Eudokia of Trebizond

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Eudokia Megale Komnene (died after 4 September 1395), 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.

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. Tadjeddin had sent an envoy to Alexios, who met with the Emperor June 1362 to discuss a marriage, but popular sentiment was against a possible marriage at the time.[2] Such an arrangement was not unprecedented. At least two of Alexios' sisters had been married to neighboring Muslim rulers: Maria had been married to Fahreddin Kutlug beg, Emir of Aq Qoyunlu in 1352, while Theodora became the wife of Hajji 'Umar, Emir of Chalybia in 1358.[3]

Anthony Bryer discussed the diplomatic strategy of marriages like this -- for which the later Empire of Trebizond was famous -- in his 1975 paper. He documents no less than 11 marriages between princesses of the Grand Komnenoi and their Turkmen neighbors, while only five princesses were married to Christian rulers. Tension existed in these relationships not only due to difference over religions, but to marriage customs. "It would be especially interesting to know why popular opinion made Alexios III refuse Tadeddin's first request for a bride in 1362," writes Bryer, then discusses possible political reasons for the extended parlay and Eudokia's possible situation in Tadjeddin's court, before admitting that the situation "was probably left as ambiguous as Panaretos is on the subject, for, so far as Alexios III was concerned, the ends amply justified the means."[4]

Following her marriage, Eudokia was styled Despoina in Sinop.[5] Although George Sphrantzes later notes that she had several children by Tadjeddin,[6] only the name of one son, Altamur, is known.[7] Altamur himself had issue, and left descendants. However Tadjeddin died in battle 24 October 1386 against his uncle Haji Omar, where he was "cut to pieces",[8] 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.[9] 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".[10] After that date there is no further mention of her, but it is presumed she retired to Trebizond.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Panaretos, Chronicle, 49; English translation in Bryer (1975), p.147
  2. ↑ Panaretos, Chronicle, 31; English translation in Bryer (1975), p.145
  3. ↑ William Miller, Trebizond: The last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era: 1204-1461, 1926 (Chicago: Argonaut, 1969), p. 60
  4. ↑ Bryer (1975), pp. 135-138
  5. ↑ Bryer (1975), p. 128
  6. ↑ Sphrantzes, Chronicle, 31.6; translated in Marios Philippides, The Fall of the Byzantine Empire: a Chronicle by George Sphrantzes, 1401-1477 (Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1980), p. 61
  7. ↑ Bryer (1975), Appendix II
  8. ↑ Panaretos, Chronicle, 52; English translation in Bryer (1975), p. 148
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Bryer (1975), p. 148, fn. 141
  10. ↑ Panaretos, Chronicle, 55; English translation in Bryer (1975), p. 148

Sources

External links

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