Maria Argyra (alsoArgyre orArgyropoulina) (Greek:Μαρία Ἀργυρή or Ἀργυροπουλίνα; died 1006 or 1007), of theArgyros family, was the great-granddaughter of the Byzantine emperorRomanos I Lakapenos, cousin of the emperorsBasil II andConstantine VIII, and sister to the Byzantine emperorRomanos III Argyros.[1]
In theChronicon Venetum byJohn the Deacon, it is mentioned that Maria was the daughter of a noblepatrician, called Argyropoulos, who was a descendant of the imperial family. This information is confirmed by the chronicle ofAndrea Dandolo, who says that she was the niece of the emperorBasil II. More precisely, she was the sister of the future emperorRomanos III Argyros and the daughter of (Marianos?) Argyros, the son ofRomanos Argyros and Agathe, daughter of the emperorRomanos I Lakapenos. This made her the second cousin of the emperorsBasil II andConstantine VIII, likewise great-grandchildren of Romanos I, through another of his daughters,Helene.[2]
In 1004 Maria was married toGiovanni Orseolo, the son of theDoge of VenicePietro II Orseolo. The marriage was celebrated in the imperial chapel ofConstantinople with full imperial pageantry – the couple was blessed by the patriarch, golden wedding crowns were placed on their heads by the two emperorsBasil II andConstantine VIII and there followed three days of festivities in one of the palaces calledYconomium.[3] Maria brought to her husband great dowry, including a palace in the imperial capital, where they lived after the wedding. Basil also honored Maria's husband with the title of patrician.
Before they leftConstantinople, Maria Argyra was already pregnant and begged the emperor for pieces of the holy relics ofSaint Barbara, which were brought to Venice by her. Maria Argyre andGiovanni Orseolo had a son, Basilio, who was named after his uncle, Maria's brother Basileios Argyros-Mesardonites or Emperor Basil II, or both.[4]
In 1006 or 1007 Maria, along with her husband and son, died whenplague swept through thecity-state.
Half a century after her death, she was criticised byPeter Damian for her use of a fork for eating (forks being unfamiliar in Western Europe at the time), perfumes, and dew for bathing, although these criticisms were later mistakenly believed to be aimed at another Byzantine princess, the dogaressaTheodora Doukaina.[5]
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