Maria Petraliphaina

{{Infobox royalty | name = Maria Petraliphaina | title = Empress of Thessalonica | house = Petraliphas | spouse = Theodore Komnenos Doukas | issue = Anna, John, Irene, Demetrios }}

'''Maria Doukaina Komnene Petraliphaina''' ({{langx|el|Μαρία Δούκαινα Κομνηνή Πετραλίφαινα}}) was the wife of Theodore Komnenos Doukas, ruler of Epirus and in 1224–1230 self-proclaimed Emperor of Thessalonica. She is the earliest consort of the Epirote state known by name: the two wives of Michael I Komnenos Doukas, predecessor of her husband, were members of the Melissenos family but their first names are unknown.{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|pp=673–674, 689}}

==Life== ===Origin and family=== Maria was a member of the Petraliphas family, of Italian origin. Her brother John Petraliphas was a ranking noble in the court of the Byzantine emperor Isaac II Angelos ({{reign|1185|1195|1203|1204}}), and was appointed as governor of Thessaly and Macedonia. In 1195, however, he played a leading role in Isaac's ouster and his replacement with Alexios III Angelos ({{reign|1195|1203}}). John's daughter Theodora Petraliphaina married Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the illegitimate son of the founder of the Epirote state, Michael I Komnenos Doukas.{{sfn|ODB|loc="Petraliphas" (A. Kazhdan), p. 1643}}{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|p=554 (note 20)}}

===Marriage=== She married Theodore Komnenos Doukas sometime during Theodore's stay at the court of the Theodore I Laskaris.{{sfn|Polemis|1968|p=90}} Theodore was a son of the ''sebastokrator'' John Doukas and of Zoe Doukaina.{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|p=548}} After the Fourth Crusade captured Constantinople in 1204, he followed Laskaris to Asia Minor, where Laskaris founded the Empire of Nicaea.{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|pp=553–554}} In {{circa|1210}}, Theodore was invited by his half-brother Michael I Komnenos Doukas to Epirus, where Michael had founded an independent Greek principality.{{sfn|ODB|loc="Theodore Komnenos Doukas" (M. J. Angold), p. 2042}} Michael wanted Theodore's aid, as his only son, the future Michael II, was underage and illegitimate, while Michael's other half-brothers were considered to lack the ability to rule.{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|p=553}} According to Konstantinos Varzos, the firstborn child of Maria and Theodore must have been born {{circa|1206}}.{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|pp=554, 555 (note 23)}} In the sources, Theodora is never mentioned by her original family name, but always by her husband's surnames as "Doukaina" and "Komnene".{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|pp=554, 555 (notes 21, 22)}}

==Issue== With Theodore, she had had four children:{{sfn|Varzos, Vol. B,|1984|p=637}} # Anna Angelina Komnene Doukaina, who married King Stefan Radoslav of Serbia # John Komnenos Doukas, who became Emperor of Thessalonica in 1237 # Irene Komnene Doukaina, who married John Asen # Demetrios Angelos Doukas, who succeeded as ruler of Thessalonica in 1244

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== * {{Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium|ref={{harvid|ODB}}}} * {{Polemis-The Doukai}} * {{Varzos-Genealogy of the Komnenoi| volume = B }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Petraliphaina, Maria}} Category:Consorts of Epirus Maria Category:Komnenodoukas dynasty Category:Empire of Thessalonica Category:Year of birth unknown Category:Year of death unknown