Maria, wife of Leo III
| Maria | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byzantine empress | |||||
| Born | 7th century | ||||
| Died | 8th century | ||||
| Spouse | Leo III the Isaurian | ||||
| Issue | Anna, Constantine V, Irene, Kosmo | ||||
| |||||
| Dynasty | Isaurian Dynasty | ||||
| Isaurian dynasty | |||
| Chronology | |||
| Leo III | 717–741 | ||
| with Constantine V as co-emperor, 720–751 | |||
| Constantine V | 741–775 | ||
| with Leo IV as co-emperor, 751–775 | |||
| Artabasdos' usurpation | 741–743 | ||
| Leo IV | 775–780 | ||
| with Constantine VI as co-emperor, 776–780 | |||
| Constantine VI | 780–797 | ||
| under Irene as regent, 780–790, and with her as co-regent, 792–797 | |||
| Irene as empress regnant | 797–802 | ||
| Succession | |||
| Preceded by Twenty Years' Anarchy |
Followed by Nikephorian dynasty | ||
Maria was the Empress consort of Leo III the Isaurian of the Byzantine Empire.
Empress
The throne of the Byzantine Empire was unstable in the early 710s. Justinian II had been deposed and executed in 711. His deposition was followed by the brief reigns of Philippikos (711–713), Anastasios II (713–715) and Theodosios III (715–717). All three were elevated to the throne after coup d'états by factions of the Byzantine army.
A revolt by Leo, strategos of the Anatolikon Theme, and Artabasdos, strategos of the Armeniac Theme, succeeded in deposing Theodosios. On 25 March 717, Leo was proclaimed emperor in Hagia Sophia. Maria enters historical record at this point as his Empess consort.
In July 718, Maria gave birth to Constantine during an ongoing Siege of Constantinople by Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik, a general of the Umayyad Caliphate.
The siege was broken by August of the same year and the Umayyad forces retreated. On 25th, Maria was granted the title of Augusta and her son was baptised by Patriarch Germanus I of Constantinople. Constantine was proclaimed co-emperor in August 720.
Leo remained Emperor to his death on 18 June 741. Whether Maria survived him is unknown.
Children
Maria and Leo III had four known children:
- Anna (c. 705 – after 772), who married Artabasdos.
- Constantine V (July, 718 – 14 September 775).
- Irene.
- Kosmo.
The names and place of burial of two other daughters were recorded in De Ceremoniis by Constantine VII. However nothing else is known of them.
External links
- A short article on her by Lynda Garland
- Cawley, Charles, Her profile, along with her father, ., Medieval Lands database, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
| Royal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Theodora of Khazaria |
Byzantine Empress consort 717–741 |
Succeeded by Tzitzak and Anna |