Rita of Armenia (Maria)

Rita (10/11 January 1278 – July 1333) was a daughter of King Leo II of Armenian Cilicia and Queen Keran. In January 1294 she married the Byzantine co-emperor Michael IX Palaiologos and took the name Maria, serving as junior empress until 1317.

In 1320 her son Manuel was slain by mistake at the orders of his brother Andronikos, and Michael IX died soon after. Widowed, Rita retired to a convent as the nun Xene and died there in July 1333.