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'''Sophia of Montferrat''' or '''Sophia Palaiologina''' (died 21 August 1434) was the second wife of [[John VIII Palaiologos]]. She was briefly the senior Empress consort of the [[Byzantine Empire]].
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Sophia of Montferrat
| succession = [[List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses|Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire]]
| consort = yes
| reign = 1421–1426
| death_date = 1434
| house = [[Palaeologus-Montferrat]]
| spouse = [[John VIII Palaiologos]]
| father = [[Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat|Theodore II of Montferrat]]
| mother = Joanna of Bar
}}


'''Sophia of Montferrat''' (or '''Sophia Palaiologina''', {{langx|el|Σοφία Παλαιολογίνα}}; died 21 August 1434) was a Byzantine empress by marriage to [[John VIII Palaiologos]].
==Family==


== Life ==
'''Sophia Palaiologina''' was a daughter of [[Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat|Theodore II Palaiologos, Marquess of Montferrat]] and his second wife, Joanna of Bar. Joanna's parents were [[Robert I, Duke of Bar]] and [[Marie Valois]], the latter a daughter of [[John II of France]] and [[Bonne of Bohemia]]. Also, 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.


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.
==Marriage==


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 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 [[House of Visconti|Visconti]]. The marriage contract was eventually broken.


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 [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] bride to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]. The permission was granted by [[Pope Martin V]].
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.


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 (historian)|Doukas]] as "Lent in front and Easter behind".<ref>Michael Doukas, ''Historia Bizantina'', chap. XX</ref><ref>Vasiliev, A.A., ''History of the Byzantine Empire, 324-1453'' (1958), p. 588</ref> 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.
According to ''The Last Centuries of Byzantium 1261-1453'' (1972) by J.M. Nicol, Manuel had send ambassadors to the [[Council of Constance]] while seeking Papal permission for the marriage. The issue being the conversion of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] bride to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]. The permission was granted by [[Pope Martin V]].


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.<ref>Sphrantzes, ch. 14; translated in Philippides, ''The Fall of the Byzantine Empire'', p. 30</ref> Sophia never remarried and died eight years later.
Apparently although Sophia was a particularly pious individual, unfortunately for her marriage, she was also considered unattractive by the standards of her time, being described by [[Michael Doukas (historian)|Michael Doukas]] as "Lent in front and Easter behind"<ref>Michael Doukas, ''Historia Bizantina'', chap. XX</ref> <ref>Vasiliev, A.A., ''History of the Byzantine Empire, 324-1453'' (1958), p. 588</ref>. John VIII, not contented 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 Doukas records the marriage to have ended in August 1426. Sophia never remarried and died eight years later.

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Palaiologos]]||?||1434}}
{{s-roy}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Helena Dragaš]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Byzantine Empresses|Byzantine Empress consort]]|years=1425&ndash;1426}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Maria of Trebizond]]}}
{{end}}


==Footnotes==
==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>


==Sources==
==Sources==


*[[Doukas]], ''Historia Bizantina''
*[[Doukas (historian)|Doukas]], ''Historia Bizantina''
*[[George Sphrantzes]], Chronicle
*[[George Sphrantzes]], Chronicle
* Nicol, D.M., ''The Last Centuries of Byzantium 1261-1453'' (Cambridge University Press, 1993)
* 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)
* Vasiliev, A.A., ''History of the Byzantine Empire, 324-1453 (University of Wisconsin Press, 1958)


{{s-start}}
==External links==
{{s-hou|[[Palaeologus-Montferrat]]||?||1434|[[Palaiologos|Palaiologos dynasty]]}}
*[http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTIUM%2012611453.htm#IoannesVIIIdied1448 Her profile Her listing, along with her husband, in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley.]
|-
{{s-roy}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Helena Dragaš]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Byzantine Empresses|Byzantine Empress consort]]|years=1421&ndash;1426}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Maria of Trebizond]]}}
{{end}}


{{Roman empresses|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:1434 deaths]]
[[Category:Palaeologus dynasty]]
[[Category:Greek queen consorts of the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:15th-century Byzantine people]]


[[Category:1434 deaths]]
[[bg:София Монфератска]]
[[Category:Palaiologos dynasty]]
[[it:Sofia Paleologa]]
[[Category:15th-century Byzantine empresses]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Palaeologus-Montferrat dynasty]]

Latest revision as of 05:37, 27 October 2024

Sophia of Montferrat
Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire
Tenure1421–1426
Died1434
SpouseJohn VIII Palaiologos
HousePalaeologus-Montferrat
FatherTheodore II of Montferrat
MotherJoanna 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]
  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ Michael Doukas, Historia Bizantina, chap. XX
  3. ^ Vasiliev, A.A., History of the Byzantine Empire, 324-1453 (1958), p. 588
  4. ^ 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)
Sophia of Montferrat
Cadet branch of the Palaiologos dynasty
Born:  ? Died: 1434
Royal titles
Preceded by Byzantine Empress consort
1421–1426
Succeeded by