List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses

See also: List of Roman emperors and List of Byzantine emperors.

Empress of Rome Emblem of the Roman Empire
Livia, the first Empress of Rome.
First empress	Livia (27 BC)
Last empress	Maria (1439 AD)

This is a list of women who were Roman Empress, i.e. the wife of the Roman emperor, the ruler of the Roman Empire.

The Romans had no single term for the position: Latin and Greek titles such as Augusta (Greek Augousta, the female form of the honorific Augustus, a title derived from the name of the first emperor, Augustus), Caesarissa (Greek Kaisarissa, the female form of the honorific Caesar, a title derived from the name of Julius Caesar), basilissa (Ancient Greek: βασίλισσα, the female form of basileus), and Autokratorissa, the female form of autocrat, were all used.

In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum "mother of the castra"" and Mater patriae "mother of the fatherland". Another title of the Byzantine empresses was Eusebestatē Augousta "Most Pious Augusta"; they were also called kyría κυρία "Lady" or déspoina δέσποινα, the female form of δεσπότης "despot". Due to the practice of dividing the Roman empire under different emperors, there were periods when there were more than one Roman empress. All the Roman empresses are listed with some co-empresses. Not all empresses were titled Augusta, and not all Augustae were empresses since the emperor's sister or mistress could bear that title. Some Caesarissas and Despoinas that never were empresses are included, since the titles were quite similar to Empress; however, in the Eastern Roman Empire these titles are often more equivalent to the modern term "crown princess".

The Western Roman Empire produced no known empresses regnant, though the obscure Ulpia Severina probably ruled in her own right for some time after the death of her husband, Aurelian.

The Byzantine Empire had three official empresses regnant: Irene of Athens, Zoë Porphyrogenita and Theodora. There never was a male emperor consort (i.e. a husband of an empress-regnant); however, some husband and wife couples, notably Justinian I and Theodora, were simultaneously coregnant.

