List of exiled and pretending Byzantine Empresses

For the uncontested Empresses of the Eastern Roman Empire, see, List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses.

For the consorts of the Latin emperors, see, List of Latin Empresses.

The Empress of the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire (in exile) was the consort of one of the four Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Emperors, following the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, to the abolishment of those states. As all male spouses of the former Byzantine Empire had to be monarchs also, there was never a Byzantine Emperor consort. They are the successors of Margaret of Hungary or Eudokia Angelina, the last true Byzantine Empresses. None of women's husband held the title of Byzantine Emperor rightfully in the eyes of history, except the Nicaean emperors who became the only Greek ruler to be restored to Constantinople in 1261 and the Morean despotes who were the direct heirs of the last emperor, Constantine XI.

The spouses of the pretenders of these states and the Byzantine Empire are included. These states were Nicaea, who should have been known as the Empress consort of Nicaea (Greek: βασίλισσα τῆς Νίκαιας); Trebizond, who should have been known as the Empress consort of Trebizond (Greek: βασίλισσα τῆς Τραπεζοῦντος); Epirus, who should have been known as the Despoina in Epirus (1215–1479); Morea, who should have been known as the Despoina in Morea (1308–1460).

Empress of the Byzantine Empire (in exile)

Empress of Nicaea

Laskarid dynasty (1204-1261)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Anna Angelina	Alexios III (Angeloi)	c. 1176	1199 or early 1200	1204 death of brother-in-law 1205 husband proclaimed as emperor	1212		Theodore I
	Philippa of Armenia	Ruben III of Armenia (Rubenid)	1183	24 November 1214		1216	before 1219
	Marie de Courtenay	Peter, Latin Emperor (Courtenay)	c. 1204	1219		November 1221	September 1228
	Irene Lascarina (Ειρήνη Λασκαρίνα)	Theodore I (Laskaris)	?	1212	December 1221	1239		John III
	Anna of Hohenstaufen	Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (Hohenstaufen)	1230	1244		3 November 1254	April 1307
	Elena Asenina of Bulgaria	Ivan II of Bulgaria (Asen)	?	1235	4 November 1254 husband proclaimed as emperor 1255 husband crowned as emperor 1 January 1259 as co-empress	18 August 1258	?	Theodore II
Palaiologan dynasty (1259–1261)
	Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina	Ioannes Doukas Vatatzes (Doukai)	c. 1240	1253	1 January 1259 as co-empress 18 August 1258 as sole-empress consort	25 July 1261	4 March 1303	Michael VIII
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Empress of Trebizond

The consorts of rulers of Trebizond, like their counterparts in the other two Byzantine successor states, the Empire of Nicaea and the Despotate of Epirus, initially claimed the traditional Byzantine title of Empress consort the Romans. However, after reaching an agreement with the restored Byzantine Empire in 1282, the official title of the consorts of Trebizond was changed to Empress consort of the entire East, of the Iberians and the Perateia and remained such until the Empire's end in 1461. The state is sometimes called the Komnenian or Megalokomnenian empire from its ruling dynasty. Trebizond had three reigning empresses, Theodora of Trebizond (1284–1285), Irene Palaiologina (1340–1341), and Anna of Trebizond (1341–1342).

Megalokomnenid dynasty (1204-1461)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Theodora Axuchina	John Komnenos Axouchos[1] (Axouchoi)	?	?	around April 1204	1 February 1222	?	Alexios I
	Komnene	Alexios I (Komnenoi)	?	c. 1222?	1 February 1222	1235	?	Andronikos I
	Mother of Ioannikes	?	?	?	1235	1238	?	John I
	Anna Xylaloe	?	?	1235	1238	1240s		Manuel I
	Rusudan of Georgia	David VI of Georgia or David VII of Georgia (Bagratids)	?	1240s		1250s or early 1260s
	Irene Syrikaina	?	?	1250s or early 1260s		March 1263	?
	Eudokia Palaiologina (Ευδοκία Παλαιολογίνα)	Michael VIII Palaiologos (Palaiologoi)	c. 1265	1282		16 August 1297[2]	1302	John II
	Djiadjak Jaqeli[3]	Beka II Jaqeli (Jaqeli)	?	c. 1300		3 May 1330	?	Alexios II
	Irene Palaiologina (Ειρήνη Παλαιολογίνα)	Andronikos III Palaiologos (Palaiologoi)	c. 1315	1335		1339	after 1341	Basilios
	Irene (Ειρήνη η μεγάλη Κομνηνή)	?	?	1339 [4]		6 April 1340	after 1382
	Acropolitissa	Constantine Acropolites (Acropolites)	?	1297-1341	30 July 1341 1st reign[5] 3 May 1344 2nd reign	13 December 1349	?	Michael
	Theodora Kantakouzene	Nikephoros Kantakouzenos	c. 1340	28 September 1351		20 March 1390	?	Alexios III
	Eudokia of Georgia	David IX of Georgia (Bagratids)	?	6 September 1377	20 March 1390	2 May 1395		Manuel III
	Anna Philanthropene	Manuel Angelos Philanthropenos	?	c. 1395		5 March 1417	?
	Theodora Kantakouzene	Theodore Palaiologos Kantakouzenos (Kantakouzenoi)	c. 1382	1395	1395 as co-empress consort 5 March 1417 as sole-empress consort	12 November 1426		Alexios IV
	Maria Gattilusio as Co-Empress of Trebizond	Dorino of Lesbos (Gattilusi)	?	?	?	October 1429	?	Alexander, Co-Emperor
	Unnamed Georgian princess	Alexander I of Georgia (Bagratids)	c. 1415	c. 1426	before 28 October 1429	1438		John IV
	Unnamed Turkish lady	Dawlat Berdi	?	?	?	before April 22, 1459	?
	Maria of Gothia[6]	Alexios II of Theodoro (Gabras)	?	?	?	?	?/before 1447	David
	Helena Kantakouzene	? (Kantakouzenoi)	?	?	before 22 April 1459	15 August 1461	1463
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Despoinas and consorts in Epirus

