List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses
- See also: List of Roman emperors and List of Byzantine emperors.
Empress of Rome Emblem of the Roman Empire |
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First empress | Livia (27 BC) | |
Last empress | Maria (1439 AD) |
This is a list of women who were Roman Empress, i.e. the wife of the Roman Emperor, the ruler of the Roman Empire.
The Romans had no single term for the position: Latin and Greek titles such as Augusta (derived from the first emperor Augustus), Caesarissa or Kaisarissa (derived from Julius Caesar), basilissa (Greek βασίλισσα), the female form of basileus, and Autokratorissa, the female form of autocrat, were all used. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum (mother of the army camps) and Mater patriae (mother of the fatherland). Another title of the Byzantine Empresses was "Eusebestatē Augousta" (Most Pious Augusta); they were also called Kyria (Lady) or Despoina (δέσποινα), the female form of "despotes". Due to the practice of dividing the Roman empire under different Emperors, there were periods when there were more than one Roman empress. All the Roman empresses are listed with some co-empresses. Not all empresses were titled Augusta, and not all Augustas were empresses since the emperor's sister or mistress could bear that title (see also List of Augustae). Some Caesarissas and Despoinas that never were empresses are included, since the titles were quite similar to Empress; however, in the Eastern Roman Empire these titles are often more equivalent to the modern term "Crown Princess".
The Western Roman Empire produced no known empresses regnant, though the obscure Ulpia Severina probably ruled in her own right for some time after the death of her husband Aurelian. The Eastern Roman Empire had three official empresses regnant: Irene, Zoe and Theodora. There never was a male Emperor consort (i.e. a husband of an empress-regnant); however, some husband and wife couples, notably Justinian and Theodora, were simultaneous co-regnants.
Contents
- 1 Empress consorts of the Roman Empire
- 1.1 Julio-Claudian dynasty (27 BC – 68 AD)
- 1.2 Year of the Four Emperors & Flavian dynasty (68–96)
- 1.3 Nerva–Antonine dynasty (96–192)
- 1.4 Year of the Five Emperors & Severan dynasty (193–235)
- 1.5 Crisis of the Third Century (235–284)
- 1.6 Tetrarchy and Constantinian dynasty (284–364)
- 1.7 Valentinian dynasty (364-379)
- 1.8 Theodosian dynasty (379–395)
- 2 Empress consorts of the Western Roman Empire
- 3 Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire
- 3.1 Theodosian dynasty (395–457)
- 3.2 Leonid dynasty (457–518)
- 3.3 Justinian dynasty (518–602)
- 3.4 Non-dynastic (602–610)
- 3.5 Heraclian dynasty (610–711)
- 3.6 Non-dynastic (711–717)
- 3.7 Isaurian dynasty (717–802)
- 3.8 Dynasty of Nikephoros I (802–813)
- 3.9 Non-dynastic (813–820)
- 3.10 Phrygian dynasty (820–867)
- 3.11 Macedonian dynasty (867–1056)
- 3.12 Komnenid dynasty (1057–1059)
- 3.13 Doukid dynasty (1059–1081)
- 3.14 Komnenid dynasty (1081–1185)
- 3.15 Angelid dynasty (1185–1204)
- 4 Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire (in exile)
- 5 Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire (restored)
- 6 Pretending Empress consorts of the Roman Empire
- 7 See also
- 8 Notes
Empress consorts of the Roman Empire
Julio-Claudian dynasty (27 BC – 68 AD)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Livia Drusilla (LIVIA•DRVSILLA) |
Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus (Claudian) | 30 January, 58 BC | 17 January. 38 BC | 16 January 27 BC | 19 August, AD 14 | AD 29 | Augustus | |
Livia Orestilla | ? | ? | AD 37 or AD 38 | few days after marriage | ? | Caligula | ||
Lollia Paulina | Marcus Lollius | ? | AD 38 | 6 months later | AD 49 | |||
