ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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Rita, also called Maria (b. 10/11 January 1278; † July 1333), is an Armenian princess and Byzantine Empress, wife of Emperor Michael IX Paleologist.

Origin
Rita was born on 10 or 11 January 1278 in Armenian Cilicia. She is the daughter of Armenian Tsar Levon II and Queen Keran. She is the sister of King Hetum II of Armenia. In an Armenian chronicle, whose authorship was attributed to her brother Hetum, it is mentioned that Rita also had a twin sister named Theofana.

Marriage to Michael IX Paleologist
George Pahimer reported that Emperor Andronique II was seeking a wife for his son and junior co-ed Emperor Michael IX Paleologist. Several years of negotiations on the hand of the starting Constantinople Empress Catherine de Courtene fails, after which the emperor sends to seek a suitable candidate in the court of the Cypriot King Henri II de Luzignan. After in Cyprus they failed to obtain papal permission to be associated with the Paleologists, Andronic II sent an embassy to Little Armenia. The Armenian King Hatum II, for whom the request of the vasilevsa turns out to be welcome without hesitation and without asking permission from the Pope, decides to marry his sister's Byzantine co-impressor. Moreover, he even sent to Constantinople not one, but his two sisters - Rita and Theofana - in the hope that one would be chosen as the wife of the young vasilevs, but the other to marry some noble Byzantine without having to be returned. Byzantine envoy remained surprised by the fact that he would have to take two candidates, but Georgi Pahimer says that he had no choice but to leave with the two sisters or ruin his mission.

The trip to Constantinople has an extremely bad effect on Rita's health, which is still hurting so badly that her life is in danger, which is why she has to stop at Rhodes Island. There Rita accepted Orthodoxy, after which according to Pahimer her condition improved and the journey continued. In Constantinople, the young emperor's choice falls on the older sister Rita. The possible reason is that Rita was considered capable of giving birth faster to Manuel's heirs. Theophana, on the other hand, was appointed the wife of Sevacor Theodore Angel, but she died on her journey to the fiancé's house.

As an old custom, Rita accepted the name Mary, after which her marriage to Michael IX Paleologist was concluded on January 16, 1296. Rita and Michael IX have four children:
Andronique III (1297
Manuel Paleologist (deceased 1319)
Ana Palelogina (deceased 1320/1321)
Teodora Paleologina (deceased after 1331), Bulgarian queen, wife of the kings Teodor Svetoslav and Michael III Shishman.

Rita was a junior Empress from 1294 to 1317. At that time, the senior Empress was Irina Monferatska, the second wife of Emperor Andronique II. Until 1303 Andronique II and Irina Monferatska lived apart, Andronique reeded in Constantinople, and Irina in Thessaloniki. In 1317 Irina Monferatska died and Rita remained the only Empress in the empire.

In 1319 Empire