St. Irene of Athens, Byzantine Empress

Irene of Athens or Irene Sarantapechaina (Εἰρήνη Σαρανταπήχαινα) was Empress consort by marriage to Leo IV from 775 to 780, regent during the minority of her son Constantine VI from 780 until 790, and finally ruling Byzantine Empire from 797 to 802.

Irene gave birth to a son named Constantine on January 14, 771. When his father, Constantin V, died Leo IV became sole rule of the Empire. The Emperor and Irene had different views on a religion. Emperor Leo IV was an iconoclast, which viewed the veneration of icons as idolatry while Empress Irene strongly supported the veneration of icons. Iconoclasm (Εἰκονομαχία) was period in the Byzantine history when the use of religious images or icons was opposed by religious and imperial authorities within the Eastern Church and the temporal imperial hierarchy. The “First Iconoclasm”, started with Leo III and lasted between c.726 and 787. The “Second Iconoclasm” was between 814 and 842 ended with the rule of Empress Theodora.

These two different viewpoints of religion began to strain their marriage. It is said that Leo found that Irene possessed icons and thereafter would no longer share their marriage bed.

Irene’s most notable act was the restoration of the veneration of icons. During her regency she acted step by step towards this goal. First, she named Tarasios, her former secretary, as Patriarch of Constantinople in 784. After that, on all important positions in the Empire that were held by iconoclasts, from the time of Constantine V, she appointed iconodules (iconophiles). In 786 the Empress summoned a council in Constantinople, but it was broken up after soldiers, loyal to iconoclasm, enterd the hall where the council was held. The second council convened at Nicaea next year, formally revived the veneration of icons and reunited the Eastern church with that of Rome. This was the Seventh Ecumenial Council, the last council recognized by the Ortodox Church.

Ruling alone, Irene reigned from 797 to 802, calling herself basileus (βασιλεύς), “Emperor,” rather than basilissa (βασίλισσα), “Empress” or Augusta. She became the first Byzantine empress to mint coins as sole ruler. In 797 and 799 two failed attempts for overthrowing her were made by brothers of Constantine V. The plots ended with four of them loosing their eyes.

Empress Irene’s reign was very insecure and beset by rebellions and wars. However by the end of her reign, the Byzantines were no longer paying tribute to the Bulgars. Her financial policy was not very successful but by the time of her abdication, she had a large amount of money which she handed over to Nikephoros. Because of her restoration of icon-worship, she was canonised in the Eastern Orthodox Church as a Saint.

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_(empress)_

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