Theodora Palaiologina Synadene () was the daughter of Constantine Palaiologos and Irene Komnene Laskarina Branaina. Through her father, she was a half-niece of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos.
Early life
Both of Theodora's parents died when she was young and unmarried, after which time she was brought up under the guardianship of her paternal half-uncle, the emperor Michael VIII.'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 8
Marriage and children
Sometime after being taken in by her half-uncle, Theodora was married to a Byzantine noble named John Angelos Doukas Synadenos,'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 116 by whom she had three children:
Euphrosyne Synadene.'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 118 A nun. Theodore Synadenos.'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 119 Protostrator. Married Eudokia Muzakiaina John Synadenos. Megas Konostaulos. Married Thomais Komnene Doukaina Laskarina Kantakouzene Palaiologina.'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 135. He possibly outlived his wife and wed a second time. From the Kantakouzene, they have had two daughters: Anna and EireneD. M. Nicol, The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) ca. 1100–1460, Washington, D.C., 1968. Anna seems to have married Michael Laskaris Bryennios Philanthropenos, who died in 1332D. M. Nicol, The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) ca. 1100–1460, Washington, D.C., 1968. Eirene married but the identity of her husband is confusing. He seems to have been named Michael Komnemos TornikesD. M. Nicol, The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) ca. 1100–1460, Washington, D.C., 1968. An unnamed daughter, once reportedly considered as a possible bride for the Bulgarian tsar Theodore Svetoslav.Polemis, Demetrios I. (1968). The Doukai: A Contribution to Byzantine Prosopography. London: The Athlone Press.
Later life
It was not long after the death of her husband that Theodora decided to create the convent of Bebaia Elpis ("Sure Hope"Thomas, J. & Hero, A.C. (eds.), Byzantine Foundation Documents (2000), p. 1512) in Constantinople, bringing her daughter, Euphrosyne, along with her.'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 8-9 Sometime in the 14th century, she wrote the Typicon of Bebaia Elpis. Several members of her family made donations to the convent, including Theodora's sister, SmiltsenaJohn Thomas and Angela Constantinides Hero, Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents, A Complete Translation of the Surviving Founders' Typika and Testaments, 2000 .
The exact year of Theodora's death is unknown, though it was certainly in the 14th century. After her death, either her daughter-in-law or her granddaughter Xene Philantropene (most probably the monastic name of Anna Kantakouzene Philanthropene) and her own daughter, Eudokia (monastic name, Eugenia) Kantakouzene Philantrophene made donations to the convent John Thomas and Angela Constantinides Hero, Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents, A Complete Translation of the Surviving Founders' Typika and Testaments, 2000 D. M. Nicol, The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) ca. 1100–1460 (Washington, D.C., 1968).
Footnotes
References 'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot) from Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents: A Complete Translation of the Surviving Founder's Typika and Testaments, Thomas, J. & Hero, A.C. (eds.) (Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington D.C. 2000) Thomas, J. & Hero, A.C., Byzantine Foundation Documents (Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington D.C. 2000)