Milonia Caesonia | ? | ? | late AD 39 or early AD 40 | 24 January, AD 41 | Hours after husband's death | |||
Valeria Messalina | Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus | c. 17/20 | 37 or 38 | 24 January 41 AD | AD 48, for conspiring against her husband | Claudius | ||
Agrippina the Younger | Germanicus (Claudian) |
6 November AD 15 | New Year’s Day in AD 49 | 13 October AD 54 | March AD 59, possibly because of her son, the Emperor Nero's affairs with Poppaea Sabina | |||
100px | Claudia Octavia | Claudius (Claudian) |
Late AD 39 or early AD 40 | 9 June AD 53 | 13 October 54 | 1 January 61 | 9 June AD 62 | Nero |
Poppaea Sabina | Titus Ollius | AD 30 | AD 62 | AD 65 | ||||
Statilia Messalina | ? | ca. AD 35 | AD 66 | 9 June AD 68 | after 68 | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Year of the Four Emperors & Flavian dynasty (68–96)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Galeria Fundana | Galerius (b. ca 15), a Praetor | c. 40 | c. 50 | March 69 | December 69 | after 69 | Vitellius | |
Domitia Longina | Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo | c. 53 | c. 70 | 14 September 81 | 18 September 96 | c. 130 | Domitian | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Nerva–Antonine dynasty (96–192)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pompeia Plotina | ? | ? | ? | 28 January 98 | 7 August 117 | 121/122 | Trajan | |
Vibia Sabina | Lucius Vibius Sabinus | c. 80 | 100 | 10 August 117 | 136 or 137 | Hadrian | ||
Annia Galeria Faustina Major | Marcus Annius Verus | September 21 about 100 | 110-115 | 11 July 138 | 141 | Antoninus Pius | ||
Annia Galeria Faustina Minor | Antoninus Pius (Antonine) |
16 February between 125 and 130 | 13 May 145 | 8 March 161 as co-empress consort March 169 as sole-empress consort |
175 | Marcus Aurelius | ||
Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla | Marcus Aurelius (Antonine) |
7 March 148 or 150 | 164 as co-empress consort | March 169 | 182 | Lucius Verus | ||
Bruttia Crispina | Gaius Bruttius Praesens | 164 | July of 178 | July of 178 as co-empress consort 18 March 180 as sole empress |
182 | 182 or 187 | Commodus | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Year of the Five Emperors & Severan dynasty (193–235)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flavia Titiana | Titus Flavius Sulpicianus | ? | ? | 1 January 193 AD | 28 March 193 | after 193 | Pertinax | |
Manlia Scantilla | (gens Manlia) | ? | before 153 | 28 March 193 | 1 June 193 | ? | Didius Julianus | |
Julia Domna | Julius Bassianus | 170 | late 180s | 14 April 193 as co-empress consort February 197 as sole empress April 202 as senior empress-consort |
4 February 211 | 217 | Septimius Severus | |
Publia Fulvia Plautilla | Gaius Fulvius Plautianus (Fulvius) |
185/around 188/189 | 13 May 145 | April 202 as co/junior-empress consort | 22 January 205 | early 212 | Caracalla | |
Nonia Celsa | ? | ? | ? | 8 April 217 | June 218 | ? | Macrinus | |
Julia Cornelia Paula | Julius Paulus (Cornelius) |
? | 219 | late 220 | ? | Elagabalus | ||
100px | Julia Aquilia Severa | Quintus Aquilius | ? | 220 | 221 | ? | ||
Annia Aurelia Faustina | Tiberius Claudius Severus Proculus | ? | July 221 | later in 221 | ? | |||
100px | Julia Aquilia Severa | Quintus Aquilius | ? | 221 | 222 | ? | ||
Seia Herennia Sallustia Barbia Orbiana Augusta | Seius Sallustius | ? | 225/226 | 227 | ? | Alexander Severus | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Crisis of the Third Century (235–284)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caecilia Paulina | ? | ? | ? | 20 March 235 | 235/236 | Maximinus Thrax | ||
Furia Sabinia Tranquillina | Timesitheus | c. 225 | May 241 | 11 February 244 | aft. 244 | Gordian III | ||