Empress consorts of the Roman Empire

Julio-Claudian dynasty (27 BC – 68 AD)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Livia (LIVIA•DRVSILLA)	Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus (gens Claudia)	30 January, 58 BC	17 January. 38 BC	16 January 27 BC	19 August, AD 14	AD 29	Augustus
	Livia Orestilla	?	?	AD 37 or AD 38		few days after marriage	?	Caligula
	Lollia Paulina	Marcus Lollius	?	AD 38		6 months later	AD 49
	Milonia Caesonia	?	?	late AD 39 or early AD 40		24 January, AD 41	Hours after husband's death
	Messalina	Marcus Valerius Messalla	c. 17/20	37 or 38	24 January 41 AD	AD 48, for conspiring against her husband		Claudius
	Agrippina the Younger	Germanicus (gens Claudia)	6 November AD 15	New Year’s Day in AD 49		13 October AD 54	March AD 59, possibly because of her son, Nero's affairs with Poppaea Sabina
	Claudia Octavia	Claudius (gens Claudia)	Late AD 39 or early AD 40	9 June AD 53	13 October 54	1 January 61	9 June AD 62	Nero
	Poppaea Sabina	Titus Ollius	AD 30	AD 62		AD 65
	Statilia Messalina	?	ca. AD 35	AD 66		9 June AD 68	after 68
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Year of the Four Emperors & Flavian dynasty (68–96)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Galeria Fundana	Galerius (b. ca 15), a Praetor	c. 40	c. 50	March 69	December 69	after 69	Vitellius
	Domitia Longina	Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo	c. 53	c. 70	14 September 81	18 September 96	c. 130	Domitian
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Nerva–Antonine dynasty (96–192)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Pompeia Plotina	?	?	?	28 January 98	7 August 117	121/122	Trajan
	Vibia Sabina	Lucius Vibius Sabinus	c. 80	100	10 August 117	136 or 137		Hadrian
	Annia Galeria Faustina Major	Marcus Annius Verus	September 21 about 100	110-115	11 July 138	141		Antoninus Pius
	Annia Galeria Faustina Minor	Antoninus Pius (Antonine)	16 February between 125 and 130	13 May 145	8 March 161 co-empress consort March 169 sole-empress consort	175		Marcus Aurelius
	Lucilla	Marcus Aurelius (Antonine)	7 March 148 or 150	164 co-empress consort		March 169	182	Lucius Verus
	Bruttia Crispina	Gaius Bruttius Praesens	164	July of 178	July of 178 co-empress consort 18 March 180 sole empress	182	182 or 187	Commodus
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Year of the Five Emperors & Severan dynasty (193–235)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Flavia Titiana	Titus Flavius Claudius Sulpicianus	?	?	1 January 193 AD	28 March 193	after 193	Pertinax
	Manlia Scantilla	(gens Manlia)	?	before 153	28 March 193	1 June 193	?	Didius Julianus
	Julia Domna	Julius Bassianus	170	late 180s	14 April 193 co-empress consort February 197 sole empress April 202 senior empress-consort	4 February 211	217	Septimius Severus
	Publia Fulvia Plautilla	Gaius Fulvius Plautianus (gens Fulvia)	185/around 188/189	13 May 145	April 202 co/junior-empress consort	22 January 205	early 212	Caracalla
	Nonia Celsa	?	?	?	8 April 217	June 218	?	Macrinus
	Julia Cornelia Paula	Julius Paulus Prudentissimus (gens Cornelia)	?	219		late 220	?	Elagabalus
	Julia Aquilia Severa	Quintus Aquilius	?	220		221	?
	Annia Faustina	Tiberius Claudius Severus Proculus	?	July 221		later in 221	?
	Aquilia Severa	Quintus Aquilius	?	221		222	?
	Sallustia Orbiana	Seius Sallustius	?	225/226		227	?	Severus Alexander
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Crisis of the Third Century (235–284)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Caecilia Paulina	?	?	?	20 March 235	235/236		Maximinus Thrax
