Sophia of Montferrat (or Sophia Palaiologina, Greek: Σοφία Παλαιολογίνα; died 21 August 1434) was a Byzantine empress by marriage to John VIII Palaiologos.
Apparently although Sophia was a particularly pious individual, unfortunately for her marriage, she was also considered unattractive by the standards of her time, described by Doukas as "Lent in front and Easter behind".[2][3] John VIII, not content in his marriage, made every effort to avoid her, and as a result, Sophia spent much of her time in Constantinople isolated from her husband.
On 21 July 1425, Manuel II died and John VIII succeeded him. Sophia replaced her mother-in-law as senior empress. However, Sphrantzes records that in August 1426 Sophia "fled the City [Constantinople] and returned to her homeland", and that a little more than a year later John VIII made Maria of Trebizond his wife.[4] Sophia never remarried and died eight years later.
Footnotesedit
^Sphrantzes, ch. 6; translated in Marios Philippides, The Fall of the Byzantine Empire: A Chronicle by George Sphrantzes, 1401–1477 (Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1980), p. 24
sophia, montferrat, sophia, palaiologina, greek, Σοφία, Παλαιολογίνα, died, august, 1434, byzantine, empress, marriage, john, viii, palaiologos, empress, consort, byzantine, empiretenure1421, 1426died1434spousejohn, viii, palaiologoshousepalaeologus, montferra. Sophia of Montferrat or Sophia Palaiologina Greek Sofia Palaiologina died 21 August 1434 was a Byzantine empress by marriage to John VIII Palaiologos Sophia of MontferratEmpress consort of the Byzantine EmpireTenure1421 1426Died1434SpouseJohn VIII PalaiologosHousePalaeologus MontferratFatherTheodore II of MontferratMotherJoanna of BarLife editSophia was a daughter of Theodore II Palaiologos Marquess of Montferrat and his second wife Joanna of Bar Through her father Sophia was a relative of the reigning Byzantine Palaiologi dynasty On 26 January 1404 Sophia was betrothed to Filippo Maria Visconti He was a son of Gian Galeazzo Visconti Duke of Milan and his second wife Caterina Visconti The marriage contract was eventually broken On 19 January 1421 Sophia was married to John VIII Palaiologos He was the eldest surviving son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragas He was at the time co ruler with his father The marriage was recorded by both Doukas and George Sphrantzes in their respective chronicles Sphrantzes records Hagia Sophia as its location 1 Manuel had sent Nicholas Eudaimonoioannes as ambassador to the Council of Constance while seeking Papal permission for the marriage as the issue was the conversion of the Roman Catholic bride to the Eastern Orthodox Church The permission was granted by Pope Martin V Apparently although Sophia was a particularly pious individual unfortunately for her marriage she was also considered unattractive by the standards of her time described by Doukas as Lent in front and Easter behind 2 3 John VIII not content in his marriage made every effort to avoid her and as a result Sophia spent much of her time in Constantinople isolated from her husband On 21 July 1425 Manuel II died and John VIII succeeded him Sophia replaced her mother in law as senior empress However Sphrantzes records that in August 1426 Sophia fled the City Constantinople and returned to her homeland and that a little more than a year later John VIII made Maria of Trebizond his wife 4 Sophia never remarried and died eight years later Footnotes edit Sphrantzes ch 6 translated in Marios Philippides The Fall of the Byzantine Empire A Chronicle by George Sphrantzes 1401 1477 Amherst University of Massachusetts 1980 p 24 Michael Doukas Historia Bizantina chap XX Vasiliev A A History of the Byzantine Empire 324 1453 1958 p 588 Sphrantzes ch 14 translated in Philippides The Fall of the Byzantine Empire p 30Sources editDoukas Historia Bizantina George Sphrantzes Chronicle Nicol D M The Last Centuries of Byzantium 1261 1453 Cambridge University Press 1993 Vasiliev A A History of the Byzantine Empire 324 1453 University of Wisconsin Press 1958 Sophia of MontferratPalaeologus MontferratCadet branch of the Palaiologos dynastyBorn Died 1434Royal titlesPreceded byHelena Dragas Byzantine Empress consort1421 1426 Succeeded byMaria of Trebizond Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sophia of Montferrat amp oldid 1197478890, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