Marcia Otacilia Severa | Otacilius Severus or Severianus (Otacilius) |
? | 234 | February 244 | September/October 249 | ? | Julius Philippus 'Arabs' | |
Annia Cupressenia Herennia Etruscilla | Unknown Etrurian senatorial family | September 249 | before 230 | September/October 249 | June 251 | June 251 after husband |
Decius | |
Afinia Gemina Baebiana | ? | ? | ? | June 251[1] | August 253 | ? | Trebonianus Gallus | |
Gaia Cornelia Supera | ? | ? | ? | August 253 | October 253 | ? | Aemilianus | |
Julia Cornelia Salonina | ? | ? | ?243 | October 253 | September 268 | Gallienus | ||
Ulpia Severina | Ulpius Crinitus? | ? | ? | September 270 | September or October 275 | ? | Aurelian | |
100px | Magnia Urbica | ? | ? | ? | 282 as Caesarissa in the West Late July/early August 283 as sole-empress consort 20 November 284 in conflict with Empress Prisca |
285 | ? | Carinus |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Tetrarchy and Constantinian dynasty (284–364)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prisca | ? | ? | ? | 20 November 284 in conflict with Magnia Urbica 285 as sole-empress consort 1 April 286 as co-empress consort in the East |
1 May 305 | 315 | Diocletian | |
Eutropia | Syrian | ? | around 283 | 21 July/25 July 285 as Caesarissa 1 April 286 as co-empress consort in the West Late 306 husband declared himself Augustus |
1 May 305 July 310 |
after 325 | Maximian | |
100px | Flavia Maximiana Theodora | Flavius Afranius Hannibalianus | ? | 293 | 293 as Caesarissa 1 May 305 as empress consort in the West |
25 July 306 | ? | Constantius I |
100px | Galeria Valeria | Diocletian | ? | 293 | 1 March/21 May 293 as Caesarissa 1 May 305 as empress consort in the East |
5 May 311 | 315 | Galerius |
Valeria Maximilla | Galerius | ? | around 293 | 28 October 306 empress consort in the West | 28 October 312 | ? | Maxentius | |
Minervina | ? | ? | ?[2] | 25 July 306 as Caesarissa | before 307 | ? | Constantine I | |
100px | Fausta Flavia Maxima | Maximianus | 289 | 307 | 307 as Caesarissa in the West 309 husband proclaimed to be emperor April 310 accepted in the East 29 October 312 undisputed empress-consort in the West, senior-empress-consort in the empire 19 September 324 empress-consort of united empire |
326 | ||
Flavia Julia Constantia | Constantine I (Constantinian) |
after 293 | 313 | 313 as empress-consort in the East | 324 | c. 330 | Licinius | |
Unnamed Daughter of Julius Constantius [3] |
Julius Constantius (Constantinian) |
? | 335 or 336 | 335 or 336 as Caesarissa 22 May 337 as co-empress consort 350 as sole-empress consort in empire |
353/354 | ? | Constantius II | |
Flavia Aurelia Eusebia | Flavius Eusebius the Macedonian Consul, | ? | 353 as sole-empress consort in empire | 360 | ||||
Faustina | ? | ? | Winter of 360 as sole-empress consort in empire | 3 November 361 | after 366 | |||
Helena Constantia | Constantine I (Constantinian) |
November 355 as Caesarissa February 360 as empress consort[4] |
360? | Julian | ||||
Charito | Lucillianus | ? | ? | 27 June 363 | 17 February 364 | after 380 | Jovian | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Valentinian dynasty (364-379)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marina Severa | ? | ? | ? | c. 364 | 370 | ? | Valentinian I | |
Justina | ? | c. 340 | c. 370 | 375 | c. 391 | |||
Albia Dominica | Petronius | c. 337 | c. 354 | c. 364 | 378 | ? | Valens | |
Flavia Maxima Constantia | Constans II (Constantinian) |
c. 361-62 | c. 374 | 383 | Gratian | |||
Laeta | ? | ? | 383 | ? | ||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Theodosian dynasty (379–395)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aelia Flavia Flaccilla | ? | ? | 375-376 | August 378 as Roman empress consort in the East | 385 | Theodosius I | ||
