Theodora Raoulaina

Theodora Palaiologina Kantakouzene Raoulaina (, 1240–1300) was a Byzantine noblewoman, the niece of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282). Widowed twice, she clashed with her uncle over his unionist religious policies, and became a nun. She also restored the monastery of Saint Andrew in Krisei, to where she transferred the relics of Patriarch Arsenios Autoreianos. Highly educated, she was a prominent member of the capital's literary circles at the close of the 13th century. Biography Family and early life Theodora was born in the Empire of Nicaea, the third daughter of John Kantakouzenos and Irene Komnene Palaiologina. Her father was pinkernes and later doux of the Thracesian theme, while her mother was the second daughter of the megas domestikos Andronikos Palaiologos and thus the sister of the future emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282). After her husband died (some time before 1257), she became a nun by the name Eulogia. Theodora had three other sisters, Anna, Maria, and Eugenia. Anna married the Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas (r. 1267/1268 – c. 1297), and became regent after his death. Maria married Tsar Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria (r. 1257–1277), while Eugenia married the Cuman megas domestikos Syrgiannes, and was the mother of Syrgiannes Palaiologos. In 1256, Theodora wedded George Mouzalon in a marriage arranged by Emperor Theodore II Laskaris (r. 1254–1258). Mouzalon was of humble origin, but had risen to the high office of protovestiarios through the favour of the Byzantine emperor, whose childhood friend he was. The marriage, and similar ones for the emperor's other "new men", was designed by Theodore as a means of raising the status of his low-born protégés. However, these unions, and Theodore's consistent anti-aristocratic policies, earned the hostility of the traditional noble families. At Theodore's death in August 1258, Mouzalon became the regent for the Empire and the young John IV Laskaris (r. 1258–1261), but was murdered by soldiers along with other family members in a coup, organized by the aristocrats, only a few days later during a memorial service for the departed emperor. The driving force behind the aristocrats' conspiracy was Michael Palaiologos, Theodora's own uncle, who quickly succeeded Mouzalon as regent and was crowned co-emperor in early 1259. During the coup, Theodora alone reacted to the killings, going to her uncle and asking for her husband to be spared.