Theodora Kantakouzene, Empress consort of Trebizond

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_Kantakouzene_(wife_of_Alexio...

Theodora Kantakouzene Megale Komnene (died 12 November 1426) was the Empress consort of Alexios IV of Trebizond. Said to be very beautiful, according to the chronicle of Laonikos Chalkokondyles, she was accused by her son, John Megas Komnenos, of having an affair with the protovestiarios of the court of Trebizond; however, other accounts describe her as a faithful and loving wife, who kept the peace between Alexios and his sons. In either case, during her lifetime their son John fled to Georgia and did not return until after Theodora's death.

| Family | Life |

Children

Theodora married Emperor Alexios IV with whom she had five known children:[9]

• John IV of Trebizond (c. 1403–1460).
• Maria of Trebizond (c. 1404–1439); married John VIII Palaiologos.
• Alexander of Trebizond, co-emperor with his father; married Maria Gattilusio, a daughter of Dorino of Lesbos.
• David of Trebizond (c. 1408–1463).
• A daughter, who married Jahan Shah of the Kara Koyunlu

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Disputed origins

Seen as daughter of Theodore Palaiologos Kantakouzenos and Helena Ouresina Palaiologina

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_Kantakouzene_(wife_of_Alexio...

Theodora's parentage is described by the Byzantinist Donald Nicol as "obscure". The Ecthesis Chronica implies she was the daughter of a holder of the military rank of protostrator, and Nicol notes there are chronological grounds against identifying her father with one Manuel Kantakouzenos who was sent on a diplomatic mission to Sultan Mehmet I in the winter of 1420–1421.[1]

However, Thierry Ganchou has provided evidence that indicates Theodora was the oldest daughter of Theodore Palaiologos Kantakouzenos, uncle of emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, and Euphrosyne Palaiologina, [?] and names her brothers in order of birth as Demetrios, protostrator Manuel, George, megas domestikos Andronikos, and Thomas. He argues that this evidence was ignored due to undue reliance on the writings of Theodore Spandounes, who wrote long after more reliable contemporary sources

http://genealogy.euweb.cz/byzant/byzant5.html

E5. Helena Kantakouzene, Empress of Trebizond, +in imprisonment in Adrianople from shock and grief soon after 1.11.1463; m.before 1447 David Komnenos, Emperor of Trebizond (+1.11.1463)

Family

“ A GENEALOGY OF THE GRAND KOMNENOI OF TREBIZOND” by Kelsey Jackson Williams. Foundations (2006) 2 (3): 171-189 PDF page 12.

Alexios IV, Emperor of Trebizond, 1417-1429 married Theodora Kantakouzene (Trapp, 1976, no.12069) shortly after 5 September 1395, when she arrived at Trebizond from Constantinople (Lampsidis,1958, p.81). She died at Trebizond on 12 November 1426 and was buried in the church of the Theotokos Chrysokephalos in the family mausoleum of the emperors (Lampsidis, p.81). Ganchou (2000a), citing Massarelli’s unpublished Dell’Imperadori Constantinoplitani (Vat. Lat. MS. 12127, f. 349v-353), shows that she was a daughterof Theodoros Palaiologos Kantakouzenos (d.1410), the Byzantine ambassador to France and Venice, 1397-1398, and theios of Emperor Manuel II Kantakouzenos 16 (Nicol,1973,pp.312-313) .

Following Sphrantzes (probably the passage that appears at Philippides, 1980, pp.60- 62), Du Cange (1680, p.337) gives Alexios IV an unnamed daughter married to George Brankovič, Despot of Serbia, but Bryer (1966, pp.28-35, corrected by Ganchou, 2000a, p.223) has demonstrated that the relationship between the Brankoviči and the Trapezuntine Komnenoi arises from their marriages into the Kantakouzenoi and that there is no reason to believe that George had any wife or wives other than Eirene Kantakouzene.

Kuršankis (1979, p.246) summarizes by stating that he believes Alexios to have had five children: Ioannes, Alexander, David, Maria and the anonymous wife of Qara Yoluq. He doubts the existence of the other three daughters.

Issue by Theodora Kantakouzene (Nicol, 1968, pp.169-170): ....

-http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TREBIZOND.htm#AlexiosIVTrebizondB

ALEXIOS Megas Komnenos, son of MANUEL III Emperor in Trebizond & his first wife Gulkhan of Georgia (19 Jun 1382-murdered 26 Apr 1429, bur Trebizond, Church of the Golden-Headed Virgin). Ruy González de Clavijo records that "Qelex" son of "the emperor of Trebizond..Germanoli" was "about twenty-five years of age" in 1404[143]. Despotes 1395/1416. He succeeded his father in 1412 as ALEXIOS IV Emperor in Trebizond. He was murdered on the orders of his son Kaloioannes. The date of his death was discussed by Bryer[144].

m (after 14 Sep 1395) THEODORA Kantakouzene, daughter of THEODOROS Kantakouzenos, [protostrator] & his wife Euphrosyne --- (-12 Nov 1426, bur Trebizond, Church of the Golden-Headed Virgin). ... .... ... ... [nine] children:

References

• https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/trebizond