During the later '
Byzantine' period, all empresses (unless noted) received the title
augusta; whether it was still considered a formal title or just a synonym to "empress" is not known.
Leonid dynasty (457–515) Justinian dynasty (east, 518–602) Heraclian dynasty (610–695) }
Twenty Years' Anarchy (695–717) Isaurian dynasty (717–802) Nikephorian dynasty (802–813) Amorian dynasty (820–867) Macedonian dynasty (867–1056) } ----Daughter of
Constantine VIII, probably ordered the murder of Romanos III. Ruled in her own right alongside
Theodora from
Michael V's deposition until her marriage to
Constantine IX (21 April–11 June 1042). After this she had little involvement in politics, later dying of natural causes. ----Sister of
Zoe, proclaimed co-empress during the revolt that deposed
Michael V in 1042. Sidelined after Zoë's marriage to Constantine IX, returned as
empress regnant after the latter's death on 11 January 1055. Died of natural causes shortly after appointing
Michael VI as her successor.
Doukas dynasty (1059–1081) Komnenos dynasty (1081–1185) } ----Daughter of
Raymond of Poitiers. Became a nun after Manuel's death under the name "Xene", but acted as
de facto ruler as the regent of
Alexios II. She was executed after the coup of
Andronikos I.
Angelos dynasty (1185–1204) Laskaris dynasty (1205–1258; Nicaea) :
Note: Roman rule in Constantinople was interrupted with the capture of the city by the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Though the crusaders created a new line of Latin emperors in the city, modern historians recognize the line of emperors of the Laskaris dynasty, reigning in Empire of Nicaea, as the legitimate Roman emperors during this period as the Nicene Empire eventually retook Constantinople. For the other lines of empresses, see List of empresses of the Byzantine successor states. Irene Laskarina is called
augusta on her seal, but it is not known if the honorific was used by other empresses too.
Palaiologos dynasty (1259–1439) The honorific
augusta appears on the seals of
Theodora,
Yolande-Irene,
Rita-Maria and
Anna of Savoy, as well as on a miniature depicting
Helena Dragaš. Given that no seals or documents of other empresses have survived, it is not known if all of them used the title, although it's most likely they did. } ----Daughter of
Stephen V of Hungary, also a great-granddaughter of
Theodore I Laskaris through her mother. ----Daughter of
William VII of Montferrat and granddaughter of
Alfonso X of Castile. Proposed the idea of splitting the realm between her sons, but this was rejected by Andronikos. Retired to
Thessalonica, where she set up her own court. ----Daughter of
Henry I of Brunswick-Grubenhagen. Died of an illness on her way back to Constantinople. ----1351 – 1365(14 years, in Thessalonica) ----Daughter of
Amadeus VI of Savoy. Became
de facto ruler after Andronikos' death, as regent of the infant
John V. The regency was overthrown by
John VI Kantakouzenos in February 1347, but she set up her own court at
Thessalonica. Died years later under the monastic name "Anastasia". ----May 1381 – 16 February 1391(9 years and 9 month) ----Daughter of
John VI and
Irene, lost her title after the coup of
Andronikos IV in 1376.
John V escaped his imprisonment and regained the throne on July 1379, but Helena was taken hostage and was not released until May 1381. Became a nun and changed her name to "Hypomone". ----12 August 1376 – 28 June 1385() ----Daughter of
Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria, betrothed on 17 August 1355. She was captured alongside Andronikos following his failed rebellion in 1373. Andronikos escaped and deposed his father in 1376, but was deposed on 1 July 1379 and forced to flee. Their imperial status was re-acknowledged in May 1381. She became a nun under the monastic name of "Mathissa". ----Daughter of
Vasily I of Moscow, betrothed by 1411; died young. ==See also==