Simonida

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Simonida
Σιμωνίς
Симонида
Queen Simonida of Serbia, a fresco from Gračanica monastery
Queen consort of Serbia
Tenure 1299–1321
Spouse King Stefan Milutin
Dynasty Nemanjić (by marriage)
Palaiologos
Father Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos
Mother Irene of Montferrat
Born 1294
Constantinople, Byzantine Empire
Died after 1336
Constantinople

Simonida Nemanjić (Serbian Cyrillic: Симонида Немањић; c. 1294 – after 1336), born Simonis Palaiologina (Greek: Σιμωνίς Παλαιολογίνα, sr. Симонида Палеолог, Simonida Paleolog), was a Byzantine princess and queen consort of the Kingdom of Serbia as the fourth wife of Serbian king Stefan Milutin (r. 1282–1321). She was a daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos (r. 1282–1328) and Irene of Montferrat.

Life

Simonida was born in Constantinople ca. 1294. In 1298, as a result of a Byzantine defeat, Emperor Andronikos II promised a marriage alliance to the Serbian ruler Milutin. Initially, Andronikos II intended to wed his sister Eudokia, the empress-dowager of Trebizond, but after she refused, the five-year-old Simonida was proposed instead.[1][2] Church circles in Constantinople opposed the marriage, but the emperor was determined to push the deal through, and in late 1298 he sent his trusted minister Theodore Metochites to Serbia to conduct the negotiations. On his part, Milutin too was eager to accept, and even divorced his third wife, Ana Terter, the daughter of the Bulgarian tsar.[1]

The marriage was celebrated in Thessalonica in spring 1299, and the couple departed for Serbia in April.[1] According to some Byzantine sources Milutin did not wait until Simonida reached maturity before consummating their relationship, causing damage to her uterus and preventing her from ever carrying children.[3] When this became known, Empress Irene, who was Andronikos II's second wife and had hoped to use the Serbian marriage to advance her own progeny, then offered Milutin to adopt one of her own sons as his heir.[1]

After Milutin's death in 1321, Simonida returned to Constantinople, where she entered the monastery of Saint Andrew in Krisei as a nun. She died some time after 1336.[1]

Legacy

Her beauty was well known, and she was known as a figure of purity and beauty in Serbian tradition. A fresco of her in Gračanica monastery is regarded one of the most valuable frescoes in Serbian art. Unfortunately, the fresco is partly ruined, so that Simonida has no eyes.[2]

Milan Rakić wrote a lyric poem about her named Simonida, and Milutin Bojić wrote a psychological drama called Kraljeva Jesen ("King's autumn") about her.[4] Asteroid 1675 Simonida discovered by Serbian astronomer Milorad B. Protić was named after her.

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991). Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford University Press. p. 1901. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 SVETORODNA LOZA NEMANJIĆA (Serbian)
  3. ↑ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V7N-40NNK9N-9/2/232c36675a0ce627ec507b0a6e77e937
  4. ↑ "Nema podele literature za decu i odrasle". Glas Javnosti. 13 March 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2009. 
  5. ↑ Cawley, Charles (2008-10-28), Byzantium 1261-1453, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, retrieved August 2012 ,

External links

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Royal titles
Preceded by
Ana Terter		 Queen consort of Serbia
1299–1321 		Succeeded by
Theodora Smilets
Main ruling members
Other ruling members
Archbishops
Minor members
Female members
Consorts

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