	Furia Sabinia Tranquillina	Timesitheus	c. 225	May 241		11 February 244	aft. 244	Gordian III
	Marcia Otacilia Severa	Otacilius Severus or Severianus (gens Otacilia)	?	234	February 244	September/October 249	?	Philip the Arab
	Annia Cupressenia Herennia Etruscilla	Unknown Etrurian senatorial family	September 249	before 230	September/October 249	June 251	June 251 after husband	Decius
	Afinia Gemina Baebiana	?	?	?	June 251[1]	August 253	?	Trebonianus Gallus
	Gaia Cornelia Supera	?	?	?	August 253	October 253	?	Aemilianus
	Julia Cornelia Salonina	?	?	?243	October 253	September 268		Gallienus
	Ulpia Severina	Ulpius Crinitus?	?	?	September 270	September or October 275	?	Aurelian
	Magnia Urbica	?	?	?	282 Caesarissa in the West Late July/early August 283 sole-empress consort 20 November 284 in conflict with Empress Prisca	285	?	Carinus
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Tetrarchy and Constantinian dynasty (284–364)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Prisca	?	?	?	20 November 284 in conflict with Magnia Urbica 285 sole-empress consort 1 April 286 co-empress consort in the East	1 May 305	315	Diocletian
	Eutropia	Syrian	?	around 283	21 July/25 July 285 Caesarissa 1 April 286 co-empress consort in the West Late 306 husband declared himself Augustus	1 May 305 July 310	after 325	Maximian
	Flavia Maximiana Theodora	Flavius Afranius Hannibalianus	?	293	293 Caesarissa 1 May 305 empress consort in the West	25 July 306	?	Constantius Chlorus
	Galeria Valeria	Diocletian	?	293	1 March/21 May 293 Caesarissa 1 May 305 empress consort in the East	5 May 311	315	Galerius
	Valeria Maximilla	Galerius	?	around 293	28 October 306 empress consort in the West	28 October 312	?	Maxentius
	Minervina	?	?	?[2]	25 July 306 Caesarissa	before 307	?	Constantine the Great
	Fausta Flavia Maxima	Maximian	289	307	307 Caesarissa in the West 309 husband proclaimed to be emperor April 310 accepted in the East 29 October 312 undisputed empress-consort in the West, senior-empress-consort in the empire 19 September 324 empress-consort of united empire	326
	Flavia Julia Constantia	Constantine the Great (Constantinian)	after 293	313	313 empress-consort in the East	324	c. 330	Licinius
	Unnamed daughter of Julius Constantius [3]	Julius Constantius (Constantinian dynasty)	?	335 or 336	335 or 336 Caesarissa 22 May 337 co-empress consort 350 sole empress consort	353/354	?	Constantius II
	Flavia Aurelia Eusebia	Flavius Eusebius the Macedonian Consul,	?	353 sole empress consort		360
	Faustina	?	?	Winter of 360 sole-empress consort in empire		3 November 361	after 366
	Helena	Constantine the Great (Constantinian dynasty)			November 355 Caesarissa February 360 empress consort[4]		360?	Julian
	Charito	Lucillianus	?	?	27 June 363	17 February 364	after 380	Jovian
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Valentinian dynasty (364-379)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Marina Severa	?	?	?	c. 364	370	?	Valentinian I
	Justina	?	c. 340	c. 370		375	c. 391
	Albia Dominica	Petronius	c. 337	c. 354	c. 364	378	?	Valens
	Flavia Maxima Constantia	Constans II (Constantinian)	c. 361-62	c. 374		383		Gratian
	Laeta	?	?	383			?
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Theodosian dynasty (379–395)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Aelia Flavia Flaccilla	?	?	375-376	August 378 Roman empress consort in the East	385		Theodosius I
	Flavia Galla	Valentinian I (Valentinian)	370-375	387 Roman empress consort in the East May 15 392 sole-Roman empress consort		17 November 375	394
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Empress consorts of the Western Roman Empire