Angelos-Komnenos-Doukas dynasty (1205-1318)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became consort	Ceased to be consort	Death	Spouse
	Unknown	an Epirote magnate (Melissenos)	?	?	?	?	?	Michael I
	Unknown	an Epirote (Melissenos)	?	?	?	?	?
	Maria Petraliphaina	? (Petraliphas)	?	c. 1216	c. 1216 as Despoina and Byzantine empress in exile 1224 as Empress in Thessalonica	1230	?	Theodore
	Theodora Petraliphaina	John Petraliphas (Petraliphas)	1225	about 1231		1268	?	Michael II
	Maria Doukaina Laskarina	Theodore II Laskaris (Laskaris)	?	1256 as Despoina within the Nicaean empire, never in Epirus		1258		Nikephoros I
	Anna Kantakouzene	? (Palaiologos or Kantakouzenos)	?	1264	1268	1297?	?
	Anna Palaiologina	Michael IX Palaiologos (Palaiologos)	?	1307 or 1313		1318	1320 or 1321	Thomas I
Orsini dynasty (1318–1359)
	Anna Palaiologina	Michael IX Palaiologos (Palaiologos)	?	1318 2nd time		1320 or 1321		Nicholas
	Anna Palaiologina Angelina	Andronikos Palaiologos Angelos[7] (Palaiologos or Komnenos Doukas)	?	after 1324		1335	?	John
	Maria Kantakouzene	John VI Kantakouzenos (Kantakouzenos)	-	after 1339	1347 as Despoina within the Byzantine empire 1355 as Despoina in Epirus	1356/1359	after 1359	Nikephoros II
Nemanjić and									Thomais Orsini	John (Orsini)	?	after 1348	1359	1366	?	Simeon
	Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina[8] (Μαρία Αγγελίνα Δούκαινα Παλαιολογίνα)	Simeon (Nemanjić)	?	1359–1360	1366	23 December 1384	28 December 1394	Thomas II
				February 1385		28 December 1394		Esau
	Irene Bova Shpata	John Bova Shpata	?	January 1396		?	?
	Eudokia Balšić	? (Balšić)	?	?		6 February 1411	after 1411
Tocco dynasty (1411–1479)
	Francesca Acciaioli	Nerio I Acciaioli (Acciaioli)	?	?	1411?	1429?	?	Carlo I Tocco
	Ramondina of Ventimiglia	?	?	?	1429?	1448?	?	Carlo II Tocco
	Milica of Serbia	Lazar Branković (Branković)	?	1 May 1463		1464		Leonardo III Tocco
	Francesca Marzano	Mariano Marzano, Prince of Rossano (Marzano)	?	1477		1479?	?
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became consort	Ceased to be consort	Death	Spouse

