# List of empresses of the Byzantine successor states

This is a list of the consorts of the four main Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire following the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and up to their conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the middle of the 15th century. These states were Nicaea, Trebizond, Epirus, and the Morea. The last two never actually claimed the imperial title, except briefly under Theodore Komnenos Doukas in the late 1220s, who began as ruler of Epirus but crowned himself emperor in Thessalonica.

## Empress of Nicaea

Laskarid dynasty (1204–1261) :
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
| | Anna Angelina | Alexios III (Angeloi) | c. 1176 | 1199 or early 1200 | 1204 death of brother-in-law 1205 husband proclaimed as emperor | 1212 | 1212 | Theodore I |
| | Philippa of Armenia | Ruben III of Armenia (Rubenid) | 1183 | 24 November 1214 | 24 November 1214 | 1216 | before 1219 | Theodore I |
| | Marie de Courtenay | Peter, Latin Emperor (Courtenay) | c. 1204 | 1219 | 1219 | November 1221 | September 1228 | Theodore I |
| | Irene Laskarina (Ειρήνη Λασκαρίνα) | Theodore I (Laskaris) | ? | 1212 | December 1221 | 1239 | 1239 | John III |
| | Anna of Hohenstaufen | Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (Hohenstaufen) | 1230 | 1244 | 1244 | 3 November 1254 | April 1307 | John III |
| | Elena Asenina of Bulgaria | Ivan II of Bulgaria (Asen) | ? | 1235 | 4 November 1254 husband proclaimed as emperor 1255 husband crowned as emperor 1 January 1259 as co-empress | 18 August 1258 | ? | Theodore II |
| Palaiologan dynasty (1259–1261) |||||||||
| | Theodora Palaiologina | John Doukas Vatatzes (Vatatzes) | c. 1240 | 1253 | 1 January 1259 as co-empress 18 August 1258 as sole-empress consort | 25 July 1261 | 4 March 1303 | Michael VIII |
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |

## Empress of Trebizond

The consorts of rulers of Trebizond, like their counterparts in the other two Byzantine successor states, the Empire of Nicaea and the Despotate of Epirus, initially claimed the traditional Byzantine title of Empress consort the Romans. However, after reaching an agreement with the restored Byzantine Empire in 1282, the official title of the consorts of Trebizond was changed to Empress consort of the entire East, of the Iberians and the Perateia and remained such until the Empire's end in 1461. The state is sometimes called the Komnenian or Megalokomnenian empire from its ruling dynasty. Trebizond had three reigning empresses, Theodora of Trebizond (1284–1285), Irene Palaiologina (1340–1341), and Anna of Trebizond (1341–1342).
Megalokomnenid dynasty (1204–1461) :
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |
| | Theodora Axuchina | John Komnenos Axouchos (Axouchoi) | ? | ? | around April 1204 | 1 February 1222 | ? | Alexios I |
| | Komnene | Alexios I (Komnenoi) | ? | c. 1222? | 1 February 1222 | 1235 | ? | Andronikos I |
| | Mother of Ioannikes | ? | ? | ? | 1235 | 1238 | ? | John I |
| | Anna Xylaloe | ? | ? | 1235 | 1238 | 1240s | 1240s | Manuel I |
| | Rusudan of Georgia | David VI of Georgia or David VII of Georgia (Bagratids) | ? | 1240s | 1240s | 1250s or early 1260s | 1250s or early 1260s | | Manuel I |
| | Irene Syrikaina | ? | ? | 1250s or early 1260s | 1250s or early 1260s | March 1263 | ? | Manuel I |
| | Eudokia Palaiologina (Ευδοκία Παλαιολογίνα) | Michael VIII Palaiologos (Palaiologoi) | c. 1265 | 1282 | 1282 | 16 August 1297 | 1302 | John II |
| | Jiajak Jaqeli | Beka I Jaqeli (Jaqeli) | ? | c. 1300 | c. 1300 | 3 May 1330 | ? | Alexios II |
| | Irene Palaiologina (Ειρήνη Παλαιολογίνα) | Andronikos III Palaiologos (Palaiologoi) | c. 1315 | 1335 | 1335 | 1339 | after 1341 | Basilios |
| | Irene (Ειρήνη η μεγάλη Κομνηνή) | ? | ? | 1339 | 1339 | 6 April 1340 | after 1382 | Basilios |
| | Acropolitissa | Constantine Acropolites (Acropolites) | ? | 1297–1341 | 30 July 1341 1st reign 3 May 1344 2nd reign | 13 December 1349 | ? | Michael |
| | Theodora Kantakouzene | Nikephoros Kantakouzenos | c. 1340 | 28 September 1351 | 28 September 1351 | 20 March 1390 | ? | Alexios III |
| | Eudokia of Georgia | David IX of Georgia (Bagratids) | ? | 6 September 1377 | 20 March 1390 | 2 May 1395 | 2 May 1395 | Manuel III |
| | Anna Philanthropene | Manuel Angelos Philanthropenos | ? | c. 1395 | c. 1395 | 5 March 1417 | ? | Manuel III |
| | Theodora Kantakouzene | Theodore Palaiologos Kantakouzenos (Kantakouzenoi) | c. 1382 | 1395 | 1395 as co-empress consort 5 March 1417 as sole-empress consort | 12 November 1426 | 12 November 1426 | Alexios IV |
| | Maria Gattilusio as Co-Empress of Trebizond | Dorino of Lesbos (Gattilusio) | ? | ? | ? | October 1429 | ? | Alexander, Co-Emperor |
| | Unnamed Georgian princess | Alexander I of Georgia (Bagratids) | c. 1415 | c. 1426 | before 28 October 1429 | 1438 | 1438 | John IV |
| | Unnamed Turkish lady | Dawlat Berdi | ? | ? | ? | before April 22, 1459 | ? | John IV |
| | Maria of Gothia | Alexios of Theodoro (Gabras) | ? | ? | ? | ? | ?/before 1447 | David |
| | Helena Kantakouzene | ? (Kantakouzenoi) | ? | ? | before 22 April 1459 | 15 August 1461 | 1463 | David |
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Empress | Ceased to be Empress | Death | Spouse |

