Despina Khatun
Theodora Megale Komnene (), also known as Despina Khatun (; from the Greek title despoina and Turco-Mongol title khatun, both meaning "lady"), was the daughter of John IV of Trebizond and Bagrationi who married the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan in 1458. She became the mother of Halima Alamshah Hatun who became the mother of first Safavid king, Shah Ismail I. Some older writers refer to her as "Catherine". Charles Diehl has shown that it was based on Du Cange’s misunderstanding of the Mongol title "Khatun" as "Catherine". John IV agreed to the marriage only if his daughter was allowed to continue her Orthodox Christian religion, a condition which Uzun Hasan agreed upon. Despina was famous for her extreme beauty amongst the Greek women. She was accompanied by a group of Orthodox Christian priests and was allowed to build Orthodox churches in Iran. Uzun Hasan strengthened his anti-Ottoman alliance by this marriage and gained the support of many Greeks, Armenians, and Georgians. Marriage between Christians and Muslim rulers, although uncommon, was not unprecedented. Speros Vryonis provides several examples from the Sultanate of the Seljuk Turks, beginning with Kilij Arslan II. A later example is Michael VIII Palaiologos marrying off his illegitimate daughters Euphrosyne and Maria to Nogai Khan and Abaqa Khan respectively. Previous Emperors of Trebizond had married off their female relatives, most notably Alexios III, during whose reign two of his sisters and two of his daughters were married to rulers of neighboring Muslim states. In Western Europe, Theodora inspired the myth of the "Princess of Trebizond", a fixture of tales of damsels in distress as well as of a possible grand Crusade against the Ottoman Turks. The legend inspired several artists, including Pisanello and Jacques Offenbach. Early life Theodora was daughter of John IV and his first wife Bagrationi, a daughter of King Alexander I In 1458 she was married to Uzun Hasan, Khan of the Turkoman tribe of Aq Qoyunlu; her uncle David gave her away at the marriage. Political marriage At the time of marriage, the Empire of her father John faced a serious threat. Constantinople had fallen to the Ottoman sultan, Mehmet II in 1453. In 1456, Mehmet ordered his governor Chetir, to capture Trebizond; the attack failed, but John was forced to pay tribute to Mehmet to prevent further attacks. Mehmet gradually annexed the last Palaiologian possessions in the Morea, completing the task with the conquest of Mistra on 29 May 1460. An alliance with the powerful Aq Qoyunlu tribe, who were the Ottomans' most powerful rival, appeared more than beneficial. Trebziond and the Aq Qoyunlu had a history of co-operation, for they had concluded a political marriage in the past: Theodora's great-great aunt had married Qara Osman, emir of the Aq Qoyunlu. Theodora was famed for her beauty. An unknown Venetian traveller wrote, "it was common opinion that there was at that time no woman of greater beauty; and throughout all Persia the fame of her great beauty and supreme charm spread." Uzun