Sophia of Montferrat: Difference between revisions
Sheila1988 (talk | contribs) Σοφία Παλαιολογίνα |
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| succession = [[List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses|Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire]] |
| succession = [[List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses|Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire]] |
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| consort = yes |
| consort = yes |
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| reign = |
| reign = 1421–1426 |
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| death_date = 1434 |
| death_date = 1434 |
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| house = [[Palaeologus-Montferrat]] |
| house = [[Palaeologus-Montferrat]] |
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'''Sophia of Montferrat''' (or '''Sophia Palaiologina''', {{ |
'''Sophia of Montferrat''' (or '''Sophia Palaiologina''', {{langx|el|Σοφία Παλαιολογίνα}}; died 21 August 1434) was a Byzantine empress by marriage to [[John VIII Palaiologos]]. |
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== Life == |
== Life == |
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Sophia was a daughter of [[Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat|Theodore II Palaiologos, Marquess of Montferrat]], and his second wife, Joanna of Bar. Through her father, Sophia was a relative of the reigning [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] [[Palaiologos|Palaiologi]] dynasty. |
Sophia was a daughter of [[Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat|Theodore II Palaiologos, Marquess of Montferrat]], and his second wife, Joanna of [[Duchy of Bar|Bar]]. Through her father, Sophia was a relative of the reigning [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] [[Palaiologos|Palaiologi]] dynasty. |
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On 26 January 1404, Sophia was betrothed to [[Filippo Maria Visconti]]. He was a son of [[Gian Galeazzo Visconti]], [[List of rulers of Milan|Duke of Milan]] and his second wife Caterina Visconti. The marriage contract was eventually broken. |
On 26 January 1404, Sophia was betrothed to [[Filippo Maria Visconti]]. He was a son of [[Gian Galeazzo Visconti]], [[List of rulers of Milan|Duke of Milan]] and his second wife Caterina [[Visconti of Milan|Visconti]]. The marriage contract was eventually broken. |
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On 19 January 1421, Sophia was married to [[John VIII Palaiologos]]. He was the eldest surviving son of [[Manuel II Palaiologos]] and [[Helena Dragaš]]. He was at the time co-ruler with his father. The marriage was recorded by both [[Doukas (historian)|Doukas]] and [[George Sphrantzes]] in their respective chronicles. Sphrantzes records [[Hagia Sophia]] as its location.<ref>Sphrantzes, ch. 6; translated in [[Marios Philippides]], ''The Fall of the Byzantine Empire: A Chronicle by George Sphrantzes, 1401–1477'' (Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1980), p. 24</ref> |
On 19 January 1421, Sophia was married to [[John VIII Palaiologos]]. He was the eldest surviving son of [[Manuel II Palaiologos]] and [[Helena Dragaš]]. He was at the time co-ruler with his father. The marriage was recorded by both [[Doukas (historian)|Doukas]] and [[George Sphrantzes]] in their respective chronicles. Sphrantzes records [[Hagia Sophia]] as its location.<ref>Sphrantzes, ch. 6; translated in [[Marios Philippides]], ''The Fall of the Byzantine Empire: A Chronicle by George Sphrantzes, 1401–1477'' (Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1980), p. 24</ref> |
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{{s-bef|before=[[Helena Dragaš]]}} |
{{s-bef|before=[[Helena Dragaš]]}} |
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{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Byzantine Empresses|Byzantine Empress consort]]|years= |
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Byzantine Empresses|Byzantine Empress consort]]|years=1421–1426}} |
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{{s-aft|after=[[Maria of Trebizond]]}} |
{{s-aft|after=[[Maria of Trebizond]]}} |
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[[Category:15th-century Byzantine empresses]] |
[[Category:15th-century Byzantine empresses]] |
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[[Category:Year of birth unknown]] |
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]] |
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[[Category:Palaeologus-Montferrat dynasty]] |
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Latest revision as of 05:37, 27 October 2024
| Sophia of Montferrat | |
|---|---|
| Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire | |
| Tenure | 1421–1426 |
| Died | 1434 |
| Spouse | John VIII Palaiologos |
| House | Palaeologus-Montferrat |
| Father | Theodore II of Montferrat |
| Mother | Joanna of Bar |
Sophia of Montferrat (or Sophia Palaiologina, Greek: Σοφία Παλαιολογίνα; died 21 August 1434) was a Byzantine empress by marriage to John VIII Palaiologos.
Life
[edit]Sophia was a daughter of Theodore II Palaiologos, Marquess of Montferrat, and his second wife, Joanna of Bar. Through her father, Sophia was a relative of the reigning Byzantine Palaiologi dynasty.
On 26 January 1404, Sophia was betrothed to Filippo Maria Visconti. He was a son of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan and his second wife Caterina Visconti. The marriage contract was eventually broken.
On 19 January 1421, Sophia was married to John VIII Palaiologos. He was the eldest surviving son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš. He was at the time co-ruler with his father. The marriage was recorded by both Doukas and George Sphrantzes in their respective chronicles. Sphrantzes records Hagia Sophia as its location.[1]
Manuel had sent Nicholas Eudaimonoioannes as ambassador to the Council of Constance while seeking Papal permission for the marriage, as the issue was the conversion of the Roman Catholic bride to the Eastern Orthodox Church. The permission was granted by Pope Martin V.
Apparently although Sophia was a particularly pious individual, unfortunately for her marriage, she was also considered unattractive by the standards of her time, described by Doukas as "Lent in front and Easter behind".[2][3] John VIII, not content in his marriage, made every effort to avoid her, and as a result, Sophia spent much of her time in Constantinople isolated from her husband.
On 21 July 1425, Manuel II died and John VIII succeeded him. Sophia replaced her mother-in-law as senior empress. However, Sphrantzes records that in August 1426 Sophia "fled the City [Constantinople] and returned to her homeland", and that a little more than a year later John VIII made Maria of Trebizond his wife.[4] Sophia never remarried and died eight years later.
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ Sphrantzes, ch. 6; translated in Marios Philippides, The Fall of the Byzantine Empire: A Chronicle by George Sphrantzes, 1401–1477 (Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1980), p. 24
- ^ Michael Doukas, Historia Bizantina, chap. XX
- ^ Vasiliev, A.A., History of the Byzantine Empire, 324-1453 (1958), p. 588
- ^ Sphrantzes, ch. 14; translated in Philippides, The Fall of the Byzantine Empire, p. 30
Sources
[edit]- Doukas, Historia Bizantina
- George Sphrantzes, Chronicle
- Nicol, D.M., The Last Centuries of Byzantium 1261-1453 (Cambridge University Press, 1993)
- Vasiliev, A.A., History of the Byzantine Empire, 324-1453 (University of Wisconsin Press, 1958)