 1254. She is also known to history as Maria of Swabia....
(3 April 1201 – 29 March 1235), married Henry II, Duke of BrabantHenry II, Duke of BrabantHenry II of Brabant was Duke of Brabant and Lothier after the death of his father Henry I in 1235...
, by whom she had issue. - Elisabeth of HohenstaufenElisabeth of HohenstaufenBeatrice of Swabia was Queen of Castile and Leon as the wife of King Ferdinand III...
(1203–1235), married King Ferdinand III of CastileFerdinand III of CastileSaint Ferdinand III, T.O.S.F., was the King of Castile from 1217 and León from 1230. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. Through his second marriage he was also Count of Aumale. He finished the work done by his maternal grandfather Alfonso VIII and consolidated the...
, by whom she had issue.
- and two sons (called Reinald and Frederick) who died in infancy.
After the murder of her husband on 21 June 1208, Irene - who was pregnant by that time - retired to the Burg Hohenstaufen. There, two months later on 27 August, she gave birth to a daughter (called Beatrice Postuma); but both mother and child died shortly afterwards. She was buried in the family mausoleum in the Staufen proprietary monastery of Lorch Abbey, along with her daughter and sons. Her grave, now destroyed, cannot be reconstructed today.
Sources
- O city of Byzantium: annals of Niketas Choniates tr. Harry J. Magoulias (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1984).
External links
- Irene Angelina at Find-A-Grave