Theodosian dynasty (395–455)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Maria	Stilicho	?	February 398 the Western Roman empress consort		407		Honorius
	Thermantia		?	408 the Western Roman empress consort		c. 408	415
	Aelia Galla Placidia	Theodosius I (Theodosian)	392	1 January 421	8 February 421 the Western Roman empress consort	2 September 421	27 November 450	Constantius III
	Licinia Eudoxia	Theodosius II (Theodosian)	422	29 October 437 the Western Roman empress consort		16 March 455	462	Valentinian III
				17 March 455 2nd times as the Western Roman empress consort		31 May 455		Petronius Maximus
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Non-dynastic (455–476)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Aelia Marcia Euphemia	Flavius Marcianus	?	453	12 April 467	11 July 472	?	Anthemius
	Galla Placidia Valentiniana Minor	Valentinian III (Valentinian)	439-443	454 or 455	23 March or 11 July 472	23 October or 2 November 472	480	Olybrius
	Unnamed Niece of Leo I	? (Leonid)	?	?	June 474	25 April 480 (since 28 August 475 from Dalmatia)	?	Julius Nepos
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire

Theodosian dynasty (395–457)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Aelia Eudoxia	Flavius Bauto	?	27 April 395		6 October 404		Arcadius
	Aelia Licinia Eudocia	Leontius	c. 401	7 June 421		28 July 450	20 October 460	Theodosius II
	Aelia Pulcheria	Arcadius (Theodosian)	19 January 399	28 July 450		July 453		Marcian
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Leonid dynasty (457–518)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Aelia Verina	?	?	?	7 February 457	18 January 474	484	Leo I
	Aelia Ariadne	Leo I (Leonid)	c. 450	466/468	9 February 474 1st time	9 January 475	515	Zeno
	Aelia Zenonis	?	?	?	9 January 475	August 476	476/477	Basiliscus
	Aelia Ariadne	Leo I (Leonid)	c. 450	466/468	August 476 2nd time	9 April 491	515	Zeno
				20 May 491 3rd time		515		Anastasius
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Justinian dynasty (518–602)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Euphemia	?	?	491-518	July 518	c. 524		Justin I
	Theodora (Θεοδώρα)	Acacius	c. 500	?	1 August 527	28 June 548		Justinian I
	Aelia Sophia	Sittas[5]	c. 530	?	14 November 565 sole empress consort 5 October 578 co-empress consort	5 October 578	after 601	Justin II
	Aelia Anastasia	?	?	?	7 December 574 Caesarissa September 578 co-empress consort 5 October 578 sole empress consort	14 August 582	593	Tiberius II Constantine
	Constantina	Tiberius II Constantine (Justinian)[6]	c. 560	Autumn 582		27 November 602	c. 605	Maurice
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Non-dynastic (602–610)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Leontia	?	?	?	23 November 602	October 610	?	Phocas
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Heraclian dynasty (610–711)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Fabia Eudokia	Rogas of Africa	c. 580	5 October 610		13 August 612		Heraclius
	Martina	Martinus	?	613 sole-empress consort 629/630 senior empress-consort		11 February 641	after 641
	Gregoria	Niketas	610s	629/630	629/630 junior empress-consort 11 February 641 senior empress-consort	May 641	?	Constantine III
	Fausta	Valentinus (Arsacid)	c. 630	642		15 September 668	after 668	Constans II
	Anastasia	?	?	?	668	September 685	after 711	Constantine IV
	Eudokia	?	?	?	c. 685?	c. 695?	?	Justinian II
	Theodora of Khazaria	?	?	703	705	December 711	?
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Non-dynastic (711–717)

