Maria Skleraina (died 1045), often referred to as ''the Skleraina'', was the political adviser, official mistress, and wife of the Byzantine Emperor
Constantine IX Monomachos
Constantine IX Monomachos ( grc-x-medieval, Κωνσταντῖνος Μονομάχος, translit=Kōnstantinos IX Monomachos; 1004 – 11 January 1055), reigned as Byzantine emperor from June 1042 to January 1055. Empress Zoë Porphyrogenita ...
, controversially given the title of ''
Sebastē''.
Of the prominent
Skleros family
The Skleros ( el, Σκληρός; plural: Σκληροί, ''Skleroi''), latinized Sclerus, feminine form Skleraina (Σκλήραινα), Latinized Scleraena, was a noble Byzantine family active mostly in the 9th–11th centuries as members of ...
, she was known for her charming appearance and character, and was married to Constantine IX prior to his succession to the throne, but the marriage was not considered legal by the church. Constantine became emperor in 1042 by his marriage to empress
Zoë Porphyrogenita
Zoë Porphyrogenita ( grc-x-medieval, Ζωή Πορφυρογέννητη "life"; 978 – 1050) was a member of the Macedonian dynasty who breifly reigned as Byzantine Empress in 1042, alongside her sister Theodora. Before that she was enthr ...
, who accepted his continued relationship with Maria Skleraina. Skleraina was not acknowledged as Constantine's wife but stayed at court officially as his mistress.
She played an important role at court, acting as the political adviser of Constantine IX and benefitting the career of her brother Romanos Skleros. She was unpopular with the public. In March 1044, a riot broke out in Constantinople because the public feared that Constantine was planning to kill Zoe in order to marry Skleraina.
References
* Nicolas Oikonomidès: Byzantium from the Ninth Century to the Fourth Crusade: Studies, Texts, Monuments, Variorum, 1992
* Lynda Garland:
Byzantine Empresses: Women and Power in Byzantium AD 527-1204', 1999
{{Expand Swedish, Maria Skleraina, date=August 2020
11th-century deaths
1045 deaths
11th-century Byzantine women
11th-century Byzantine people
Royal mistresses