Born circa 752, in Athens; died Aug. 9, 803, on the island of Lesbos. Byzantine empress from 797 to 802. Wife of Emperor Leo IV (ruled 775–780).
After the death of Leo, Irene became regent for her son, Constantine VI, and later ruled with him. A supporter of the icon worshippers, Irene convened an ecumenical council in Nicaea in 787, which temporarily restored icon veneration. In the struggle for power, she blinded her son (797) and succeeded in being proclaimed sole ruler.
In 802, Charlemagne sent an embassy to Byzantium with a marriage proposal for Irene in order to unite both empires; the Byzantine nobles, however, prevented that course of action. Irene was deposed by a court revolt.