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Helena Dragaš ( sr, Јелена Драгаш, ''Jelena Dragaš'', el, , ''Helénē Dragásē''; c. 1372 – 23 March 1450) was the empress consort of
Byzantine emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as ...
Manuel II Palaiologos and mother of the last two emperors, John VIII Palaiologos and
Constantine XI Palaiologos Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos or Dragaš Palaeologus ( el, Κωνσταντῖνος Δραγάσης Παλαιολόγος, ''Kōnstantînos Dragásēs Palaiológos''; 8 February 1405 – 29 May 1453) was the last Roman (Byzantine) e ...
. She served as
regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
after the death of her son John VIII in 1448 until 1449. Later in life she became a nun. She is venerated as a saint by the
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via ...
under her monastic name, as Saint Hypomone (), translated in English as ''Saint Patience''.


Life

Helena was the daughter of Serbian magnate Konstantin Dejanović, a provincial lord during the
fall of the Serbian Empire The fall of the Serbian Empire was a decades-long process in the late 14th century. Following the death of childless Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1371, the Empire was left without an heir and the magnates, ''velikaši'', obtained the rule of its pro ...
that held
Kyustendil Kyustendil ( bg, Кюстендил ) is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of the Kyustendil Province, a former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see. The town is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, ...
. Her mother was Konstantin's unnamed first wife and Konstantin was the grandson of
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hu ...
n king Stefan III Dečanski. Her stepmother, Eudokia of Trebizond, was a daughter of
Alexios III of Trebizond Alexios III Megas Komnenos ( el, Αλέξιος Μέγας Κομνηνός, 5 October 1338 – 20 March 1390), or Alexius III, was Emperor of Trebizond from December 1349 until his death. He is perhaps the best-documented ruler of that country, ...
and
Theodora Kantakouzene Theodora Komnene Kantakouzene (c. 1340 – after 1390) was the Empress consort of Alexios III of Trebizond. Family Theodora is considered a daughter of Nikephoros Kantakouzenos, '' sebastokratōr''. According to the history of their kinsman Joh ...
, and the widow of Tadjeddin Pasha of
Sinop Sinop can refer to: * Sinop, Turkey, a city on the Black Sea ** Sinop Nuclear Power Plant, was planned in 2013, but cancelled in 2018 ** Battle of Sinop, 1853 naval battle in the Sinop port *** Russian ship ''Sinop'', Russian ships named after the ...
,
Emir Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...
of Limnia. Her father fell at the battle of Rovine (1395), while fighting for his overlord, Ottoman sultan
Bayezid I Bayezid I ( ota, بايزيد اول, tr, I. Bayezid), also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt ( ota, link=no, یلدیرم بايزيد, tr, Yıldırım Bayezid, link=no; – 8 March 1403) was the Ottoman Sultan from 1389 to 1402. He adopted ...
against Mircea I of Wallachia.


Empress

Helena married Manuel II Palaiologos in 1392. She became an empress in 1399. She was well known for her beauty, piety, wisdom, and justice. In 1425, her husband abdicated and became a monk with the name Matthew (). After his death, on 21 July 1425, she became a nun at the Monastery of Kyra Martha, taking her monastic name. She helped to establish a home for old people, with the name "The Hope of the Despaired". The home was located at the Monastery of St. John in Petrion, where the relics of St. Patapius of Thebes are also kept. When her eldest son, John VIII, died in 1448, the succession was disputed between Constantine, her eldest remaining son and John's chosen heir, and his ambitious but inept younger brother, Demetrios. As empress dowager, Helena backed Constantine. She served as regent after the death of her son John VIII in 1448, until the arrival of his successor Constantine XI from Mistra in 1449 She eventually persuaded Sultan
Murad II Murad II ( ota, مراد ثانى, Murād-ı sānī, tr, II. Murad, 16 June 1404 – 3 February 1451) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1444 and again from 1446 to 1451. Murad II's reign was a period of important economic deve ...
to intervene in Constantine's favour, leading to his assumption of the throne in January 1449. When Constantine became emperor, he referred to himself as Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos, after Helena. Helena died on 23 March 1450 in Constantinople. She is venerated by the Orthodox Church as a saint, and her memory is commemorated on 29 May, the day of the
Fall of Constantinople The Fall of Constantinople, also known as the Conquest of Constantinople, was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire. The city fell on 29 May 1453 as part of the culmination of a 53-day siege which had begun o ...
to the Ottomans and of the death of her son Constantine XI. Her skull, as a holy relic, is treasured in the Monastery of
Saint Patapios Patapios of Thebes (fl. 4th century AD) is the patron saint of dropsy. Saint Patapios’ memory is celebrated on 8 December (main celebration) and also at the Tuesday 2 days after the Sunday of Easter (in memory of the day that his relic was disco ...
in
Loutraki Loutraki ( el, Λουτράκι) is a seaside resort on the Gulf of Corinth, in Corinthia, Greece. It is located west of Athens and northeast of Corinth. Loutraki is the seat of the municipality Loutraki-Perachora-Agioi Theodoroi. The tow ...
, Greece.


