Irene Komnene Laskarina Branaina (; died around 1271) was a Byzantine noblewoman and wife of sebastokrator Constantine Palaiologos, half-brother of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. She seems to have followed suit after her husband's retirement to a convent, and taken the monastic name of Maria. She probably died as a nun.
Marriage and family
Irene was the granddaughter of Byzantine General Theodore Branas and Agnes of France,Guillaume Saint-Guillain, Identities and Allegiances in the Eastern Mediterranean after 1204 (Routledge, 2016), p. 108 though the Branas genealogy is poorly recorded. She possibly was a grandchild through an unregistered son of Theodore and AnnaSettipani, Christian Les liens dynastiques entre Byzance et l'étranger à l'époque des Comnènes et des Paléologues, 2021. For D. M. Nicol, in his book, the Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) ca. 1100–1460, 1968, her father is simply named strategos Branas. He was alive in 1259Erich Trapp, Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit, 1976-1995. Through Theodore, she was also related to the Vatatzes.
Irene was married c. 1259 to Constantine Palaiologos,Pachymeres Vol I, De Michaele Palaeologo, Liber II, 5, p. 97 by whom he seems to have had five children".
Michael Komnenos Branas Palaiologos"Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople" (transl. Alice-Mary Talbot), 137 Andronikos Branas Doukas Angelos Palaiologos"Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople" (transl. Alice-Mary Talbot), 138. Maria Komnene Branaina Laskarina Doukaina Tornikina Palaiologina.'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot), 139 Married Isaac Komnenos Doukas Tornikios."Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople" (transl. Alice-Mary Talbot), 140. Mother of Tornikes, Andronikos Komnenos Doukas Palaiologoshttps://archive.org/details/ErichTrappProsopographischesLexikonDerPALAIOLOGENZEIT [Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit], 1976-1995. Theodora. Married John Komnenos Doukas Angelos Synadenos and had three children. Later became a nun under the name Theodoule. Daughter (name unknown). Married Smilets of Bulgaria.Pachymeres Vol II, Andronicus Palæologus, Liber V, 18, p. 407
Her wedding date correspond to the year where her first cousin, Anselin (or Anseau as he's sometimes called) of Toucy, was captured by Michael VIII, and with whom he allied himself to retake Constantinople, though Anselin tricked him and run away.Guillaume Saint-Guillain, Identities and Allegiances in the Eastern Mediterranean after 1204 (Routledge, 2016), p. 57 Georgios Akropolites (1217–1282). Die Chronik. Übersetzt und erläutert von W. Blum. Stuttgart, 1989. P. 174. 10–15. Michael had probably hoped to integrate the Principalty of Archea into the empire once more, as he arranged Constantine and Irene wedding but also the marriage between Theodora, daughter of Theodore II Laskaris, and Matthew de Walincourt, a Frankish noble from the Peloponnese, who was living at the court. Guillaume Saint-Guillain, Identities and Allegiances in the Eastern Mediterranean after 1204 (Routledge, 2016), p. 62Georges Pachymeres, Relations historiques, ed. Failler, V.24: vol. 2, vol. 1, pp. 177-9
Footnotes
References
Bekker, I. (ed.) (1835) Georgii Pachymeris De Michaele et Andronico Palaeologis, Corpus Scriptorum Historiæ Byzantinæ (Bonn) Vol I, De Michaele Palaeologo, Liber II, 5, p. 97. George Pachymeres, De Michaele Palaeologo & Andronicus Palæologus George Acropolites, Annals
Hooper, N. & Bennett, M., The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare (Cambridge University Press, 1996) , '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) Guillaume Saint-Guillain, Identities and Allegiances in the Eastern Mediterranean after 1204 (Routledge, 2016) ,