Irene Komnene Palaiologina

Irene Komnene Palaiologina (Greek: Εἰρήνη Κομνηνή Παλαιολογίνα; c. 1218–1284), after c. 1261 known by her monastic name as Eulogia (Εὐλογία), was an elder sister of the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos.

Originally close to the emperor, her opposition to the Union of the Churches in 1273 led to their estrangement, and even to intrigues by Irene against Michael involving foreign rulers.

[4][3] Pachymeres also stresses Irene's political influence, including on the matter of the legitimate emperor, the young John IV Laskaris.

In order to safeguard the rights of Michael's son, Andronikos II Palaiologos, Irene urged her brother to have Laskaris sidelined completely.

[3] Irene also did not hesitate to involve her son-in-law in the anti-Unionist cause: with the aid of her daughter, she incited Tikh against Michael, and even tried, without success, to form an alliance against Byzantium between Bulgaria and the Mamluk Sultanate.