Maria of Alania, empress M / L XI
τῇ δεσποίνῃ κυρᾷ Μαρίᾳ (Skoulatos 121, Mullett 50, cf. Polemis 14) (Maria 61)
(Unspecified)
(null)
Narrative
(45)
Authorship
(null)
Death
(null)
Description
(11)
A woman of unparalleled beauty, very tall, white of skin, oval-faced, with a flower-like complexion and flashing blue eyes under arched eyebrows; she had a figure of perfect symmetry and a charming and attractive manner, rooting men to the spot
Anna Komnene 91.20-37
She was commonly called Maria "of Alania", but she was in fact an Abasgian
τῇ Ἀβασγίσσῃ λέγω, ἣν οἱ πολλοὶ Ἀλάνισσάν φασιν οὐκ ἀκριβοῦντες. Tzetzes, Historiai V 592-593
Her mouth was the vessel of truth (according to a letter by
Theophylaktos 105
)
τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ὑπουργόν σου στόμα. Theophylaktos of Ohrid, Letters 141.53
Former empress
ἡ δὲ πρῴην βασίλισσα. Zonaras 18.21.16
Not to praise her for her family which surpasses every realm in good fortune and antiquity, her character and her beauty, both beyond compare, are commendation enough
ἵνα μὴ παρὰ τὸ γένος ἐπαινοίην τὴν βασιλίδα, εὐδαιμονίᾳ καὶ ἀρχαιότητι πᾶσαν ὑπεραῖρον ἀρχήν, ἀρκεῖ αὐτῇ ἀντὶ πάντων τὸ ἦθος οἷον οὐχ ἐτέρας ἕξεως, καὶ τὸ εἶδος οἷον οὐχ ἐτέρας ὄψεως. Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.4-8
Had already herself become a nun
ἤδη κἀκείνης μοναχῆς γεγονυίας. Zonaras 18.19.15
If silence brings ornament to women, as the tragedian says, this makes her more honoured than all ornament, as she speaks to no one but
Michael 7
and is in herself more lovely than if she had to adorn herself
εἰ δὲ γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει, ..., κόσμου παντὸς αὕτη τιμιωτέρα καθέστηκεν, ὅτι μηδενί τῳ ἄλλῳ ἢ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐγνώρισεν, αὐτομάτως καλλίων τυγχάνουσα ἢ ὁπότε ἀναγκαίως ἔχοι κοσμήσασθαι. Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.8-11
Blessed despoina and kyra
Τῇ δεσποίνῃ κυρᾷ ... Δέσποινά μου ἁγία. Synod of 1094 137
Tender and young (in connection with marriage to the very old
Nikephoros 3
)
... τρυφερᾷ … νεαζούσῃ. Manasses, Chronicle 6571
Full of graces (according to a letter by
Theophylaktos 105
)
τὴν τῶν χαρίτων ἀληθῶς γέμουσαν. Theophylaktos of Ohrid, Letters 141.55-56
Michael 61
has passed over
Michael 7
's love for
Maria 61
; through this love he fathered
Konstantinos 62
by her
... τὸ περὶ τὴν γυναῖκα φίλτρον, οἷον ἐξ ἐκείνης ἀποτέκοι παιδίον. Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.1-3
Dignity/Office
(10)
Augousta
τῇ αὐγούστῃ. Skylitzes Continuatus 178.9
Basilis
τῇ βασιλίδι. Bryennios 137.12
βασίλισσα. Zonaras 18.17.7, 18.18.12, 18.22.22
βασιλίδα. Zonaras 18.19.12
βασιλίδα. Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.5
βασιλίδα. Anna Komnene 18.12-13
Despoina
δεσποίνῃ. Tzetzes, Historiai V 592-593
Majesty
τῆς βασιλείας σου. Synod of 1094 139.21-22
τῇ σῇ βασιλείᾳ. Theophylaktos of Ohrid, Letters 137.7
ἡ ... σὴ βασιλεία. Theophylaktos of Ohrid, Letters 139.40
Education
(null)
Ethnic label
(3)
Georgian (daughter of the ruler of the Iberians)
τοῦ Ἰβήρων κατάρχοντος θυγατέρα Μαρίαν. Bryennios 143.9-10
Georgian (from Alania)
τῇ ἐξ Ἀλανῶν. Skylitzes Continuatus 178.10
ἐξ Ἀλανῶν. Zonaras 18.17.7, 18.19.10, 18.21.16, etc.
Second Name
(null)
Kinship
(24)
cousin of
Eirene 65
ἐξαδέλφην. Bryennios 143.10
cousin (by marriage) of
Isaakios 61
γαμβρόν. Anna Komnene 87.24
daughter of
Bagrat 101
θυγατέρα. Bryennios 143.10
mother of
Konstantinos 62
(υἱῷ). Anna Komnene 87.20
(παιδίον). Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.2-3
(υἱοῦ ... ἐκ τῆς Μαρίας ἐκ τῆς Ἀλανῶν). Zonaras 18.17.7, 18.18.12, 18.21.16, etc.