Marriage and issue

On 10 February 1392, Helena married Manuel II Palaiologos. They had several children. The list follows the order of births given by
George Sphrantzes George Sphrantzes, also Phrantzes or Phrantza ( el, Γεώργιος Σφραντζής or Φραντζής; 1401 – c. 1478), was a late Roman (Byzantine) historian and Imperial courtier. He was an attendant to Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, ''p ...
: * A daughter. Mentioned as the eldest daughter but not named. Possibly confused with Isabella Palaiologina, an illegitimate daughter of Manuel II known to have married Ilario
Doria Doria or Dória may refer to: People Surname * Doria (family), a prominent Genoese family ** Andrea Doria (1466–1560), Genoese admiral ** Ansaldo Doria, 12th century Genoese statesman and commander ** Brancaleone Doria (died c. 1409?), husband ...
. * Constantine Palaiologos. Died young. * John VIII Palaiologos (18 December 1392 – 31 October 1448). Byzantine emperor, 1425–1448. *
Theodore II Palaiologos Theodore II Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Θεόδωρος Β΄ Παλαιολόγος, ''Theodōros II Palaiologos'') (c. 1396 – 21 June 1448) was Despot in the Morea from 1407 to 1443 and in Selymbria from then until his death. Life T ...
(d. 1448). * A second daughter. Also not named in the text. * Andronikos Palaiologos (d. 1429). * Michael Palaiologos. Died young. *
Constantine XI Palaiologos Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos or Dragaš Palaeologus ( el, Κωνσταντῖνος Δραγάσης Παλαιολόγος, ''Kōnstantînos Dragásēs Palaiológos''; 8 February 1405 – 29 May 1453) was the last Roman (Byzantine) e ...
(8 February 1405 – 29 May 1453). ''Despotēs'' in the Morea and subsequently the last Byzantine emperor, 1448–1453. *
Demetrios Palaiologos Demetrios Palaiologos or Demetrius Palaeologus ( el, Δημήτριος Παλαιολόγος, Dēmētrios Palaiologos; 1407–1470) was Despot of the Morea together with his brother Thomas from 1449 until the fall of the despotate in 1460. Deme ...
(c. 1407–1470). ''Despotēs'' in the Morea. *
Thomas Palaiologos Thomas Palaiologos or Palaeologus ( el, Θωμᾶς Παλαιολόγος; 1409 – 12 May 1465) was Despot of the Morea from 1428 until the fall of the despotate in 1460, although he continued to claim the title until his death five years late ...
(c. 1409 – 12 May 1465). ''Despotēs'' in the Morea.


References


Sources

* * * * *


Further reading

* "Life, akolouthia, paraklitikos kanonas and egomia of the holy mother ‘’Saint Hypomone" r. Charalambos Busias, edition of Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios, Loutraki 1999* "Saint Hipomoni: History and asmatiki akolouthia" rchpriest Makrystathis Sotirios, Athens, 1993* "Kanon parakletikos & Hairetistirioi oikoi to the Blessed Mother's Saint Hypomone" r. Charalambos Busias, edition of the Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios Loutraki 2007*"The Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios in Loutraki" dition of the Metropolis of Corinth, Sikyon, Zemenou, Tarsus and Polyfengous, 2012 *«The Greek Monasteries» v. Lekkou, Ihnilatis, Athens, 1995 * "Agiologio of Orthodoxy," hristos Tsolakidis, Athens, 2001 edition* «O Megas Synaxaristis of the Orthodox Church" Saint Patapios, p. (254) - (261) Victoras Mattheos, 3rd edition, Metamorfosi Sotiros Monastery, Athens, 1968* "Saint Patapios" tylianos Papadopoulos, professor of the University of Athens, Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios, Loutraki, Greece, edition 2006 * "St. Patapios and his miracles," r. Charalambos Busias, edition of Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios Loutraki 2004* "Deltos of Miracles of our miraculous father St. Patapios" r. Charalambos Busias, edition of Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios 4th Edition, Loutraki 2011


External links


Information about St Hypomone from the Church of Sparta


, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Dragas, Helena 1372 births 1450 deaths Palaiologos dynasty 14th-century Byzantine empresses 15th-century Byzantine empresses 15th-century viceregal rulers 15th-century Byzantine nuns 14th-century Serbian royalty 15th-century Serbian royalty Byzantine saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church Medieval Serbian princesses 14th-century Serbian women 15th-century women rulers Mothers of Byzantine emperors