Theodora Komnene | |
---|---|
Queen consort of Jerusalem | |
Tenure | 1158–10 February 1162 |
Born | c. 1145 |
Died | Before 1182 |
Spouse | |
Issue | Alexios Komnenos Eirene Komnene |
House | Komnenos |
Father | Isaac Komnenos |
Mother | Eirene Synadene |
Theodora Komnene (‹See Tfd›Greek: Θεοδώρα Κομνηνή; born c. 1145) was a member of the Byzantine imperial Komnenos family who became queen consort of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.
In 1158 Emperor Manuel I Komnenos arranged for Theodora, his 12-year-old niece, to marry King Baldwin III of Jerusalem as part of an alliance of the two Christian states requested by Baldwin's advisors. Although they were happy together, Theodora wielded no power as Baldwin's wife, and was widowed in 1162. She retired to Acre, the city she was to hold for life as dower.
In 1168 Theodora started a relationship with her kinsman Andronikos Komnenos and soon eloped with him, infuriating Manuel. They wandered through the Muslim-ruled Levant and had two children together, Alexios and Eirene. After some time spent in Georgia, they moved to Anatolia, where Theodora and her children were captured and brought to Manuel. Andronikos and Manuel reconciled, and Theodora spent the rest of her life with Andronikos in Paphlagonia. She presumably died before 1182, when he became emperor.