## Consorts in Epirus

Angelos-Komnenos-Doukas dynasty (1205–1318) :
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Ceased to be consort | Death | Spouse |
| | Unknown | (Melissenos) | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Michael I |
| | Unknown | an Epirote magnate (Melissenos) | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Michael I |
| | Maria Petraliphaina | ? (Petraliphas) | ? | c. 1216 | c. 1216 1224 as Empress in Thessalonica | 1230 | ? | Theodore |
| | Theodora Petraliphaina | John Petraliphas (Petraliphas) | 1225 | about 1231 | about 1231 | 1268 | ? | Michael II |
| | Maria Doukaina Laskarina | Theodore II Laskaris (Laskaris) | ? | 1256 as Despoina within the Nicaean empire, never in Epirus | 1256 as Despoina within the Nicaean empire, never in Epirus | 1258 | 1258 | Nikephoros I |
| | Anna Palaiologina Kantakouzene | ? (Palaiologos or Kantakouzenos) | ? | 1264 | 1268 | 1297? | ? | Nikephoros I |
| | Anna Palaiologina | Michael IX Palaiologos (Palaiologos) | ? | ca. 1307 | ca. 1307 | 1318 | 1320 | Thomas I |
| Orsini dynasty (1318–1359) |||||||||
| | Anna Palaiologina | Michael IX Palaiologos (Palaiologos) | ? | 1318 2nd time | 1318 2nd time | 1320 | 1320 | Nicholas |
| | Anna Palaiologina | Andronikos Palaiologos Angelos (Palaiologos or Komnenos Doukas) | ? | after 1324 | after 1324 | 1335 | ? | John |
| | Maria Kantakouzene | John VI Kantakouzenos (Kantakouzenos) | - | after 1339 | 1347 as Despoina within the Byzantine empire 1355 as Despoina in Epirus | 1356/1359 | after 1359 | Nikephoros II |
| Nemanjić and Buondelmonti dynasties (1359–1411) |||||||||
| | Thomais Orsini | John II Orsini (Orsini) | ? | after 1348 | 1359 | 1366 | ? | Simeon |
| | Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina (Μαρία Αγγελίνα Δούκαινα Παλαιολογίνα) | Simeon Uroš (Nemanjić) | ? | 1359–1360 | 1366 | 23 December 1384 | 28 December 1394 | Thomas II |
| | Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina (Μαρία Αγγελίνα Δούκαινα Παλαιολογίνα) | Simeon Uroš (Nemanjić) | ? | February 1385 | February 1385 | 28 December 1394 | 28 December 1394 | Esau |
| | Irene Bova Shpata | John Bova Shpata (Shpata) | ? | January 1396 | January 1396 | ? | ? | Esau |
| | Eudokia Balšić | Đurađ I Balšić (Balšić) | ? | ? | ? | 6 February 1411 | after 1411 | Esau |
| Tocco dynasty (1411–1479) |||||||||
| | Francesca Acciaioli | Nerio I Acciaioli (Acciaioli) | ? | ? | 1411? | 1429? | ? | Carlo I Tocco |
| | Ramondina of Ventimiglia | Giovanni I of Ventimiglia (Ventimiglia) | ? | ? | 1429? | 1448? | ? | Carlo II Tocco |
| | Milica of Serbia | Lazar Branković (Branković) | ? | 1 May 1463 | 1 May 1463 | 1464 | 1464 | Leonardo III Tocco |
| | Francesca Marzano | Mariano Marzano, Prince of Rossano (Marzano) | ? | 1477 | 1477 | 1479? | ? | Leonardo III Tocco |
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became consort | Ceased to be consort | Death | Spouse |

## Consorts in the Morea

Kantakouzenoi dynasty (1347–1383) :
| | Maria de Lusignan | Constantine II, King of Armenia (Lusignan) | c. or after 1333 | c. 1347 | 25 October 1349 | 10 April 1380 | 1382–1387 | Manuel Kantakouzenos |
| Palaiologan dynasty (1383–1460) |||||||||
| | Bartolomea Acciaioli | Nerio I Acciaioli (Acciaioli) | ? | ? | 1383? | 1407? | ? | Theodore I Palaiologos |
| | Cleofa Malatesta | Malatesta I, Count of Pesaro (Malatesta) | ? | 21 January 1421 or sometime in 1422 | 21 January 1421 or sometime in 1422 | 1433 | 1433 | Theodore II Palaiologos |
| | Theodora Tocco | Leonardo II Tocco (Tocco) | ? | 1 July 1428 | c. 1428 as Despoina in Morea | November 1429 | November 1429 | Constantine XI Palaiologos |
| | Caterina Gattilusio | Dorino of Lesbos (Gattilusio) | ? | 27 July 1441 as Despoina in Morea | 27 July 1441 as Despoina in Morea | July/August 1442 | July/August 1442 | | Constantine XI Palaiologos |
| | Theodora Asanina | Paul Asanes (Asanes) | ? | before 1443 | before 1443 as a Despoina in Morea 29 May 1453 as Byzantine co-empress consort | 1460 | ? | Demetrios Palaiologos |
| | Catherine Zaccaria | Centurione II Zaccaria (Zaccaria) | around 1392 | January 1430 | before 1432 as a Despoina in Morea 29 May 1453 as Byzantine co-empress consort | 1460 | 16 August 1462 | Thomas Palaiologos |
| Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |