==Life==

Irene was born in Athens about the year 752. Her family background is not known. It is believed that she was born of a Greek noble family. She apparently was a beautiful but orphaned girl who at the age of seventeen was brought to Constantinople by the Emperor [[Constantine V]] to be married to his son Leo in November 769. She gave birth to a son, Constantine, on [[January 14]], 771. Leo, however, was a steadfast [[iconoclast]] who, according to tradition, found that Irene possessed icons and thereafter would no longer share their marriage bed.

Ruling alone, Irene reigned from 797 to 802, calling herself ''basileus'' (βασιλεύς), "emperor," rather than ''basilissa'' (βασίλισσα), "empress." She showed little interest in finance or diplomacy, but made her mark in the Orthodox Christian world by rejection of [[iconoclasm]]. She sponsored many [[philanthropy|philanthropic]] endeavors, remitting taxes and canceling payments from soldiers' widows, which were required in lieu of the deceased soldiers' military service. Rivalries in court also intensified. Events came to a head when emissaries from Charlemagne and Pope Leo arrived in Constantinople with a proposal of marriage between Irene and Charlemagne. Thus the two halves of the Roman empire would be united. At this time, [[October 31]], 802, the nobles of the empire, having been concerned with her financial incompetency, took action and chose Nikephoros, Irene's finance minister, as emperor. Nikephoros was then crowned by [[Tarasius of Constantinople|Patriarch Tarasius]] in [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|St Sophia Cathedral]].

Irene's place in the Orthodox Christian church is that of a strong defender of the veneration of images. This came at a critical point in history, when the eastern empire was controlled by iconoclasts. With the election of Tarasius as the [[Patriarch]] of [[Constantinople]] on [[December 25]], 784, she was able to convene the Seventh Ecumenical Council. Initially convened in Constantinople on [[August 1]], 786, the council was moved to Nicea in May 787 because of the instigated opposition in Constantinople of soldiers loyal to the iconoclasts who forced the dissolution of the 786 sessions. Learning from the experience in Constantinople, Irene arranged that the council in 787 would be away from the capital, in [[Nicea]], which incidentally was the site of [[Constantine the Great]]'s council of 325. This council, in contrast with the [[robber council]] of 754 in Hieria, was attended by the patriarchs or their representatives. The council affirmed the principle of veneration of [[icon]]s and declared iconoclasm a [[heresy]].

After her deposition, the forces for iconoclasm returned to power, finally to be defeated under another strong iconodule leader, the Empress Theodora.

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*[http://www.roman-emperors.org/irene.htm Empress Irene]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_%28empress%29 Empress Irene]