Anna of Hohenstaufen

Konstanze von Staufen ( Costanza ) (* 1230, † April 1307 in Valencia) was Empress of Byzantium and the wife of the Byzantine Emperor John III ..

She was the eldest daughter of Emperor Frederick II by his mistress and later wife Bianca Lancia, and was by marriage, ( in articulo mortis Confirmatio matrimonii ) joined Friedrich and Bianca 1233/34 just before Bianca's death, subsequently legitimized ( legitimatio by matrimonium subsequens ).

In 1244 it was 14 -year-old with the 52 -year-old John III. , Emperor of Byzantium in exile at Nicaea, who was a widower since 1241, married. According to tradition she took on this occasion a different name, in her case, "Anna" to. The connection between Constance and the schismatics John aroused the displeasure of the Pope Innocent IV so much that she became one of the reasons why the Pope Friedrich year left on them, which in 1245 settle.

Constance's marriage was not happy, because John is soon a young woman from Constance's entourage turned that urged the Empress in the background and the public also took their role. Frederick's reaction to this development did not come because he appreciated the financial and military support of the Byzantines. Then, when even the Pope agreed with John, Constance was completely isolated, followed also changed nothing when John died on November 3, 1254 and his son from his first marriage, Theodore II, ascended the throne.

Only after Theodore II was also died in 1258, his son John IV was deposed by his regent, and finally co-emperor Michael VIII 's successor in 1261, to Constance's situation changed: The new emperor fell in love with the now 31 -year-old and filed for divorce from his wife in order to marry Constance can. The State Council and the Patriarch of Constantinople Opel refused, however. Whether Konstanze at the time Michael's lover was, or whether she refused his advances permanently, is not clear.

Constance stay at the Byzantine court ended when she was against the general Alexios Strategopoulos, in the custody of her brother Manfred, King of Sicily since 1258, was exchanged.

However, the change back to southern Italy worsened their situation again, as Manfred in 1266 at the Battle of Benevento was defeated against Charles of Anjou and fell. The largest part of their family fell into the hands of Karl, Konstanze but managed to escape and arrived at her eponymous niece, the daughter of Manfred and wife of King Peter III. of Aragon, who himself later became king of Sicily.

She entered the convent of Santa Barbara in Valencia, where an advanced age in 1307 she died.

  • Staufer
  • Empress ( Byzantium )
  • Born in the 13th century
  • Died in 1307
  • Woman
  • Frederick II ( HRR )
John III Doukas Vatatzes Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor John IV Laskaris Marie of Brienne Michael VIII Palaiologos
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