Irene of Athens
Irene of Athens was the first woman to rule the Byzantine Empire in her own name, a feat she achieved through decades of political maneuvering, religious conviction, and a ruthlessness that culminated in the blinding of her own son. Born in Athens to a noble family, she was selected as a bride for the future Constantine VI and came to Constantinople in 769. A committed iconophile in the iconoclast empire she married into, she bided her time during her years as empress and regent. Her greatest achievement was convening the Second Council of Nicaea in 787, which formally restored the veneration of holy images, ending sixty years of state-sponsored iconoclasm and healing the breach with Rome. This made her a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. However, her poor management of foreign relations contributed to the circumstances in which Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Roman Emperor on Christmas Day 800. Irene's sole rule from 797 to 802 was ended when a group of officials led by Nikephoros, the finance minister, deposed her in a coup. She died in exile on the island of Lesbos the following year.
- Lived: 752 CE – 803 CE
- Nationality: byzantine
- Roles: empress, head_of_state, religious_reformer