(υἱῷ). Anna Komnene 58.84
(υἱῷ). Anna Komnene 87.20
mother (adoptive) of
Alexios 1
(υἱοθετεῖ). Anna Komnene 56.54
(θετὸν υἱόν). Anna Komnene 87.24
relative (by blood) of
Anonyma 2120
συγγενὴς καθ᾽ αἷμα. Tzetzes, Historiai V 594
wife of
Michael 7
τῇ γυναικί. Glykas 616.3-4
γυναικός. Kleinchroniken 145.76
σύζυγον. Skylitzes Continuatus 181.27
(γήμας). Bryennios 143.9
γυναῖκα. Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.2-3
(ἀνδρί). Psellos: Chronographia VIIc 9.10
τῆν τῷ πρὸ αὐτοῦ συνοικήσασαν. Zonaras 18.19.10
(ἀνδρός). Anna Komnene 270.81
γαμετῇ. Manasses, Chronicle 6570
wife of
Nikephoros 3
(μνηστευσάμενος). Anna Komnene 18.13-14
wife (second) of
Nikephoros 3
(ἑτέραν ἠγάγετο). Glykas 617.3
(ἱερολογεῖται αὐτῇ). Skylitzes Continuatus 182.6
τοῦ τε βασιλέως καὶ τῆς βασιλίδος νυμφίων ἤδη ἱσταμένων. Bryennios 253.8-19
γάμου. Manasses, Chronicle 6570
Language Skill
(null)
Location
(11)
Alania
was from Alania ἐξ Ἀλανῶν. Zonaras 18.17.7, 18.19.10, 18.21.16
Christoupolis (Kavalla, Macedonia)
had two estates at Christoupolis Χριστουπόλει. Anna Komnene 270.77
Constantinople: Blachernai
accompanied
Michael 7
when he fled to the palace at Blachernai ἐν Βλαχέρναις. Skylitzes Continuatus 178.9
had fled for refuge to the palace at Blachernai τὰ ἐν Βλαχέρναις ... ἀνάκτορα. Zonaras 18.18.12
Constantinople: Great Palace
moved out of Palace τῶν ἀνακτόρων. Zonaras 18.21.16
was summoned by the kaisar (
Ioannes 62
) and introduced to the Great Palace τὰ βασίλεια. Bryennios 253.17
Constantinople: Hebdomon (monastery)
had already received Hebdomon (monastery) τὴν (μονὴν) τοῦ Ἑβδόμου. Zonaras 18.21.17
Constantinople: Mangana
had already received the palace at the monastery of Mangana (palace) τὰ ἐν τῇ μονῇ τῶν Μαγγάνων βασίλεια. Zonaras 18.21.17
lived in the palace at the monastery of Mangana (palace) τὰ ἐν τῇ μονῇ τῶν Μαγγάνων βασίλεια. Zonaras 18.21.16-17
Constantinople: Petrion
left after the accession of Botaneiates (
Nikephoros 3
) and lodged at the monastery called Petrion τὸ ἀγχοῦ τῆς Σιδηρᾶς διακείμενον μοναστήριον, ὃ Πέτριον ὀνομάζεται. Bryennios 253.12-13
Princes' Islands: Prinkipo
resided on the small island of Prinkipo τῆς Πρίγκιπος νησίδιον. Synod of 1094 139.22
Occupation/Vocation
(3)
Nun
μοναχήν. Skylitzes Continuatus 182.12-13
ἤδη κἀκείνης μοναχῆς γεγονυίας. Zonaras 18.19.15
μετημφιάσθη, μέλαν ἐνδῦσα χρῶμα κατὰ τοὺς μοναχούς. Zonaras 18.21.19
Possession
(3)
A precious stone, larger than any other, brighter than all other precious stones
μεγέθει γὰρ ἦν σχεδὸν ὑπὲρ ἅπαντας λίθους, λαμπρότητι δὲ τοὺς διαυγεῖς ἅπαντας ὑπερέλαμπεν. Bryennios 137.10-13
Had already received the palace in the Mangana monastery and the monastery, and also the monastery of the Hebdomon through a gold-sealed writ of (
Nikephoros 3
) Botaneiates
ἤδη γὰρ εἰλήφει ταῦτα καὶ τὴν μονήν, ἀλλὰ μέντοι καὶ τὴν τοῦ ῾Εβδόμου διὰ χρυσοσημάντου τοῦ Βοτανειάτου γραφῆς. Zonaras 18.21.17
Two estates at Christoupolis, Pernikos and Petritzos
τὸν Πέρνικον ἢ τὸν Πετριτζόν. Anna Komnene 270.78
Religion
(null)
Eunuchs
(null)
Alternative Name
(1)
Pankrateia
This is actually her family name, Bagrat, which Bryennios uses as a Christian name: τὴν Παγκράτειαν. Bryennios 143.9