Irene of Brunswick Biography

Byzantine Empress consort

Irene of Brunswick, born Adelheid, (Greek: Ειρήνη; c. 1293 – 16/17 August 1324) was the first wife of Andronikos III Palaiologos, and by marriage Byzantine empress, although she died before her husband became senior emperor.

Biography

She was a daughter of Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Agnes of Meissen.

The Mediterranean region in Irene's time

In March, 1318, she married Andronikos Palaiologos. He was the eldest son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia. Her father-in-law was at the time junior co-emperor with his own father, Andronikos II Palaiologos. She joined the Eastern Orthodox Church with her marriage and took the name Irene. They had a son (June 1320 – February 1322).

She died in Rhaedestos during the civil war between Andronikos II and Andronikos III from 1321 to 1328. Her husband claimed the throne for its duration, making her the empress to a rival emperor. Her husband proceeded to marry Anna of Savoy.

References

Eastern/
Byzantine Empire
610–1453

Fabia Eudokia
Martina
Gregoria
Fausta
Anastasia
Eudokia
Theodora of Khazaria
Maria
Tzitzak
Maria
Eudokia
Anna
Irene of Athens
Maria of Amnia
Theodote
Theophano of Athens
Prokopia
Theodosia
Thekla
Euphrosyne
Theodora
Eudokia Dekapolitissa
Eudokia Ingerina
Theophano Martinakia
Zoe Zaoutzaina
Eudokia Baïana
Zoe Karbonopsina
Helena Lekapene
Theodora
Theophano
Theodora
Helena
Zoë
Theodora
Catherine of Bulgaria
Eudokia Makrembolitissa
Maria of Alania
Irene Doukaina
Irene of Hungary (w. Dobrodeia of Kiev)
Bertha of Sulzbach
Maria of Antioch
Agnes of France
Margaret of Hungary
Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera
Eudokia Angelina
Anna Komnene Angelina
Philippa of Armenia
Maria of Courtenay
Irene Laskarina
Anna of Hohenstaufen
Elena Asenina of Bulgaria
Theodora Palaiologina (w. Anna of Hungary)
Irene of Montferrat
Rita of Armenia
Irene of Brunswick
Anna of Savoy
Helena Kantakouzene
Irene Asanina (w. Irene Palaiologina)
Keratsa of Bulgaria
Irene Gattilusio
Helena Dragaš (w. Anna of Moscow)
Sophia of Montferrat
Maria of Trebizond