Helena Kantakouzene

Helena Kantakouzene (1333 - 10 December, 1396) was the Empress consort of John V Palaiologos.

Family

She was a daughter of John VI Kantakouzenos and Irene Asanina.

She was a sister of Matthew Kantakouzenos and Manuel Kantakouzenos. Her sisters Maria and Theodora were the respective wives of Nikephoros II Orsini and Orhan I.

Empress

John V and John VI were rival emperors in a civil war fought from 1341 to 1347. The two sides at last reached an agreement. According to its terms John VI would be recognised as senior co-emperor with John V as his junior. The marriage was sealed with the marriage of Helena to John V.

The marriage occurred on 28 May, 1347 – 29 May, 1347. Helena was about thirteen years old while her groom was a month short of his fifteenth birthday. Peace only lasted until 1352 when her husband resumed hostilities against her father. John VI was forced to resign the throne on 4 December, 1354. Her brother Matthew would retain his title as co-emperor until his own defeat in 1357.

Helena and John V had at least nine children:

*Andronikos IV Palaiologos (2 April, 1348 - 28 June, 1385).
*Irene Palaiologina (c. 1349 - after 1362). Married her first cousin Khalil of Bithynia. Her husband was a son of Orhan and Theodora Kantakouzene.
*Manuel II Palaiologos (27 June, 1350 - 21 July, 1425).
*Theodore I Palaiologos, Lord of Morea (c. 1355 - 24 June, 1407).
*Michael Palaiologos (d. 1376/1377). Claimed the throne of the Empire of Trebizond from Alexios III. Assassinated while his campaign was ongoing.
*Maria Palaiologina (d. 1376). Betrothed to Murad I. She died before the marriage could take place.
*A daughter betrothed to Peter II of Cyprus.
*One of two unnamed daughters reported to have entered a monastery in 1373.
*The second of two unnamed daughters reported to have entered a monastery in 1373.

Later years

On 12 August, 1376, John V was deposed in a coup d'état by their son Andronikos IV. Helena was held in captivity along with most of the imperial family. Andronikos IV was mainly supported by the Republic of Genoa. His main oppossition came from the Republic of Venice, traditional enemy of Genoa, and Murad I. Andronikos IV had co-operated with Savci Bey, a son of Murad, in a combined attempt to depose their respective fathers in 1373. Murad remained hostile to him and a supported of John V.

Murad was responsible for the restoration of John V on 1 July, 1379. Andronikos retreated to Galata which was under Genoese control. Helena was taken with him as a hostage and remained in captivity until 1381.

The conflict of John V and Andronikos IV continued to the death of the latter in 1385. Andronikos IV was replaced by his son John VII Palaiologos who managed to briefly depose his grandfather in 1390. The role of Helena in the conflict was possibly minimal as few sources even mention her.

John V was restored to the throne but died on 16 February, 1391. Helena survived him and retired to the convent of Hagia Martha under the monastic name Hypomone ("Patience"). She died there as a nun.

s-ttl|title=Byzantine Empress consort|years=1347–1376
regent1=Irene Asanina|years1=1347–1354
regent2=Irene Palaiologina|years2=1353–1357

External links

* [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTIUM%2012611453.htm#IoannesVdied1391B Her listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley, along with her husband and children.] The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."