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- BIOGRAPHY
Helene was born in 1333, the daughter of Ioannes VI Palaiologos Kantakuzenos, emperor of Byzantium, and Eirene Asanina. On 28 May 1347 she married Ioannes V Palaiologos, emperor of Byzantium, son of Andronikos III Palaiologos, emperor of Byzantium, and Johanna-Anna de Savoie. Helene was about thirteen years old while her groom was a month short of his fifteenth birthday. They had at least five children, of whom Andronikos IV, Manuel II and Theodoros would have progeny.
Helene's marriage to Ioannes V sealed an agreement between him and her father, who had been rival emperors in a civil war fought from 1341 to 1347. The two sides at last reached an agreement. According to its terms her father would be recognised as senior co-emperor with her husband as his junior. Peace only lasted until 1352 when her husband resumed hostilities against her father, who was forced to resign the throne on 4 December 1354. Her brother Matthaios would retain his title as co-emperor until his own defeat in 1357.
On 12 August 1376 her husband was deposed in a coup d'état by their son Andronikos IV. Helene was held in captivity along with most of the imperial family. Andronikos IV was mainly supported by the republic of Genoa. His main opposition came from the republic of Venice, traditional enemy of Genoa, and Murad I, the ruler of the Ottoman empire, and sultan of Rûm. Andronikos IV had co-operated with Savci Bey, a son of Murad, in a combined attempt to depose their respective fathers in 1373. Murad remained hostile to him and supported Ioannes V.
Murad was responsible for the restoration of Ioannes V on 1 July 1379. Andronikos retreated to Galata which was under Genoese control. Helene was taken with him as a hostage and remained in captivity until 1381.
The conflict of Ioannes V and Andronikos IV continued to the death of the latter in 1385. Andronikos IV was replaced by his son Ioannes VII Palaiologos who managed to depose his grandfather briefly in 1390. The role of Helene in the conflict was possibly minimal as few sources even mention her.
Ioannes V was restored to the throne but died on 16 February 1391. Helene survived him and retired to the convent of Hagia Martha under the monastic name Hypomone ('Patience'). She died there as a nun on 10 December 1396.
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