Maria, Empress-Consort of the Byzantine Empire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria,_wife_of_Leo_III

Maria (Greek: Μαρία; died after 718) was the Empress consort of Leo III the Isaurian[1][2] of the Byzantine Empire.

The throne of the Byzantine Empire was unstable in the early 710s. Justinian II had been deposed and executed in 711. His deposition was followed by the brief reigns of Philippikos (711–713), Anastasios II (713–715) and Theodosios III (715–717). All three were elevated to the throne after coup d'états by factions of the Byzantine army.

A revolt by Leo, strategos of the Anatolikon Theme, and Artabasdos, strategos of the Armeniac Theme, succeeded in deposing Theodosios. On 25 March 717, Leo was proclaimed emperor in Hagia Sophia. Maria enters historical record at this point as his Empess consort.

In July 718, Maria gave birth to Constantine during an ongoing Siege of Constantinople by Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik, a general of the Umayyad Caliphate. The siege was broken by August of the same year and the Umayyad forces retreated. On 25th, Maria was granted the title of Augusta and her son was baptised by Patriarch Germanus I of Constantinople. Constantine was proclaimed co-emperor in August 720.

Leo remained Emperor to his death on 18 June 741. Whether Maria survived him is unknown.

Maria and Leo III had four known children:

   Anna, wife of Artabasdos (c. 705 – after 772).

   Constantine V[3][4] (July, 718 – 14 September 775).

   Irene.

   Kosmo.

The names and place of burial of two other daughters were recorded in De Ceremoniis by Constantine VII. However nothing else is known of them.

References

Judith Herrin (2013). Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium. Princeton University Press. Philip Grierson (1973). Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection. Dumbarton Oaks. Timothy Dawson, Graham Sumner (2015). By the Emperor's Hand: Military Dress and Court Regalia in the later Romano-Byzantine Empire. Frontline Books. "Theofanês records that Maria, wife of Leo III, attended the baptism of their son, Constantine." Gregory E. Roth. AuthorHouse, 2012. Paradox Beyond Nature: An Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Dialogue on the Marian Homilies of Germanos I, Patriarch of Constantinople (715—730).

Мария, дъщеря на цар Аспарух, е византийска императрица, съпруга на император Лъв III Исавър.

Мария е омъжена за Лъв III вероятно още докато той заема длъжността стратег на Анатоликон. На 25 ноември 717 г. след държавен преврат Лъв III е коронован за император в катедралата "Св. София" в Константинопол. По това време Мария вече се споменава в историческите извори като негова императрица. През юли 718 г. в разгара на обсадата на Константинопол от арабите Мария ражда син, кръстен Константин V. През август същата година арабите са разгромени от българския хан Тервел, което слага край на обсадата. На 25 август 718 г. Мария официално получава титлата Августа. На същия ден вселенският патриарх Герман I кръщава сина на императорската двойка. През 720 г. Константин V е обявен за съимператор. Мария ражда да Лъв III четири деца: Анна, Константин V, Ирина и Козма. Лъв III остава на престола до смъртта си на 18 юни 741 г. Не е известно обаче дали Мария надживява съпруга си.