Despoinas and Consorts in Morea

Kantakouzenoi dynasty (1347–1383)
	Maria de Lusignan	Constantine II, King of Armenia (Lusignan)	c. or after 1333	c. 1347	25 October 1349	10 April 1380	1382-1387	Manuel Kantakouzenos
Palaiologan dynasty (1383–1460)
	Bartolomea Acciaioli	Nerio I Acciaioli (Acciaioli)	?	?	1383?	1407?	?	Theodore I Palaiologos
	Cleofa Malatesta	Malatesta I, Count of Pesaro (Malatesta)	?	21 January 1421 or sometime in 1422		1433		Theodore II Palaiologos
	Theodora Tocco	Leonardo II Tocco (Tocco)	?	1 July 1428	c. 1428 as Despoina in Morea	November 1429		Constantine XI Palaiologos
	Caterina Gattilusio	Dorino of Lesbos (Gattilusio)	?	27 July 1441 as Despoina in Morea		July/August 1442
	Theodora Asanina	Paul Asanes (Asanes)	?	before 1443	before 1443 as a Desposina in Morea 29 May 1453 as Byzantine co-empress consort[9]	1460[9]	?	Demetrios Palaiologos
	Caterina Zaccaria	Centurione II Zaccaria (Zaccaria)	around 1392	January 1430	before 1432 as a Desposina in Morea 29 May 1453 as Byzantine co-empress consort	1460	16 August 1462	Thomas Palaiologos
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Consort	Ceased to be Consort	Death	Spouse

Empress of the Byzantine Empire (in pretence)

The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453. Three pretenders from the dynasty followed. 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 since either the French Spanish queens have been the titular Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire since the 15th century. Another Palaiologan, 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 Emperor); but since there is no such thing as a sultaness, there are no Ottoman consorts. Not counting the Ottoman, the two successors of the Palaiologans were all Catholic instead of Orthodox.

The two other claimants are both Orthodox. The first one is the former Queens of Greece because the Greek monarchy mainly created in 1832 to be the successor of the Byzantine Greek monarchy that was replaced by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Their husband descend from five former imperial dynasties of the Empire. The former Empresses of Russia is one of the strongest claimant, mainly because of their claim as the Third Rome and their Orthodox faith. The Russian tsar or emperors were not a Palaiologan successor but they claim so from the marriage of Ivan the Great to Zoe Palaiologina; although the Palaiologian bloodline of Zoe died out along with the main Rurikid line in the 17th century

Neither the Empresses of Russia, the Queens of France, the Queens of Spain, or the Queens of the Hellenes claimed any sort of Byzantine titles, and only the current Queen of Spain is even an official queen. There are two Russian pretenders, three French pretenders, and one Greek pretender. One of them Maria Vladimirovna could claim as empress regnant; or as empress consort, co-ruling with her husband as emperor.

Spouses of Byzantine Pretenders (1453–1502)
	Theodora Asanina	Paul Asanes (Asanes)	?	before 1443	29 May 1453 as co-empress consort[9]	1460[9]	?	Demetrios Palaiologos
	Caterina Zaccaria	Centurione II Zaccaria] (Zaccaria)	around 1392	January 1430	before 1432 as a Desposina in Morea 29 May 1453 as Byzantine co-empress consort	16 August 1462		Thomas Palaiologos
A Roman prostitute ?								Andreas Palaiologos
Disputed and unclaimed The Queens of France (1494 to present) The Queens of Spain (1502 to present) The Grand Princesses, Tsaritsa and Empresses of Russia (1472 to present) The Queens of Greece (1832 to present)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Trebizond

Spouses of Trapezuntine Pretenders (1461–1463)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Helena Kantakouzene	?	?	?	15 August 1461	1 November 1463	1463[10]	David
None?
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Epirus

Spouses of Epirote Pretenders (1479–1499)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Consort	Ceased to be Consort	Death	Spouse
	Francesca Marzano	Mariano Marzano, Prince of Rossano (Marzano)	?	1477	1479	1499?	?	Leonardo III Tocco
None
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Consort	Ceased to be Consort	Death	Spouse

Morea

Spouses of Morean Pretenders (1460–1502)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Consort	Ceased to be Consort	Death	Spouse
	Caterina Zaccaria	Centurione II Zaccaria] (Zaccaria)	around 1392	January 1430	1460 after fall of Morea[9]	16 August 1462		Thomas Palaiologos
A Roman prostitute ?								Andreas Palaiologos
Disputed and unclaimed The Queens of France (1494 to present) The Queens of Spain (1502 to present) The Grand Princesses, Tsaritsa and Empresses of Russia (1472 to present) The Queens of Greece (1832 to present)
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Consort	Ceased to be Consort	Death	Spouse

See also

• List of Holy Roman Empresses
• List of Russian consorts
• List of Latin empresses
• List of Greek royal consorts

Notes

1. ^ probable
2. ^ there was slight interruption of her husband's reign in 1284
3. ^ Alexios II may have had a second wife, Jidga Khatun, but this is highly disputed
4. ^ marriage recognize by local clergy, although not the Patriarch of Constantinople
5. ^ one-day reign
6. ^ probably never empress
7. ^ Granddaughter of Demetrios Komnenos Doukas, son of Michael II
8. ^ reigned briefly as Basilissa of Epirus or Empress of Epirus
9. ^ ^{a b c d e} It isn't known if she died before this date
10. ^ days after burying her husband and family