Marriage
On 17 August 1355 Keratsa was betrothed to the future Emperor Andronikos IV Palaiologos. The marital document issued by the Patriarchate stated that "it would be beneficial to the Christians: Byzantines and Bulgarians, and pernicious to the infidels (the Turks)".
In 1373, her husband attempted to occupy the absolute governance of the empire, but he failed. Concequently, the whole family (Andronicus, Keratsa and little John) were sent into prison, until, three years later, they were liberated by the Genoese. On 12 August 1376, Andronikos IV deposed his father John V Palaiologos and replaced him as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, with Keratsa as his Empress consort. The new imperial couple remained in control of Constantinople until 1 July 1379. John V was then restored to his throne. Andronikos IV was declared co-emperor but conflict between father and son lasted until the death of the latter in 1385.
Keratsa spent the later part of her life as a nun under the name Mathissa. She died in 1390.
Read more about this topic: Keratsa Of Bulgaria
Famous quotes containing the word marriage:
“Our home has been nothing but a play-room. I’ve been your doll-wife here, just as at home I was Papa’s doll-child. And the children have been my dolls in their turn. I liked it when you came and played with me, just as they liked it when I came and played with them. That’s what our marriage has been, Torvald.”
—Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906)
“Who of us is mature enough for offspring before the offspring themselves arrive? The value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults.”
—Peter De Vries (20th century)