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Irene of Athens (Greek: Εἰρήνη, Eirḗnē; 750/756 – 9 August 803), surname Sarantapechaena (Greek: Σαρανταπήχαινα, Sarantapḗchaina), was Byzantine empress consort to Emperor Leo IV from 775 to 780, regent during the childhood of their son Constantine VI from 780 until 790, co-ruler from 792 until 797, and finally ...
Irene (born c. 752, Athens—died Aug. 9, 803, Lesbos) was a Byzantine ruler and saint of the Greek Orthodox Church who was instrumental in restoring the use of icons in the Eastern Roman Empire. The wife of the Byzantine emperor Leo IV, Irene became, on her husband’s death in September 780, guardian of their 10-year-old son, Constantine VI ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Irene of Athens was a noblewoman who became the empress, regent and co-ruler of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th century. She restored icon veneration, defeated the Arabs and the Franks, and faced several challenges to her power and authority.
Nov 15, 2017 · Little is known of the young Irene except that she was an extraordinarily beautiful orphan girl from Athens, born c. 752 CE. Emperor Constantine V (r. 741-775 CE), holding an empire -wide beauty contest for the purpose, fished her from the obscurity of the provincial town that Athens had then become and arranged for her to marry his son, the ...
- Mark Cartwright
Jan 6, 2015 · Irene of Athens was the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Leo IV and mother of Constantine VI, both strong iconoclasts. She ruled jointly with her son, Constantine, after the death of her husband Leo. Irene was a strong iconodule. She arranged the convening of the Second Council of Nicea in 787 that restored the practice of veneration of icons.
Irene of Athens (c. 752–803) was the first woman to rule the Byzantine empire as sole emperor. She supported the veneration of icons, summoned the Second Council of Nicaea, and married her son to Charlemagne's daughter.
Irene of Athens ( Greek: Εἰρήνη, Eirḗnē; 750/756 – 9 August 803), surname Sarantapechaena ( Greek: Σαρανταπήχαινα, Sarantapḗchaina ), was Byzantine empress consort to Emperor Leo IV from 775 to 780, regent during the childhood of their son Constantine VI from 780 until 790, co-ruler from 792 until 797, and finally ...
