Irene of Trebizond

Not much is known of Irene's early life before she became Basil's mistress; "the Byzantine historian called [her] a courtesan, but the Trapezuntine chronicler a lady of Trebizond," writes William Miller.

[2] Their marriage only lasted about nine months before he died after a short illness; Miller writes again, "It was whispered that the discarded Empress had murdered him privily, and her conduct lent some colour to the suspicion, for she was evidently prepared to profit by his demise.

She presumably struggled for power with the nobles and especially with the Doranites family, who led an unsuccessful revolt in the capital when Alexios had not been on the throne six months.

She accompanied a second campaign led by her son in January 1352 against the cup-bearer John Tzanichites, who had seized by force his ancestral castle of Tzanicha.

[8] She also was present at the baptism of her great-grandson Basil, renamed later Alexios IV of Trebizond in 1382, which is the last time she is mentioned in recorded history.