Irene of Byzantium: Woman, Empress and Fiance of Charlemagne

[light shelfwear only, old bookseller's rubber-stamped name at bottom corner of front pastedown (Bertrand Smith Acres of Books, Long Beach, California); the jacket has a small chip at the upper right corner of the front panel, with an extended closed tear and associated diagonal crease, and a couple of small tears/chips at the top of the spine "A hot-tempered, full-blooded historical novel; the story of a bewitched Grecian who married the heir to Byzance, and who, by her alternating passion and cruelty, turned adversaries to suitors or slaves. She lived and ruled and loved like a Catherine The Great of ancient times -- yet died, an exile, in the arms of her childhood lover." Her son, Constantine VI, was Byzantine Emperor from 780 to 797, but since he was only nine years old when he assumed the throne, Irene (aka Irene of Athens), as regent, was more or less the de facto ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. Then (quoting her Wikipedia page) comes my favorite fun fact about this dame: "As Irene's son Constantine reached maturity, he began to move out from under the influence of his mother. In the early 790s, several attempted revolts tried to proclaim him as sole ruler. In 797, Irene gouged out her son's eyes, maiming him so severely that he died a few days later. With her son dead, Irene proclaimed herself sole ruler." This rather seriously pissed off the Pope (Leo III) -- so much that, taking the position that a woman couldn't be in charge of the H.R.E., he proclaimed Charlemagne Emperor on Christmas Day of 800. Two years later Irene was sent packing to the isle of Lesbos, which is where she died. (And historically speaking, "Fiance of Charlemagne" might be a bit of a stretch.)

Product Info

Publisher: Francis Aldor, Publisher (Aldus Publications Ltd.)

Year: (c.1947)

Type: Used

Binding: Hardcover

First Edition

Seller Info

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Country: United States