Helena Dragaš
Helena Dragaš | |
|---|---|
A miniature from the Louvre. Ivoires 100 manuscript, depicting Helena | |
| Saint Hypomone | |
| Born | Helena Dragaš c. 1372 |
| Died | 23 March 1450 Constantinople, Byzantine Empire (now Istanbul, Turkey) |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Major shrine | Monastery of Saint Patapios, Loutraki, Greece |
| Feast | 29 May |
| Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire | |
| Tenure | 1392–1425 (with Irene Gattilusio, 1399–1408; Anna of Moscow, 1416–1417) |
| Spouse | Manuel II Palaiologos |
| Issue | |
| House | Dejanović (birth) Palaiologos (marriage) |
| Father | Konstantin Dejanović |
| Mother | Konstantin's first wife |
| Religion | Orthodox Christian |
Helena Dragaš (Serbian: Јелена Драгаш, romanized: Jelena Dragaš; Greek: Ἑλένη Δραγάση, romanized: Helénē Dragásē; c. 1372 – 23 March 1450) was the Empress consort of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos and the mother of the last two emperors, John VIII Palaiologos and Constantine XI Palaiologos. She served as the regent of the Byzantine Empire after the death of her son John VIII in 1448 until the enthronement of her son Constantine XI in 1449.
Born into Serbian nobility, she later became a nun and is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church under her monastic name, Saint Hypomone (Ὑπομονὴ), which is translated into English as Saint Patience.