Flavia Galla | Valentinian I (Valentinian) |
370-375 | 387 as Roman empress consort in the East May 15 392 as sole-Roman empress consort |
17 November 375 | 394 | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Empress consorts of the Western Roman Empire
Theodosian dynasty (395–455)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maria | Stilicho | ? | February 398 as the Western Roman empress consort | 407 | Honorius | |||
Thermantia | ? | 408 as the Western Roman empress consort | c. 408 | 415 | ||||
Aelia Galla Placidia | Theodosius I (Theodosian) |
392 | 1 January 421 | 8 February 421 as the Western Roman empress consort | 2 September 421 | 27 November 450 | Constantius III | |
Licinia Eudoxia | Theodosius II (Theodosian) |
422 | 29 October 437 as the Western Roman empress consort | 16 March 455 | 462 | Valentinian III | ||
17 March 455 2nd times as the Western Roman empress consort | 31 May 455 | Petronius Maximus | ||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Non-dynastic (455–476)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aelia Marcia Euphemia | Flavius Marcianus | ? | 453 | 12 April 467 | 11 July 472 | ? | Anthemius | |
Galla Placidia Valentiniana Minor | Valentinian III (Valentinian) |
439-443 | 454 or 455 | 23 March or 11 July 472 | 23 October or 2 November 472 | 480 | Olybrius | |
Unnamed Niece of Leo I | ? (Leonid) |
? | ? | June 474 | 25 April 480 (since 28 August 475 from Dalmatia) |
? | Julius Nepos | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire
Theodosian dynasty (395–457)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100px | Aelia Eudoxia | Flavius Bauto | ? | 27 April 395 | 6 October 404 | Arcadius | ||
Aelia Licinia Eudocia | Leontius | c. 401 | 7 June 421 | 28 July 450 | 20 October 460 | Theodosius II | ||
Aelia Pulcheria | Arcadius (Theodosian) |
19 January 399 | 28 July 450 | July 453 | Marcian | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Leonid dynasty (457–518)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aelia Verina | ? | ? | ? | 7 February 457 | 18 January 474 | 484 | Leo I | |
Aelia Ariadne | Leo I (Leonid) |
c. 450 | 466/468 | 9 February 474 1st time |
9 January 475 | 515 | Zeno | |
Aelia Zenonis | ? | ? | ? | 9 January 475 | August 476 | 476/477 | Basiliscus | |
Aelia Ariadne | Leo I (Leonid) |
c. 450 | 466/468 | August 476 2nd time |
9 April 491 | 515 | Zeno | |
20 May 491 3rd time |
515 | Anastasius | ||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Justinian dynasty (518–602)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euphemia | ? | ? | 491-518 | July 518 | c. 524 | Justin I | ||
Theodora (Θεοδώρα) |
Acacius | c. 500 | ? | 1 August 527 | 28 June 548 | Justinian I | ||
Aelia Sophia | Sittas[5] | c. 530 | ? | 14 November 565 as sole empress consort 5 October 578 as co-empress consort |
5 October 578 | after 601 | Justin II | |
Aelia Anastasia | ? | ? | ? | 7 December 574 as Caesarissa September 578 as co-empress consort 5 October 578 as sole empress consort |
14 August 582 | 593 | Tiberius II Constantine | |
Constantina | Tiberius II Constantine (Justinian)[6] |
c. 560 | Autumn 582 | 27 November 602 | c. 605 | Maurice | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Non-dynastic (602–610)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leontia | ? | ? | ? | 23 November 602 | October 610 | ? | Phocas | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Heraclian dynasty (610–711)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fabia Eudokia | Rogas of Africa | c. 580 | 5 October 610 | 13 August 612 | Heraclius | |||
Martina | Martinus | ? | 613 as sole-empress consort 629/630 as senior empress-consort |
11 February 641 | after 641 | |||