None

Isaurian dynasty (717–802)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Maria	Tervel of Bulgaria[5] (Dulo)	?	?	25 March 717	18 June 741	?	Leo III
	Anna	Leo III (Isaurian)	c. 705	?	June 741 rival empress consort	November 743	after 743	Artabasdos
	Irene of Khazaria	Bihar	?	c. 732	c. 732 co-empress consort 18 June 741 rival empress consort 2 November 743 sole empress consort	c. 750		Constantine V
	Maria	?	?	c. 750		c. 751
	Eudokia	?	?	c. 751 [7]		14 September 775	?
	Irene Serantapechaina (Ειρήνη η Αθηναία, Eirēnē)	? (Sarantapechoi)	c. 752	17 December 769	17 December 769 co-empress consort 25 March 775 sole empress consort	18 June 780	9 August 803	Leo IV
	Maria of Amnia	?	c. 770	November 788		January 795	after 823	Constantine VI
	Theodote	?	c. 780	September 795		c. 797	after 797
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Dynasty of Nikephoros I (802–813)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Theophano (Θεοφανώ)	?	?	20 December 807	807 co-empress consort 26 July 811	2 October 811	?	Staurakios
	Prokopia	Nikephoros I	c. 770 - after 813	late 8th century	2 October 811	11 July 813	after 813	Michael I
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Non-dynastic (813–820)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Theodosia	Arsaber	c. 775	?	11 July 813	25 December 820	after 826	Leo V
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Phrygian dynasty (820–867)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Thekla	Bardanes Tourkos	?	before 803	25 December 820	c. 823		Michael II
	Euphrosyne	Constantine VI (Isaurian)	c. 790	c. 823		2 October 829	after 836
	Theodora the Armenian (Θεοδώρα)	Marinos (Mamikonian)	c. 815	5 June 830		20 January 842	after 867	Theophilos
	Eudokia Dekapolitissa	?	?	855		23 September 867 – 24 September 867	?	Michael III
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Macedonian dynasty (867–1056)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became empress	Ceased to be empress	Death	Spouse
	Eudokia Ingerina[8] (Ευδοκία Ιγγερίνα)	Inger	c. 840	865	26 May 866 co-empress consort 24 September 867 sole-empress consort	882		Basil I
	Theophano (Θεοφανώ)	Constantine Martiniakos	?	c. 883	29 August 886	893/897	10 November 897	Leo VI
	Zoe Zaoutzaina	Stylianos Zaoutzes	?	893/897[9]		May 899
	Eudokia Baïana	?	?	Spring 900[7]		12 April 901
	Zoe Karbonopsina (Ζωή Καρβωνοψίνα)	?	?	9 January 906[10]		11 May 912	?
	Helena Lekapene	Romanos I	c. 910	May 919	May 919 co-empress consort 27 January 945 sole-empress consort	9 November 959	19 September 961	Constantine VII
	Theodora (Θεοδώρα)	?	?	?	September 920 Caesarissa 17 December 920 senior co-empress consort	20 February 922		Romanos I
	Theophano [11] (Θεοφανώ)	Anastaso	c. 941	956	956 co-empress consort 9 November 959 sole-empress consort	15 March 963 1st time	after 976	Romanos II
				August 963 2nd time		10 December 969 – 11 December 969		Nikephoros II
	Theodora the Macedonian (Θεοδώρα)	Constantine VII (Macedonian)	c. 946	November 971		10 January 976	?	John I
	Helena	Alypius	?	976?	976? only empress or junior empress consort	unknown, she predeceased her husband many years before he became sole emperor in 1025	?	Constantine VIII
	Zoe Porphyrogenita (Ζωή)	Constantine VIII (Macedonian)	c. 978	12 November 1028	15 November 1028 1st time	11 April 1034	June 1050	Romanos III
				11 April 1034 2nd time		10 December 1041		Michael IV
				11 June 1042[7] 3rd time		June 1050		Constantine IX
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Komnenid dynasty (1057–1059)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Ekaterina of Bulgaria	Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria (Comitopuli dynasty)	?	before 1057	5 June 1057 rival empress consort 31 August 1057 sole empress consort	22 November 1059	after 1059	Isaac I
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Doukid dynasty (1059–1081)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Eudokia Makrembolitissa (Ευδοκία Μακρεμβολίτισσα)	John Makrembolites (Makrembolites)	1021	before 1050	24 November 1059 1st time	22 May 1067	1096	Constantine X
				1 January 1068 2nd time		1071		Romanos IV
	Irene Pegonitissa	Niketas Pegonites	?	?	?around 1059? Caesarissa 1074 husband unwillingly proclaimed emperor by rebel Norman	?	?	Caesar John Doukas
	Martha of Alania (as Maria) (Μαρία της Αλανίας)	Bagrat IV of Georgia (Bagrationi)	c. 1050	1065	1065 junior-empress consort 22 May 1067 co-empress consort 1071 sole-empress consort 1075 as senior empress consort	31 March 1078	after 1103	Michael VII
				c. 1078		10 December 1081		Nikephoros III
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Komnenid dynasty (1081–1185)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Irene Doukaina (Ειρήνη Δούκαινα)	Andronikos Doukas (Doukai)	c. 1066	1078	4 April 1081	15 August 1118	19 February 1123 or 1133	Alexios I
	Anna Komnene (Άννα Κομνηνή)	Alexios I (Komnenoi)	1 December 1083	1097 Caesarissa		1118/1137	1153	Caesar Nikephoros Bryennios
	Piroska of Hungary (as Irene)	Ladislaus I of Hungary (Árpád)	1088	1104	1104 co-empress consort 15 August 1118 sole-empress consort	13 August 1134		John II
	Bertha of Sulzbach (as Irene)	Berengar II, Count of Sulzbach (Babenberg)	1110s	after Epiphany 1146		1159		Manuel I
	Maria of Antioch	Raymond of Antioch (Ramnulfids)	1145	24 December 1161		24 September 1180	1182
	Agnes of France (as Anna)	Louis VII of France (Capetian)	1171	2 March 1180	24 September 1180	October 1183	after 1204	Alexios II
				1183		12 September 1185		Andronikos I
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Angelid dynasty (1185–1204)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Margaret of Hungary (as Maria)	Béla III of Hungary (Árpád)	1175	c. 1185	12 September 1185 1st time	8 April 1195	1223	Isaac II
	Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera (Ευφροσύνη Δούκαινα Καματερίνα or Καματηρά)	Andronikos Doukas Kamateros (Kamateroi-Doukai)	c. 1155	c. 1169	8 April 1195	July 17/18 1203	1211	Alexios III
	Margaret of Hungary (as Maria)	Béla III of Hungary (Árpád)	1175	c. 1185	July 1203 2nd time	January 1204	1223	Isaac II
	Eudokia Angelina[12] (Ευδοκία Αγγελίνα)	Alexios III (Angeloi)	1 December 1083	?1204?			1211	Alexios V
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire (in exile)

