Eudokia of Trebizond

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudokia_of_Trebizond Eudokia of Trebizond From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search Eudokia Megale Komnene (died after 4 September 1395)[1], was a Trapezuntine noblewoman, and a member of the powerful Byzantine Komnenos dynasty as a daughter of Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond. She was styled Despoina in Sinop after her first marriage to Muslim Turkmen Tadjeddin Pasha of Sinop, Emir of Limnia, which had been arranged by her father to foster peaceful relations between the Pontic Greek Christians and the neighbouring Muslims.

[edit] Family and marriages Eudokia was born on an unknown date, the second daughter of Emperor Alexios III and Theodora Kantakouzene. She had two brothers, and three sisters; the eldest Anna later became Queen consort of Georgia as the second wife of King Bagrat V.

The Chronicle of Michael Panaretos records the marriage on "8 October 1378 at Oinaion of Eudokia and Muslim Turkmen ruler Tadjeddin Pasha of Sinop, Emir of Limnia" after which "the Emperor took over Limnia".[1] Her sisters, Maria and another whose name is not known, also married Muslims. As it was an uncommon practice for Byzantine rulers to marry their legitimate daughters to non-Christians, some have speculated that Eudokia and her younger sister were born out of wedlock to an unnamed mistress, leaving Anna as his only legitimate daughter by Theodora, who married a Christian king. Contemporary sources, however, indicate that Eudokia was born to Theodora.[1] A matrimonial alliance between a daughter of Alexios and a neighbouring Muslim ruler was diplomatically advantageous as it fostered harmonious relations between the Pontic Greeks and the Turkmen; besides, there were at least 11 documented marriages involving Trapezuntine princesses and Muslims, including Alexios's own sisters, Theodora and Maria.[2] Tadjeddin had sought a matrimonial alliance with the infant daughters of Emperor Alexios as early as June 1362, and it finally came to fruition in 1378 with Eudokia after much parleying.[3] Following her marriage, she was styled Despoina in Sinop.[4] Sinop was described as a corsair emirate.

Although it was recorded that she had several children by Tadjeddin,[1] only the name of one son, Altamur, is known.[5] Altamur himself had issue, and left descendants. In 1387, a year after Tadjeddin's death in battle on 24 October 1386 against his uncle Haji Omar, and where he was "cut to pieces",[6] she married secondly Constantine Dragas, a regional semi-independent Serbian lord. Their marriage set a precedent for a Byzantine to marry a former member of a Turkish harem.[7] Although she did not bear her second husband offspring, she had stepchildren from his first marriage, including Helena Dragas.

On 17 May 1395, she lost her second husband at the Battle of Rovine; and on 4 September of that same year, the Chronicle of Michael Panaretos notes that she "came from Constantinople with brides for her brother, Emperor Manuel and nephew, Lord Alexios", entering Trebizond "on Sunday, the following day in a shower of rain".[6] After that date there is no further mention of her in the Chronicles or state documents, but it is presumed she retired to Trebizond.[7]

[edit] References 1.^ a b c d Charles Cawley. "Medieval Lands, Trebizond". http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TREBIZOND.htm#_Toc221581554. Retrieved 7 May 2010. 2.^ Bryer (1975), p. 138 3.^ Bryer (1975), p. 136 4.^ Bryer (1975), p. 128 5.^ Bryer 6.^ a b Bryer (1975), p. 148 7.^ a b Bryer (1975), p. 148, fn. 141 [edit] Sources Bryer, Anthony (1975). "Greeks and Turkmens: The Pontic Exception". Dumbarton Oaks Papers (Dumbarton Oaks) 29: 113–148. http://www.tc.umn.edu/~cmedst/gmap/uploaded/Greeks%20and%20Turkmens....