Gregoria | Niketas | 610s | 629/630 | 629/630 as junior empress-consort 11 February 641 as senior empress-consort |
May 641 | ? | Constantine III | |
Fausta | Valentinus (Arsacid) |
c. 630 | 642 | 15 September 668 | after 668 | Constans II | ||
Anastasia | ? | ? | ? | 668 | September 685 | after 711 | Constantine IV | |
Eudokia | ? | ? | ? | c. 685? | c. 695? | ? | Justinian II | |
Theodora of Khazaria | ? | ? | 703 | 705 | December 711 | ? | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Non-dynastic (711–717)
-
- None
Isaurian dynasty (717–802)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maria | Tervel of Bulgaria[5] (Dulo) |
? | ? | 25 March 717 | 18 June 741 | ? | Leo III | |
Anna | Leo III (Isaurian) |
c. 705 | ? | June 741 as rival empress consort | November 743 | after 743 | Artabasdos | |
Irene of Khazaria | Bihar | ? | c. 732 | c. 732 as co-empress consort 18 June 741 as rival empress consort 2 November 743 as sole empress consort |
c. 750 | Constantine V | ||
Maria | ? | ? | c. 750 | c. 751 | ||||
Eudokia | ? | ? | c. 751 [7] | 14 September 775 | ? | |||
Irene Serantapechaina (Ειρήνη η Αθηναία, Eirēnē) |
? (Sarantapechoi) |
c. 752 | 17 December 769 | 17 December 769 as co-empress consort 25 March 775 as sole empress consort |
18 June 780 | 9 August 803 | Leo IV | |
Maria of Amnia | ? | c. 770 | November 788 | January 795 | after 823 | Constantine VI | ||
Theodote | ? | c. 780 | September 795 | c. 797 | after 797 | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Dynasty of Nikephoros I (802–813)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Theophano (Θεοφανώ) |
? | ? | 20 December 807 | 807 as co-empress consort 26 July 811 |
2 October 811 | ? | Staurakios | |
Prokopia | Nikephoros I | c. 770 - after 813 | late 8th century | 2 October 811 | 11 July 813 | after 813 | Michael I | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Non-dynastic (813–820)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Theodosia | Arsaber | c. 775 | ? | 11 July 813 | 25 December 820 | after 826 | Leo V | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Phrygian dynasty (820–867)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thekla | Bardanes Tourkos | ? | before 803 | 25 December 820 | c. 823 | Michael II | ||
Euphrosyne | Constantine VI (Isaurian) |
c. 790 | c. 823 | 2 October 829 | after 836 | |||
Theodora the Armenian (Θεοδώρα) |
Marinos (Mamikonian) |
c. 815 | 5 June 830 | 20 January 842 | after 867 | Theophilos | ||
Eudokia Dekapolitissa | ? | ? | 855 | 23 September 867 – 24 September 867 | ? | Michael III | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Macedonian dynasty (867–1056)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became empress | Ceased to be empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eudokia Ingerina[8] (Ευδοκία Ιγγερίνα) |
Inger | c. 840 | 865 | 26 May 866 as co-empress consort 24 September 867 as sole-empress consort |
882 | Basil I | ||
Theophano (Θεοφανώ) |
Constantine Martiniakos | ? | c. 883 | 29 August 886 | 893/897 | 10 November 897 | Leo VI | |
Zoe Zaoutzaina | Stylianos Zaoutzes | ? | 893/897[9] | May 899 | ||||
Eudokia Baïana | ? | ? | Spring 900[7] | 12 April 901 | ||||
Zoe Karbonopsina (Ζωή Καρβωνοψίνα) | ? | ? | 9 January 906[10] | 11 May 912 | ? | |||
Helena Lekapene | Romanos I | c. 910 | May 919 | May 919 as co-empress consort 27 January 945 as sole-empress consort |
9 November 959 | 19 September 961 | Constantine VII | |
Theodora (Θεοδώρα) |
? | ? | ? | September 920 as Caesarissa 17 December 920 as senior co-empress consort |
20 February 922 | Romanos I | ||
Theophano [11] (Θεοφανώ) |
Anastaso | c. 941 | 956 | 956 as co-empress consort 9 November 959 as sole-empress consort |
15 March 963 1st time |
after 976 | Romanos II | |
August 963 2nd time |
