Irene Doukaina Laskarina
Encyclopedia
Irene Doukaina Laskarina was empress consort (tsaritsa
) of Bulgaria
(1258–1268). She was second wife of Tsar Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
.
She was a daughter of Theodore II Laskaris
, emperor of Nikaea
, and his wife Elena of Bulgaria
. Irene was a sister of Byzantine emperor John IV Laskaris
. Her maternal grandparents were Tsar Ivan Asen II and Anna Maria of Hungary
.
In 1257 Irene was married Bulgarian nobelman Constantine Tikh
as his second wife. Her husband was a pretender for Bulgarian crown. Constantine was proud to be married a granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Asen II and he adopted the Bulgarian dynastic name Asen to enhance his position as a legitimate ruler of Bulgaria. On the next year Constantine Tikh Asen
was elected Tsar of Bulgaria by a boyar council in Tarnovo and Irene become his consort.
In 1261 Irene's brother, Byzantine emeperor John IV Laskaris
, was deposed by Michael VIII Palaiologos
, who seized the power in the Byzantine Empire
. Tsaritsa Irene was a bitter enemy of the usurper. She become a leader of anti-Byzantine party in the Bulgarian court.
Irene died in 1268. She had no children.
Tsaritsa
Tsaritsa , formerly spelled czaritsa , is the title of a female autocratic ruler of Bulgaria or Russia, or the title of a tsar's wife....
) of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
(1258–1268). She was second wife of Tsar Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
Constantine I , which includes the shortened form of the name of his father as a patronymic), ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1257 to 1277....
.
She was a daughter of Theodore II Laskaris
Theodore II Laskaris
Theodore II Doukas Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris was emperor of Nicaea, 1254–1258.-Life:Theodore II Doukas Laskaris was the only son of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes and Eirene Laskarina, the daughter of Emperor Theodore I Laskaris and Anna Angelina, a daughter of Emperor Alexios III Angelos and...
, emperor of Nikaea
Empire of Nicaea
The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the three Byzantine Greek successor states founded by the aristocracy of the Byzantine Empire that fled after Constantinople was occupied by Western European and Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade...
, and his wife Elena of Bulgaria
Elena of Bulgaria
-Biography:She was daughter of Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Asen II and Empress Anna Maria of Hungary. Anna was originally named Mária.Elena was a Bulgarian princess and Empress of Nicaea...
. Irene was a sister of Byzantine emperor John IV Laskaris
John IV Laskaris
John IV Doukas Laskaris was emperor of Nicaea from August 18, 1258 to December 25, 1261...
. Her maternal grandparents were Tsar Ivan Asen II and Anna Maria of Hungary
Anna Maria of Hungary
Anna Maria of Hungary was a daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary and Gertrude of Merania. She was sister of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary....
.
In 1257 Irene was married Bulgarian nobelman Constantine Tikh
Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
Constantine I , which includes the shortened form of the name of his father as a patronymic), ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1257 to 1277....
as his second wife. Her husband was a pretender for Bulgarian crown. Constantine was proud to be married a granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Asen II and he adopted the Bulgarian dynastic name Asen to enhance his position as a legitimate ruler of Bulgaria. On the next year Constantine Tikh Asen
Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
Constantine I , which includes the shortened form of the name of his father as a patronymic), ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1257 to 1277....
was elected Tsar of Bulgaria by a boyar council in Tarnovo and Irene become his consort.
In 1261 Irene's brother, Byzantine emeperor John IV Laskaris
John IV Laskaris
John IV Doukas Laskaris was emperor of Nicaea from August 18, 1258 to December 25, 1261...
, was deposed by Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus reigned as Byzantine Emperor 1259–1282. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453...
, who seized the power in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. Tsaritsa Irene was a bitter enemy of the usurper. She become a leader of anti-Byzantine party in the Bulgarian court.
Irene died in 1268. She had no children.