Background
Euphrosyne was the daughter of Andronikos Doukas Kamateros, a high-ranking official who held the titles of megas droungarios and pansebastos (died 1176) and wife, an unknown Kantakouzene.
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Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina
Edit ProfileByzantine Emperor empress of Alexios I Komnenos
Career
She was related to the Emperor Constantine X and Irene Doukaina, empress of Alexios I Komnenos. Euphrosyne married Alexios Angelos, the older brother of the future Emperor Isaac II Angelos in c. 1169. In this he was assisted by Euphrosyne, who had organized a party of aristocratic supporters.
Euphrosyne was a dominating woman with a talent for politics, and she virtually ruled the Empire in the name of Alexios III, who was concerned primarily with pleasure and idle pursuits.
She issued commands herself and even altered Alexios" decrees when it suited her, and secured the recall of the capable minister Constantine Mesopotamites. Euphrosyne and Alexios were criticized for their love of finery and the enrichment of their relatives at state expense.
Alexios III believed the allegations and had Vatatzes executed. Euphrosyne was stripped of her imperial robes and banished to a convent at Nematarea in October 1196.
However, her relatives convinced Alexios to reinstate her, and she was recalled six months later in spring 1197.
Euphrosyne was left behind and was immediately imprisoned by the new regime. Alexios III had Alexios V blinded and abandoned to the crusaders, who had him executed. Euphrosyne and Alexios III fled across Greece to Thessalonica and Corinth, but were finally captured by Boniface of Montferrat and imprisoned.
She died in 1210 or 1211.
Eirene Angelina, who married (1) Andronikos Kontostephanos. (2) Alexios Palaiologos, by whom she was the grandmother of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos.
Anna Angelina, who married (1) the sebastokratōr Isaac Komnenos, great-nephew of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. (2) Emperor Theodore I Laskaris of Nicaea.
Eudokia Angelina, who married (1) King Stefan I Prvovenčani of Serbia.
(2) Emperor Alexios V Doukas. (3) Leo Sgouros, ruler of Corinth.