10 December 969 – 11 December 969 | Nikephoros II | ||||||
Theodora the Macedonian (Θεοδώρα) |
Constantine VII (Macedonian) |
c. 946 | November 971 | 10 January 976 | ? | John I | ||
Helena | Alypius | ? | 976? | 976? as only empress or junior empress consort | unknown, she predeceased her husband many years before he became sole emperor in 1025 |
? | Constantine VIII | |
Zoe Porphyrogenita (Ζωή) |
Constantine VIII (Macedonian) |
c. 978 | 12 November 1028 | 15 November 1028 1st time |
11 April 1034 | June 1050 | Romanos III | |
11 April 1034 2nd time |
10 December 1041 | Michael IV | ||||||
11 June 1042[7] 3rd time |
June 1050 | Constantine IX | ||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Komnenid dynasty (1057–1059)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ekaterina of Bulgaria | Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria (Comitopuli dynasty) |
? | before 1057 | 5 June 1057 as rival empress consort 31 August 1057 as sole empress consort |
22 November 1059 | after 1059 | Isaac I | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Doukid dynasty (1059–1081)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eudokia Makrembolitissa (Ευδοκία Μακρεμβολίτισσα) |
John Makrembolites (Makrembolites) |
1021 | before 1050 | 24 November 1059 1st time |
22 May 1067 | 1096 | Constantine X | |
1 January 1068 2nd time |
1071 | Romanos IV | ||||||
Irene Pegonitissa | Niketas Pegonites | ? | ? | ?around 1059? as Caesarissa 1074 husband unwillingly proclaimed emperor by rebel Norman |
? | ? | Caesar John Doukas | |
Martha of Alania (as Maria) (Μαρία της Αλανίας) |
Bagrat IV of Georgia (Bagrationi) |
c. 1050 | 1065 | 1065 as junior-empress consort 22 May 1067 as co-empress consort 1071 as sole-empress consort 1075 as senior empress consort |
31 March 1078 | after 1103 | Michael VII | |
c. 1078 | 10 December 1081 | Nikephoros III | ||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Komnenid dynasty (1081–1185)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Irene Doukaina (Ειρήνη Δούκαινα) |
Andronikos Doukas (Doukai) |
c. 1066 | 1078 | 4 April 1081 | 15 August 1118 | 19 February 1123 or 1133 | Alexios I | |
Anna Komnene (Άννα Κομνηνή) |
Alexios I (Komnenoi) |
1 December 1083 | 1097 as Caesarissa | 1118/1137 | 1153 | Caesar Nikephoros Bryennios | ||
Piroska of Hungary (as Irene) | Ladislaus I of Hungary (Árpád) |
1088 | 1104 | 1104 as co-empress consort 15 August 1118 as sole-empress consort |
13 August 1134 | John II | ||
Bertha of Sulzbach (as Irene) | Berengar II, Count of Sulzbach (Babenberg) |
1110s | after Epiphany 1146 | 1159 | Manuel I | |||
100px | Maria of Antioch | Raymond of Antioch (Ramnulfids) |
1145 | 24 December 1161 | 24 September 1180 | 1182 | ||
Agnes of France (as Anna) | Louis VII of France (Capetian) |
1171 | 2 March 1180 | 24 September 1180 | October 1183 | after 1204 | Alexios II | |
1183 | 12 September 1185 | Andronikos I | ||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Angelid dynasty (1185–1204)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret of Hungary (as Maria) | Béla III of Hungary (Árpád) |
1175 | c. 1185 | 12 September 1185 1st time | 8 April 1195 | 1223 | Isaac II | |
Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera (Ευφροσύνη Δούκαινα Καματερίνα or Καματηρά) |
Andronikos Doukas Kamateros (Kamateroi-Doukai) |
c. 1155 | c. 1169 | 8 April 1195 | July 17/18 1203 | 1211 | Alexios III | |
Margaret of Hungary (as Maria) | Béla III of Hungary (Árpád) |
1175 | c. 1185 | July 1203 2nd time | January 1204 | 1223 | Isaac II | |
Eudokia Angelina[12] (Ευδοκία Αγγελίνα) |
Alexios III (Angeloi) |
1 December 1083 | ?1204? | 1211 | Alexios V | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire (in exile)