Empress consorts of the Eastern Roman Empire (restored)

Palaiologan dynasty (restored to Constantinople, 1261–1453)

Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse
	Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina	Ioannes Doukas Vatatzes (Doukai)	c. 1240	1253	1 January 1259 co-empress consort of Nicaea 18 August 1258 sole-empress consort of Nicaea 25 July 1261 empress consort, restored to Constantinople 8 November 1273 senior empress consort 1281 only empress consort	11 December 1282	4 March 1303	Michael VIII
	Anna of Hungary	Stephen V of Hungary (Árpád)	c. 1260	8 November 1273 co-empress consort		1281/1282		Andronikos II
	Irene of Montferrat	William VII, Marquess of Montferrat (Aleramici)	1274	1284 sole empress consort 16 January 1294 senior empress consort		1317
	Maria of Armenia	Leo III of Armenia (Hetoumids)	10/11 January 1278	c. 1185	16 January 1294 junior empress consort 1317 only empress consort	12 October 1320	July 1333	Michael IX
	Irene of Brunswick	Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Welf)	c. 1293	March 1318	March 1318 co-empress consort July 1321 rival empress consort	16 August 1324 – 17 August 1324		Andronikos III
	Anna of Savoy	Amadeus V, Count of Savoy (Savoy)	1306	October 1326	October 1326 rival empress consort 24 May 1328 sole empress consort	15 June 1341	1359
	Irene Asanina	Andronikos Asen (Asen)	c. 1300	before 1320	26 October 1341 rival empress consort 8 February 1347 co-empress consort	4 December 1354	1363-1379	John VI
	Helena Kantakouzene	John VI (Kantakouzenoi)	1333	28 May/29 May 1347	28 May/29 May 1347 co-empress consort 1352 rival empress consort 4 December 1354 senior empress consort	12 August 1376	10 December 1396	John V
	Irene Palaiologina	Demetrios Palaiologos (Palaiologoi)	1327	1340	15 April 1353 co-empress consort 4 December 1354 rival empress consort	1357		Matthew Kantakouzenos
	Maria of Bulgaria	Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria (Shishman)	1348	after 17 August 1355	after 17 August 1355 co-empress consort 12 August 1376 senior empress consort	1 July 1379	1390	Andronikos IV
	Helena Kantakouzene	John VI (Kantakouzenoi)	1333	28 May/29 May 1347	1 July 1379 senior empress consort, husband restored 14 April 1390 only empress 17 September 1390 senior empress consort, husband restored	16 February 1391	10 December 1396	John V
	Helena Dragaš	Constantine Dragaš (Dragaš)	c. 1372	10 February 1392 senior empress consort		21 July 1425	23 May 1450	Manuel II
	Irene Gattilusio	Francesco II of Lesbos (Gattilusio)	1384	before 1397 co-empress consort		22 September 1408	1 June 1440	John VII
	Anna of Moscow	Vasili I of Moscow (Rurikid)	1393	c. 1411	1416 Despoina and shortly after co-empress consort	August 1417		John VIII
	Sophia Palaiologina of Montferrat	Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat (Palaiologoi)	1396	19 January 1421	19 January 1421co-empress consort 21 July 1425 sole-empress consort	August 1426	21 August 1434
	Maria Megale Komnene	Alexios IV of Trebizond (Megalokomnenoi)	?	September 1427[7]		17 December 1439
Picture	Name	Father	Birth	Marriage	Became Empress	Ceased to be Empress	Death	Spouse

