Maddalena "Theodora" Palaiologina, princess of Epeiros

Italian woman, Princess of Epeiros. Dotter of Ruler of Epeiros. Married 1st July, 1828. (wikipea fi). No children. First wife of Constantine XI.

Theodora Tocco (née Maddalena Tocco) (died November 1429) was the first wife of Constantine Palaiologos while he was Despot of Morea. Her husband would become the last Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

Family

She was a daughter of Leonardo II Tocco, Lord of Zante. Her father was a younger brother of Carlo I Tocco, Count of Cephalonia and Leukas. Carlo would serve Ruler of Epirus from 1411 to 1429.

Leonardo seems to have died early. In 1424, Carlo I adopted Maddalena and her brother Carlo II Tocco.

Marriage

Carlo I was defeated at the Battle of the Echinades by John VIII Palaiologos in 1427. He had to withdraw from the parts of Elis under his control and relinquish his hereditary claims to Corinth and Megara. The agreement was sealed with the marriage of Maddalena to Constantine Palaiologos, younger brother of John VIII.

The marriage occurred in July 1428. She was converted to the Eastern Orthodox Church and took the name "Theodora". During their life together, Constantine held various territories of the Peloponnese under his control though still subordinate to both John VIII and Theodore II Palaiologos, Lord of Morea. Maddalena was thus consort to a minor ruler.

Death

Theodora died in November, 1429 in Santomeri while giving birth to a stillborn daughter. She was buried in Mystras.