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Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire (restored)
Palaiologan dynasty (restored to Constantinople, 1261–1453)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina | Ioannes Doukas Vatatzes (Doukai) |
c. 1240 | 1253 | 1 January 1259 as co-empress consort of Nicaea 18 August 1258 as sole-empress consort of Nicaea 25 July 1261 as empress consort, restored to Constantinople 8 November 1273 as senior empress consort 1281 as only empress consort |
11 December 1282 | 4 March 1303 | Michael VIII | |
Anna of Hungary | Stephen V of Hungary (Árpád) |
c. 1260 | 8 November 1273 as co-empress consort | 1281/1282 | Andronikos II | |||
Irene of Montferrat | William VII, Marquess of Montferrat (Aleramici) |
1274 | 1284 as sole empress consort 16 January 1294 as senior empress consort |
1317 | ||||
Maria of Armenia | Leo III of Armenia (Hetoumids) |
10/11 January 1278 | c. 1185 | 16 January 1294 as junior empress consort 1317 as only empress consort |
12 October 1320 | July 1333 | Michael IX | |
Irene of Brunswick | Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Welf) |
c. 1293 | March 1318 | March 1318 as co-empress consort July 1321 as rival empress consort |
16 August 1324 – 17 August 1324 | Andronikos III | ||
Anna of Savoy | Amadeus V, Count of Savoy (Savoy) |
1306 | October 1326 | October 1326 as rival empress consort 24 May 1328 as sole empress consort |
15 June 1341 | 1359 | ||
Irene Asanina | Andronikos Asen (Asen) |
c. 1300 | before 1320 | 26 October 1341 as rival empress consort 8 February 1347 as co-empress consort |
4 December 1354 | 1363-1379 | John VI | |
Helena Kantakouzene | John VI (Kantakouzenoi) |
1333 | 28 May/29 May 1347 | 28 May/29 May 1347 as co-empress consort 1352 as rival empress consort 4 December 1354 as senior empress consort |
12 August 1376 | 10 December 1396 | John V | |
Irene Palaiologina | Demetrios Palaiologos (Palaiologoi) |
1327 | 1340 | 15 April 1353 as co-empress consort 4 December 1354 as rival empress consort |
1357 | Matthew Kantakouzenos | ||
Maria of Bulgaria | Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria (Shishman) |
1348 | after 17 August 1355 | after 17 August 1355 as co-empress consort 12 August 1376 s senior empress consort |
1 July 1379 | 1390 | Andronikos IV | |
Helena Kantakouzene | John VI (Kantakouzenoi) |
1333 | 28 May/29 May 1347 | 1 July 1379 as senior empress consort, husband restored 14 April 1390 as only empress 17 September 1390 as senior empress consort, husband restored |
16 February 1391 | 10 December 1396 | John V | |
Helena Dragaš | Constantine Dragaš (Dragaš) |
c. 1372 | 10 February 1392 as senior empress consort | 21 July 1425 | 23 May 1450 | Manuel II | ||
Irene Gattilusio | Francesco II of Lesbos (Gattilusio) |
1384 | before 1397 as co-empress consort | 22 September 1408 | 1 June 1440 | John VII | ||
Anna of Moscow | Vasili I of Moscow (Rurikid) |
1393 | c. 1411 | 1416 as Despoina and shortly after co-empress consort | August 1417 | John VIII | ||
Sophia Palaiologina of Montferrat | Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat (Palaiologoi) |
1396 | 19 January 1421 | 19 January 1421as co-empress consort 21 July 1425 as sole-empress consort |
August 1426 | 21 August 1434 | ||
Maria Megale Komnene | Alexios IV of Trebizond (Megalokomnenoi) |
? | September 1427[7] | 17 December 1439 | ||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
Pretending Empress consorts of the Roman Empire
