| Anna Anachoutlou | |
|---|---|
| Empress and Autocratess of all the East and Perateia | |
| Trapezuntine empress regnant | |
| Reign | 17 July 1341 – August/September 1342 |
| Predecessor | Irene Palaiologina |
| Successor | John III Megas Komnenos |
| Born | Late 13th century |
| Died | 3 September 1342 Trebizond |
| Dynasty | Komnenos |
| Father | Alexios II Megas Komnenos |
| Mother | Djiadjak Jaqeli |
Anna Anachoutlou[a] (Greek: Ἄννα Μεγάλη Κομνηνὴ Ἀναχουτλοῦ, romanized: Anna Megalē Komnēnē Anachoutloū; died 3 September 1342) ruled the Empire of Trebizond from 1341 to 1342. She was the eldest daughter of the Trapezuntine emperor Alexios II Megas Komnenos (r. 1297–1330) and had joined a convent as a nun during her father's reign. After the death of her father, Anna's brother Andronikos III (r. 1330–1332), her nephew Manuel II (r. 1332) and her other brother Basil (r. 1332–1340) reigned in rapid succession. After Basil's death, his widow Irene Palaiologina, genealogically unconnected to the ruling Grand Komnenos dynasty of Trebizond, seized power as empress regnant. In June/July 1341, Anna escaped from her convent and rapidly began rallying support to fight against Irene. Despite being a woman and up until recently a nun, and there being several possible male heirs of her dynasty, Anna attracted considerable support from the provincials of the empire, from ethnic minorities such as the Laz and Zan peoples, and from Georgian soldiers, either mercenaries or forces sent by King George V of Georgia.
On 17 July 1341, Anna captured Trebizond without a fight, Irene having abdicated a few days prior, and she was crowned empress. Many of the same elements of the Trapezuntine nobility that had opposed Irene also opposed Anna and instead preferred a male heir, the senior-most possible candidate being Anna's uncle Michael. On 30 July 1341, Michael arrived in Trebizond intending to marry Irene, but after finding her deposed he intended to claim the throne for himself. Though he received a warm reception at first, his entourage was defeated and he was captured and imprisoned the next morning. Having defeated her most obvious rival, Anna continued to rule for just over a year. Though militarily successful, defeating a raiding force of the Aq Qoyunlu in 1342, Anna's internal and economic policy drew some opposition from her own supporters. Anna was deposed by some elements of the Trapezuntine nobility in late August or early September 1342 and was strangled to death on 3 September. On the next day, Michael's son John III captured Trebizond with the support of some of the nobility.
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