Irene Doukaina

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Irene Doukaina
Probable representation of Irene Doukaina from the Pala d'Oro in St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy
Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire
Tenure	4 April 1081 – 15 August 1118
Born	c. 1066 Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey)
Died	19 February 1138(1138-02-19) (aged 71–72)
Spouse	Alexios I Komnenos
Issue	Anna Komnene Maria Komnene John II Komnenos Andronikos Komnenos Isaac Komnenos Eudokia Komnene Theodora Komnene Manuel Komnenos Zoe Komnene
House	Doukas
Father	Andronikos Doukas
Mother	Maria of Bulgaria

Irene Doukaina or Ducaena (Greek: Εἰρήνη Δούκαινα, Eirēnē Doukaina; c. 1066 – 19 February 1138) was a Byzantine empress by marriage to the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos. She was the mother of Emperor John II Komnenos and the historian Anna Komnene. She was initially heavily overshadowed and humiliated in influence and power by her mother-in-law Anna Dalassene, but after her retirement and death, Irene was able to exert increasing influence over her husband Alexios I Komnenos, and became powerful towards the end of his reign. But even so, she could not arrange his successor according to her wishes, which favoured her daughter Anna Komnene over her son John II Komnenos.