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The Western Roman Empire met its end in 476 and the Eastern Roman Empire in 1453. Although others continued to claim similar titles after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 — e.g. Holy Roman Empresses (as heirs of the Western Empire) or Russian Tsaritsas and Empresses (as the Empresses of the Third Rome) — the last reigning Empress consort of the Eastern Roman Empire of Constantinople was Maria of Trebizond. The last Palaiologan pretender, Andreas Palaiologos, sold his right to the imperial succession to Charles VIII of France, but he also willed the imperial titles to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castille, and so in a sense either the French queens or the Spanish queens have been the titular Empresses of the Eastern Roman Empire since the 15th century. Another Palaiologian, Manuel Palaiologos, sold his right of succession to Ottoman Sultan Bayazid II (the Ottoman sultans already claim to be the Kaizer-i Rum or Roman Emperors); but since there is no such thing as a sultaness because the Ottomans practiced polygamy, there are no Ottoman consorts. Other possible pretenders may be the former Queens of Greece because the Greek monarchy was mainly created in 1832 to be the successor of the Byzantine Empire. The former Queens of Italy could be another claimant since their husband's were one of the only European monarchs to effectively hold the city of Rome, the seat of the Roman Empire since its beginning.
Neither the Empresses of Russia, the Queens of France, the Queens of Spain, the Queens of Italy or the Queens of the Hellenes claimed any sort of Roman titles and the claimants that clearly made the most point by using the word Roman in their title, the Holy Roman Empresses and the Queens of the Romans, ceased their claim upon the dissolution the empire in 1806. Currently the consorts of five of these states are pretenders in their own countries, themselves, and the current Queen of Spain claims no Roman titles. The status of the current pretenders to the Byzantine successor states of Trebizond, Epirus, and Nicaea are unclear much less their spouses; the despots of Morea became the Byzantine Emperors (in exile) in 1453.
- For a list of the consorts of the ruler of these states and the spouse of the pretenders of these states, see List of consorts of the Byzantine successor states
Along with the current Pretending Latin Emperor, the pretenders of the crusader and client states within the Latin Empire are also unclear.
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roman empresses. |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Byzantine empresses. |
- List of Augustae
- List of Russian consorts
- List of Latin Empresses of Constantinople
- List of Greek royal consorts
Notes
- ↑ never titled
- ↑ her status as a concumbine or wife is unknown
- ↑ Mentioned in "Letter To The Senate And People of Athens" by Julian the Apostate
- ↑ not known if she live to see this
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 historical theory
- ↑ adoptive
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Third marriages are the last permitted according to the rules of Orthodox Church, but are highly disapproved by the Church.
- ↑ formerly mistress of Michael III
- ↑ There is a contradiction on Zoe Zaoutzaina's particular status 893–897. According to Symeon, the marriage of Leo VI to Theophano was officially void, allowing Leo and Zoe to marry within the year. According to Theophanes, the original marriage was still valid and Zoe remained the royal mistress. Theophano died in her monastery on 10 November 897. According to Theophanes, Leo and Zoe proceeded to marry at this point. Both Symeon and Theophanes agree that Zoe was only crowned Augusta following the death of her predecessor.
- ↑ Fourth marriages are uncanonical in the eyes of the Orthodox Church.
- ↑ Lover of future Emperor John I
- ↑ Sometimes she is not considered the last Byzantine Empress consort before the Fourth Crusader because of the unknown date of her marriage.