Irene Angelina

Irene Angelina was the eldest daughter of Emperor Alexios III Angelos and Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera. First married to the droungarios Andronikos Kontostephanos, who died around 1196, she wed Alexios Palaiologos in summer 1199; her sonless father made him despot and heir.

Crowned basilissa, she bore Alexios a daughter, Theodora Angelina Palaiologina, whose marriage to Andronikos Palaiologos in 1216 made her the mother of Michael VIII. Irene outlived her husband, who died in 1203, and died in exile.