ANNA DALASSENA

'Anna Dalassena' (1025-1102) was an important Byzantine noblewoman who rose to position comparable to that of an Empress-Mother during the reign of her son Alexios I Komnenos.
She married Johannes Komnenos, a nephew of Emperor Isaac I Komnenos (Emperor from 1057 to 1059).
Her younger son Alexios I Komnenos rose to the throne after vicissitudes of politics. Alexius was for many years under the strong influence of her éminence grise. She is described as a wise and immensely able politician and acted as regent during the absences of her son.
She was in a uniquely irregular fashion, crowned as ''Empress Augusta'' by her son the emperor, instead of the rightful claimant to the title, Irene Doukaina. Irene was the wife of Alexios and a daughter-in-law of Anna herself.
Anna Dalassena was the effective administrator of the Empire during the long absences of Alexios in war campaigns: she was constantly at odds with her daughter-in-law Irene and had assumed total responsibility for the upbringing and education of her granddaughter Anna Komnene.