Gregoria (Greek: Γρηγορία, fl. 641) was the Byzantine empress as the wife ofConstantine III. She participated in the minorityregency government of her son,Constans II, in 641–650.^[1]

She was a daughter ofNiketas, a first cousin ofHeraclius^[2] who had led an overland invasion ofRoman Egypt in 608 in the revolt which elevated Heraclius to the throne.Niketas fought against the representatives ofPhocas in Egypt and seems to have secured control of the province by 610.^[3]

On 5 October 610, Heraclius succeeded Phocas as the emperor. Niketas was rewarded with the social rank ofpatrician and the military position ofComes Excubitorum, commander of theExcubitors. He seems to have remained in control of Egypt and took part in the defense against the invasion ofKhosrau II of theSassanid Empire. Egypt was lost to Khosrau in 618 but Niketas survived. Niketas was then appointedExarch of theExarchate of Africa. His term started in 619 and lasted to his death in 628/629.^[3]

Her paternal grandfather was Gregorius, brother toHeraclius the Elder.^[2] Heraclius had been appointed Exarch of Africa byMaurice and lived to support the revolt of his son. But not to its conclusion. Gregorius seems to have served under the command of his brother but the extent of his role is unknown.

Gregoria was betrothed to her second cousinConstantine III, only known son of Heraclius and his first wifeEudokia. Constantine was crowned co-emperor by his father on 22 January 613.

Their marriage took place in 629/630. The groom was about seventeen years old. Gregoria was likely of equivalent age. She had arrived toConstantinople from the Western Pentapolis inCyrenaica. Since Cyrenaica was in the territory of her father Niketas, Gregoria is assumed to have been brought up under his supervision instead of that of her father-in-law.^[4] She was the junior Empress withMartina as the senior one.

Gregoria and her husband had at least two sons.Constans II was born on 7 November 630. According to Theophanes, a second son was named Theodosius. He was executed by Constans in 659/660. A genealogical theory also adds a daughter to the list of children. The daughter is given asManyanh, a purported granddaughter of Heraclius and wife ofYazdgerd III.^[5]

Heraclius died on 11 February 641. Constantine III became senior emperor with his paternal half-brotherHeraklonas as his co-ruler. Constantine died oftuberculosis between April and May of the same year. A revolt in favor of Constans resulted in the deposition of Heraklonas by September. Her son was a minor until 650, and Gregoria was most likely regent during his minority, but her acts as regent is not mentioned in Byzantine sources.^[4]

• The pages of "Heraclius" dealing with Niketas and Egypt
• The page of "The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire", vol. 2 dealing with Heraclius of Edessa

• 7th-century births
• 7th-century deaths
• Heraclian dynasty
• 7th-century Byzantine empresses
• 7th-century women regents
• Mothers of Byzantine emperors
• Byzantine regents
• 7th-century regents

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• Short description is different from Wikidata