Pretending Empress consorts of the Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire met its end in 476 and the Eastern Roman Empire in 1453. Although others continued to claim similar titles after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 — e.g. Holy Roman Empresses (as heirs of the Western Empire) or Russian Tsaritsas and Empresses (as the Empresses of the Third Rome) — the last reigning Empress consort of the Eastern Roman Empire of Constantinople was Maria of Trebizond. The last Palaiologan pretender, Andreas Palaiologos, sold his right to the imperial succession to Charles VIII of France, but he also willed the imperial titles to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castille, and so in a sense either the French queens or the Spanish queens have been the titular Empresses of the Eastern Roman Empire since the 15th century. Another Palaiologian, Manuel Palaiologos, sold his right of succession to Ottoman Sultan Bayazid II (the Ottoman sultans already claim to be the Kaizer-i Rum or Roman emperors); but since there is no such thing as a sultaness because the Ottomans practiced polygamy, there are no Ottoman consorts. Other possible pretenders may be the former Queens of Greece because the Greek monarchy was mainly created in 1832 to be the successor of the Byzantine Empire. The former Queens of Italy could be another claimant since their husband's were one of the only European monarchs to effectively hold the city of Rome, the seat of the Roman Empire since its beginning.

Neither the Empresses of Russia, the Queens of France, the Queens of Spain, the Queens of Italy or the Queens of the Hellenes claimed any sort of Roman titles and the claimants that clearly made the most point by using the word Roman in their title, the Holy Roman Empresses and the Queens of the Romans, ceased their claim upon the dissolution the empire in 1806. Currently the consorts of five of these states are pretenders in their own countries, themselves, and the current Queen of Spain claims no Roman titles. The status of the current pretenders to the Byzantine successor states of Trebizond, Epirus, and Nicaea are unclear much less their spouses; the despots of Morea became the Byzantine emperors (in exile) in 1453.

For a list of the consorts of the ruler of these states and the spouse of the pretenders of these states, see List of consorts of the Byzantine successor states

Along with the current Pretending Latin emperor, the pretenders of the crusader and client states within the Latin Empire are also unclear.

See also

• List of Augustae
• List of Russian consorts
• List of Latin Empresses of Constantinople
• List of Greek royal consorts

Notes

1. never titled
2. her status as a concumbine or wife is unknown
3. Mentioned in "Letter To The Senate And People of Athens" by Julian
4. not known if she live to see this
5. historical theory
6. adoptive
7. Third marriages are the last permitted according to the rules of Orthodox Church, but are highly disapproved by the Church.
8. formerly mistress of Michael III
9. There is a contradiction on Zoe Zaoutzaina's particular status 893–897. According to Symeon, the marriage of Leo VI to Theophano was officially void, allowing Leo and Zoe to marry within the year. According to Theophanes, the original marriage was still valid and Zoe remained the royal mistress. Theophano died in her monastery on 10 November 897. According to Theophanes, Leo and Zoe proceeded to marry at this point. Both Symeon and Theophanes agree that Zoe was only crowned Augusta following the death of her predecessor.
10. Fourth marriages are uncanonical in the eyes of the Orthodox Church.
11. Lover of future Emperor John I
12. Sometimes she is not considered the last Byzantine Empress consort before the Fourth Crusader because of the unknown date of her marriage.