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Simonida
Queen Simonida of Serbia, a fresco fromGračanica monastery
Queen consort of Serbia
Tenure	1299–1321
Born	c. 1294 Constantinople,Byzantine Empire
Died	after 1345 Constantinople
Spouse	KingStefan Milutin
Dynasty	Nemanjić (by marriage) Palaiologos
Father	EmperorAndronikos II Palaiologos
Mother	Irene of Montferrat

Simonida Nemanjić (Serbian Cyrillic:Симонида Немањић;c. 1294 – after 1336), bornSimonis Palaiologina (Greek:Σιμωνίς Παλαιολογίνα, sr. Симонида Палеолог,Simonida Paleolog), was aByzantine princess andqueen consort of theKingdom of Serbia as the fourth wife ofSerbian kingStefan Milutin (r. 1282–1321). She was a daughter of theByzantine EmperorAndronikos II Palaiologos (r. 1282–1328) andIrene of Montferrat. InMedieval Serbia Simonida is best remembered as a patron of the Arts, Music and Literature.^[1]

Simonida was born inConstantinoplec. 1294. In 1298, as a result of a Byzantine defeat, Emperor Andronikos II promised a marriage alliance to theSerbian ruler Milutin. Initially, Andronikos II intended to wed his sisterEudokia, theempress-dowager of Trebizond, but after she refused, Simonida was proposed instead.^[2] Church circles in Constantinople opposed the marriage, but the emperor was determined to push the deal through, and in late 1298 he sent his trusted ministerTheodore Metochites to Serbia to conduct the negotiations. On his part, Milutin too was eager to accept, and even divorced his third wife,Ana Terter, the daughter of theBulgarian tsarGeorge Terter.^[2] Simonida was five years old, and Milutin was almost 50, was married three times, with adult children.^[3] The marriage was celebrated inThessalonica in spring 1299, and the couple departed for Serbia in April.^[2] As a wedding present, Byzantines recognized Serbian rule north of the lineOhrid—Prilep—Štip.^[3]

Simonida showed great interest in theology at a rather young age and wanted to become anun.^[3] After her mother Irene died in 1317, Simonida attended her funeral in Constantinople and decided not to return to Serbia after nearly a decade and a half of discussion.^[3] When Milutin's men came for her, she came to them inmonastic habit. They were shocked, but her own half-brotherConstantine Palaiologos took off her monastic habit and ordered her to take the civil dress. He then sent her to Serbia with Milutin's men, although she was reluctant to go.^[3] After Milutin threatened to start a war, Simonida came back to him.^[3] She was 22 years old.^[3] When Milutin fell ill, she was beside him all the time, much to the surprise of the rest of the court.^[3] Milutin died on 19 October 1321, and already on 29 October, Simonida returned to Constantinople, where she entered the monastery ofSaint Andrew in Krisei as a nun.^[3]

There is very little information about her later life. It is known that she ordered afuneral song for her father's funeral. Simonida was last mentioned in historical documents in 1336 as an attendee at an assembly of civil and religious dignitaries, who prosecuted the conspirators against the government.^[3] She died some time after 1345.^[3]

Her beauty was well known, and she was known as a figure of purity and beauty in Serbian tradition. Afresco of her inGračanica monastery is regarded as one of the most valuable frescoes inSerbian art.^[3] Unfortunately, the fresco is partly ruined, so that Simonida has no eyes.

She brought a large entourage to Serbia, and with her arrival, Serbia received a massive injection of Byzantine culture. Byzantine-style court ceremonials and dress were adopted, Byzantine functional and honorary titles appeared, court offices were renamed, and Byzantine administrative, fiscal and legal institutions were copied. Byzantinization was further expanded by Serbia's newly won populous Greek-speaking regions, in which Milutin retained all former Byzantine political, social and cultural activities. Strangely enough, none of this would have happened due to a near-death experience in 1303 during a small festival being held in Ras. A maid had nearly killed her by jumping off a known balcony but had failed to do so.^[4]

Milan Rakić wrote alyric poem about her namedSimonida,^[3] andMilutin Bojić wrote a psychological drama calledKraljeva Jesen ("King's autumn") about her.^[3][5] Asteroid1675 Simonida discovered by Serbian astronomerMilorad B. Protić was named after her.^[3]

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• Kassia
• Anna Komnene
• Jefimija
• Princess Milica of Serbia
• Saint Angelina of Serbia
• Mara Branković
• Olivera Despina
• Jelena Balšić
• Saint Helen of Serbia
• Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina
• Nicodemus of Tismana

• Đorđević, A. (2010)."The frescos Simonida in the Serbian poetry of the 20th century"(PDF).Baština (28):65–74.

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• 1294 births
• 1340s deaths
• 14th-century Serbian royalty
• 14th-century Byzantine nuns
• Queens consort of Serbia
• Greek women of the Byzantine Empire
• Medieval Serbian royal consorts
• Medieval Serbian people
• Palaiologos dynasty
• Nemanjić dynasty
• Daughters of Byzantine emperors
• 14th-century Serbian women

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