Powerful Facts About Empress Irene, The Byzantine Rebel
Beauty, brains, and an iron will: Irene of Athens used all of these to stay in power in the cut-throat world of the Byzantine Empire. Officially, Irene may have been a regent for her son the Emperor, but unofficially?
Everyone knew that she called the shots. Brace yourself: We're unveiling the story of Irene’s spectacular rise to power and her chilling fall from grace.
Empress Irene Of Athens Facts
1. She Was A Blue Blood
Irene’s path to the throne of the Byzantine Empire was a twisted one—but she did have a leg up the beginning. Born in Athens around 750, she was a member of extremely influential and noble Sarantapechos clan. Only, there was a twist. Irene experienced immense tragedy from a young age, with both of her parents dying when she was a girl.
There was, however, one consolation.
2. She Was Famously Beautiful
Although Irene’s lack of parental guidance may have given her some horrible maternal instincts (you'll see), Irene’s well-to-do relatives nonetheless raised her properly inside the upper echelons of Greek life. But that wasn’t all: Besides her accomplished education, Irene was also exceptionally beautiful…and she was about to put her good looks to great use.
3. She Was In The First Byzantine “Bride Show”
When she was still a teenager, the current Emperor Constantine V invited Irene to travel to Constantinople, the center of the Byzantine Empire. Some historians believe that while there, the Emperor put on the first Byzantine “bride show”
for his son and heir, Leo. It’s as gross as it sounds: Young women paraded in front of the young man, and he picked the one he found the most beautiful.
Well, guess what happened.
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