Irene Gattilusio
Encyclopedia
Irene Gattilusio, born Eugenia Gattilusio (died 1 June 1440) was the wife of John VII Palaiologos
, a Byzantine Emperor in 1390.
(a maternal grandson of Andronikos III Palaiologos
) and Valentina Doria
.
, also a great-grandson of Andronikos III.
John VII deposed his paternal grandfather, John V Palaiologos
, in 1390. He ruled from 14 April to 17 April 1390 before the restoration of John V to the throne. He managed to keep the title of co-emperor and the domain of Selymbria due to intervention of Bayezid I
. His grandfather died the following year. He was succeeded by Manuel II Palaiologos
, a paternal uncle of John VII. The sequence of events possibly preceded the marriage of Irene to John VII. She is not mentioned involved in them.
In time relations between Manuel II and John VII would improve. From 1399 to 1402, Manuel II embarked on a journey of Western Europe
, seeking allies to use against Bayezid who was besieging Constantinople
. John VII was entrusted with the regency of the city in his absence. By this time Irene was already married to the Regent.
Bayezid had to end the siege in 1402. Timur
, founder of the Timurid dynasty
, invaded Anatolia
and the Ottoman Empire
had to defend itself. The defeat of Bayezid at the Battle of Ankara
proved to be his final battle. He died in captivity. Several of his surviving sons would claim the vacant throne in the Ottoman Interregnum
(1402 - 1413). Thus divided the Ottomans ceased to be a threat until after the end of the Interregnum. Constantinople was secure for the moment.
John VII remained in control of Constantinople until the return of Manuel II. He was expelled from the city in 1403, under suspicion of conspiring to regain the throne. John VII and Irene kept their imperial titles and established their own court at Thessaloniki
. John VII died on 22 September 1408.
Irene survived her husband and retired to Lemnos
. She became a nun under the monastic name Eugenia. The chronicle of George Sphrantzes
records her date of death and burial in the Church of Pantokrator
.
. He was nominal co-emperor with his father in Thessaloniki but seems to have predeceased him.
John VII Palaiologos
John VII Palaiologos was Byzantine Emperor for five months in 1390.-Life:...
, a Byzantine Emperor in 1390.
Family
She was a daughter of Francesco II of LesbosFrancesco II of Lesbos
Francesco II Gattilusio, Lord of Lesbos was the second ruler of an independent Lesbos from 1384 to his death.He was the third son of Francesco I of Lesbos and Maria Palaiologina...
(a maternal grandson of Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia...
) and Valentina Doria
Doria
Doria, originally de Auria , meaning "the sons of Auria", and then de Oria or d'Oria, is the name of an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the Republic of Genoa and in Italy, from the 12th century to the 16th century.-Origins:According to legend, a...
.
Marriage
Irene married before 1397 her paternal second cousin John VII PalaiologosJohn VII Palaiologos
John VII Palaiologos was Byzantine Emperor for five months in 1390.-Life:...
, also a great-grandson of Andronikos III.
John VII deposed his paternal grandfather, John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos was a Byzantine emperor, who succeeded his father in 1341, at age nine.-Biography:...
, in 1390. He ruled from 14 April to 17 April 1390 before the restoration of John V to the throne. He managed to keep the title of co-emperor and the domain of Selymbria due to intervention of Bayezid I
Bayezid I
Bayezid I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1389 to 1402. He was the son of Murad I and Valide Sultan Gülçiçek Hatun.-Biography:Bayezid was born in Edirne and spent his youth in Bursa, where he received a high-level education...
. His grandfather died the following year. He was succeeded by Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine Emperor from 1391 to 1425.-Life:...
, a paternal uncle of John VII. The sequence of events possibly preceded the marriage of Irene to John VII. She is not mentioned involved in them.
In time relations between Manuel II and John VII would improve. From 1399 to 1402, Manuel II embarked on a journey of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, seeking allies to use against Bayezid who was besieging 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:...
. John VII was entrusted with the regency of the city in his absence. By this time Irene was already married to the Regent.
Bayezid had to end the siege in 1402. Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
, founder of the Timurid dynasty
Timurid Dynasty
The Timurids , self-designated Gurkānī , were a Persianate, Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turko-Mongol descent whose empire included the whole of Iran, modern Afghanistan, and modern Uzbekistan, as well as large parts of contemporary Pakistan, North India, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and the...
, invaded Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
had to defend itself. The defeat of Bayezid at the Battle of Ankara
Battle of Ankara
The Battle of Ankara or Battle of Angora, fought on July 20, 1402, took place at the field of Çubuk between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I and the Turko-Mongol forces of Timur, ruler of the Timurid Empire. The battle was a major victory for Timur, and it led to a period of crisis for...
proved to be his final battle. He died in captivity. Several of his surviving sons would claim the vacant throne in the Ottoman Interregnum
Ottoman Interregnum
The Ottoman Interregnum began in 20 July 1402, when chaos reigned in the Ottoman Empire following the defeat of Sultan Bayezid I by the Turco-Mongol warlord Timur...
(1402 - 1413). Thus divided the Ottomans ceased to be a threat until after the end of the Interregnum. Constantinople was secure for the moment.
John VII remained in control of Constantinople until the return of Manuel II. He was expelled from the city in 1403, under suspicion of conspiring to regain the throne. John VII and Irene kept their imperial titles and established their own court at Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. John VII died on 22 September 1408.
Irene survived her husband and retired to Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
. She became a nun under the monastic name Eugenia. The chronicle of George Sphrantzes
George Sphrantzes
George Sphrantzes, also Phrantzes or Phrantza was a late Byzantine Greek historian. He was born in Constantinople. At an early age he became secretary to Manuel II Palaiologos; in 1432 protovestiarites; in 1446 prefect of Mistras, and subsequently great logothete...
records her date of death and burial in the Church of Pantokrator
Zeyrek Mosque
- External links :*...
.
Children
The only known child of Irene and John VII was Andronikos V PalaiologosAndronikos V Palaiologos
Andronikos V Palaiologos was co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire with his father John VII Palaiologos.-Life:...
. He was nominal co-emperor with his father in Thessaloniki but seems to have predeceased him.
External links
- Gattilusio family
- Her listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."