Princess Rita of Armenia Empress-Consort of Byzantium

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_of_Armenia

Rita of Armenia (10/11 January 1278 – July 1333) was a Byzantine Empress consort. She was a daughter of King Levon II of Armenia and Queen Keran. She was the wife of Byzantine co-emperor Michael IX Palaiologos, making her a junior empress-consort of the Byzantine Empire. In 1317, she became the only empress upon the death of the senior empress, Irene of Montferrat. She was known as Maria in Constantinople.

Marriage and children

A chronicle attributed to Hetoum II of Armenia is included to the collection known as Recueil des Historiens des Croisades. According to a passage recording her birth, Rita was twin sister to Princess Theophane of Armenia.

The history of George Pachymeres records that Andronikos II Palaiologos started negotiations with Levon while seeking a potential wife for his son and junior co-ruler Michael IX Palaiologos. Levon offered Rita. The marriage occurred on 16 January 1294. The bride was sixteen years old and the groom seventeen.

Rita assumed the name Maria while in court. They would have four children:

• Andronikos III Palaiologos (25 March 1297 - 15 June 1341).
• Manuel Palaiologos, despotes (d. 1319).
• Anna Palaiologina (d. 1321), who married Thomas I Komnenos Doukas and then Nicholas Orsini.
• Theodora Palaiologina (d. after 1330), who married Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria and then Michael Asen III of Bulgaria.

Empress

Rita was the junior Empress consort from 1294 to 1317. The senior was Eirene of Montferrat, second wife of Andronikos II and stepmother to Michael IX. Since 1303, Andronikos II and Eirene held separate courts. The senior emperor resided in Constantinople and the senior Augusta in Thessaloniki. Rita became the only Empress when Eirene died in 1317.

She remained so for three years. In 1319, however the death of her second son resulted in tragedy. Prince Andronikos maintained a mistress but suspected her of infidelity. He assigned retainers of his to wait by her house and attack whoever tries to enter. The one who approached was Manuel during night time and the retainers failed to recognize him. The second prince died by order of his older brother.

The affair seriously affected the health of Michael IX who died on 12 October 1320. Both deaths strained the relationship between Anronikos II and Andronikos III. Grandfather and grandson started a civil war that would last until the victory of the younger man in 1328. Meanwhile the widowed Rita retired to a monastery. She would die there five years following the end of the war.

-http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ARMENIA.htm#RitaMMikhaelCoEmpByzant...

12. RITA of Armenia ([11 Jan 1278/10 Jan 1279]-Jul 1333, bur Constantinople, Convent of St Martha). The Chronicle attributed to King Hethum II records that "King Lewon's twins, Rita and Utifano were born" in [11 Jan 1278/10 Jan 1279][741]. The Lignages d'Outremer name (in order) "Ysabeau, Ritta et Thefanon" as the three daughters of King Lewon II & his wife, stating that Rita married "le fis de l'empereur de Costantinople"[742]. Pachymeres records that Emperor Andronikos II sent to Armenia for a bride for his son and that eventually it was agreed he should marry "maiorem natu duarum virginem…Mariæ", their marriage taking place on 16 Jan[743]. The Chronicle attributed to King Hethum II records that "his sister Rita became empress of all Constantinople" in [7 Jan 1294/6 Jan 1295][744]. She was known as MARIA in Byzantium. She became a nun as XENE.

m (16 Jan 1294) co-Emperor MIKHAEL IX, son of Emperor ANDRONIKOS II & his first wife Anna of Hungary (1277-12 Oct 1320).