Irene of Hungary
Byzantine empress from 1104 to 1134
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Irene of Hungary (Greek: Είρήνη, born Piroska;[1] 1088 – 13 August 1134) was the Byzantine empress by marriage to John II Komnenos. She is venerated as an Eastern Orthodox saint.
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(with Irene Doukaina, 1104–1118)
1088
Kingdom of Hungary
| Irene of Hungary | |
|---|---|
Mosaic portrait of Empress Irene on the Comnenos mosaic in the Hagia Sophia, Constantinople (now Istanbul), (c. 1118) | |
| Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire | |
| Tenure | 1104 – 13 August 1134 (with Irene Doukaina, 1104–1118) |
| Born | Piroska 1088 Kingdom of Hungary |
| Died | 13 August 1134 (aged 45–46) |
| Spouse | John II Komnenos |
| Issue more... | Alexios Komnenos Andronikos Komnenos Isaac Komnenos Manuel I Komnenos |
| House | House of Árpád |
| Father | Ladislaus I of Hungary |
| Mother | Adelaide of Swabia |
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox |
Life
Name
The original Hungarian form of her name cannot be determined with complete certainty. Her original Hungarian name from first mentioned in the Chronicon Pictum, which refers to the daughter of Saint Ladislaus as Pyrisk. If Pyrisk is not a rendering of the name Piros but of Piroska, it is unclear why the final -a is omitted, which would have made the name declinable in the Latin text, and why an i appears in place of the o. If the name is instead derived from the Latin Prisca, the omission of the final -a is even more difficult to explain. There is no trace among the Árpáds of the veneration or even knowledge of Saint Prisca, moreover, both the name Prisca and Piroska are otherwise unknown in the Árpád period.[2]
The Latin name Prisca, literally meaning 'ancient', but implying 'serious' or 'grave' behaviour.[3]
Family
Piroska was born in 1088,[2] the daughter of King Ladislaus I of Hungary and Adelaide of Rheinfelden.[2][1] She was orphaned at an early age, while still a child: her mother died in 1090, and her father died on 29 July 1095. King Ladislaus I was succeeded by his nephew, Coloman.[2]
Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire
In an effort to improve relations with Alexios I Komnenos of the Byzantine Empire, King Coloman of Hungary arranged the marriage of his cousin, Piroska, to John II Komnenos, the eldest son of Alexios I and Irene Doukaina, who had been co-ruler with his father since 1092 and was expected to succeed him. In her historical work, Anna Komnene mentions a treaty between Alexios and Coloman in which the emperor refers to the Hungarian king as sympentheros (co-father-in-law), however, this term simply reflects the dynastic marriage of the Hungarian princess and the fact that the family tie served to strengthen political relations between the two rulers.[2] Greek authors generally mention her foreign origin, which was unusual for the period, as she was the first Western empress to sit on the Byzantine throne in a long time.[2]
The negotiations were successful and Piroska married John in 1104. The marriage was recorded by Joannes Zonaras and John Kinnamos.[4]
As Byzantine empress, following her settlement in Constantinople, Piroska was renamed Irene after she had to convert to the Eastern Orthodox faith, a name also borne by her mother-in-law, Irene Doukaina, as well as several other Byzantine empresses of the time.[2][4]
Irene played little part in government, devoting herself to piety and her many children. She was, with her husband, the patron of the construction of the Monastery of Christ Pantokrator (Zeyrek Mosque) in Constantinople. This monastery contained three churches and a hospital of 5 wards, which was open to people of all social classes.[5]
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Irene died on 13 August 1134 and was later venerated as Saint Irene.[6]
Physical appearance and character
At Hagia Sophia, in a mosaic dated circa 1118, Empress Irene is depicted as a fair-haired, rosy-cheeked empress in rigid ceremonial attire. No similar portrait of any other member of the Árpád dynasty is known.[2]
Issue
She and John had eight children. The primary source about their order of births is the chronicle of Niketas Choniates:
- Alexios Komnenos (February 1106 – 1142), co-emperor from 1122 to 1142. His birth is recorded in the Alexiad by Anna Komnene.
- Maria Komnene (b. February 1106, twin to Alexios), who married John Rogerios Dalassenos.
- Andronikos Komnenos (died 1142).
- Anna Komnene, married Stephen Kontostephanos.
- Isaac Komnenos (died 1154).
- Theodora Komnene (died 12 May 1157), who married Manuel Anemas.
- Eudokia Komnene, who married Theodore Vatatzes.
- Manuel I Komnenos (died 1180), emperor from 1143 to 1180.
Legacy
Sainthood and veneration
Irene was canonised during the reign of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, most likely in 1166, making her the only canonised empress of 12th-century Byzantium. At the time of Irene's canonisation, Prince Béla (the future King Béla III of Hungary) was living at the Byzantine court as heir to the imperial throne and was a relative of Irene. It was later Béla who initiated the canonisation of Irene's father, King Ladislaus I of Hungary, later venerated as Saint Ladislaus.[2]
