Maria Petraliphaina

Maria Doukaina Komnene Petraliphaina was the wife of Theodore Komnenos Doukas. She is the earliest consort of the Despotate of Epiros known by name. The two wives of Michael I Komnenos Doukas, predecessor of her husband, were members of the Melissenos family but their first names are unknown.^[1][2]

Family

George Akropolites notes that Maria had a brother, John Petraliphas, who was a ranking noble in the court of Isaac II Angelos, and was appointed as governor of Thessaly and Macedonia. His daughter Theodora Petraliphaina married Michael II Komnenos Doukas.^[3]

Marriage and children

Maria married Theodore Komnenos Doukas. He was a son of sebastokratōr John Doukas and of Zoe Doukaina.^[4] According to Sturdza, Zoe was a daughter of Constantine Doukas, better known as "Macrodoukas". On 30 May 1185, Constantine was stoned to death by orders of Andronikos I Komnenos. Choniates records that his wife was a Komnene. Her parents were daughter of Isaac Komnenos (d. 1154) and his first wife Theodora.^[5]

Theodore took over as Lord of Argos, Corinth and Nafplion in 1208. He succeeded his paternal half-brother Michael I Komnenos Doukas as ruler of ruler of Epiros in 1215. He expanded his rule to Thessaly and Medieval Thessalonica. He was crowned emperor in 1225. He was captured by Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria in 1230 and effectively deposed from all his lands. Maria is presumed to have been his consort throughout the reign. Her date of death is not recorded.^[6]

They had four known children:^[7]

• John Komnenos Doukas. Ruler of Thessalonica and Thessaly.
• Demetrios Angelos Doukas. Ruler of Thessalonica.
• Anna Doukaina Angelina. Wife of Stefan Radoslav of Serbia.
• Irene Komnene Angelina. Wife of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria.

Notes

References

• Cawley, Charles, Medieval Lands database, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy  Missing or empty |title= (help),