Theodora Palaiologina Synadene

Theodora Palaiologina Synadene (Greek: Θεοδώρα Παλαιολογίνα Συναδηνή) was the daughter of Constantine Palaiologos and Irene Komnene Laskarina Branaina. Through her father, she was a half-niece of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos.

Early life[]

Both of Theodora's parents died when she was young and unmarried, after which time she was brought up under the guardianship of her paternal half-uncle, the emperor Michael VIII.^[1]

Marriage and children[]

Sometime after being taken in by her half-uncle,^[1] Theodora was married to a Byzantine noble named John Angelos Doukas Synadenos,^[2] by whom she had three children:

• Euphrosyne Synadene.^[3] A nun.
• Theodore Synadenos.^[4] Protostrator. Married Eudokia Muzakiaina^[5] (A picture of Theodore and his wife can be seen here).
• John Synadenos.^[4] Megas Konostaulos. Married Thomais Komnene Doukaina Laskarina Kantakouzene Palaiologina.^[6]

Later life[]

It was not long after the death of her husband that Theodora decided to create the convent of Bebaia Elpis ("Sure Hope"^[7]) in Constantinople, bringing her daughter, Euphrosyne, along with her.^[8] Sometime in the 14th century, she wrote the Typicon of Bebaia Elpis

The exact year of Theodora's death is unknown, though it was certainly in the 14th century.

Footnotes[]

References[]

• 'Typikon of Theodora Synadene for the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis in Constantinople' (trans. Alice-Mary Talbot) from Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents: A Complete Translation of the Surviving Founder's Typika and Testaments, Thomas, J. & Hero, A.C. (eds.) (Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington D.C. 2000) [1]
• Thomas, J. & Hero, A.C., Byzantine Foundation Documents (Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington D.C. 2000)
• Cawley, Charles, Byzantine 1261-1453, Medieval Lands database, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy,^{[self-published source][better source needed]}