15 Facts About Sophia Palaiologina

Sophia Fominichna Palaiologina or Paleologue was a Byzantine princess from the Palaiologos imperial dynasty and the grand princess of Moscow as the second wife of Ivan III of Russia.

Sophia Palaiologina's father was Thomas Palaiologos, the despot of the Morea.

Sophia Palaiologina's father was Thomas Palaiologos, Despot of the Morea and younger brother of the last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos.

Sophia Palaiologina's mother was Catherine, daughter and heiress of Centurione II Zaccaria, the last independent Prince of Achaea and Baron of Arcadia.

Sophia Palaiologina spent the next years in the court of Pope Sixtus IV.

Sophia Palaiologina was apparently not obliged to follow the custom of isolation that was practiced by elite Russian women among the wealthy boyars and the royal family.

Sophia Palaiologina is supposed to have convinced him to abandon that subordinate relationship with the Mongols in a break that was eventually completed in 1480.

Sophia Palaiologina was able to obtain a pardon for her niece and her husband in 1493, but they never returned.

Sophia Palaiologina wrote to a Venetian doctor named Leon, who imprudently promised Ivan III that he could cure the heir to the throne.

Rumors spread through Moscow that Sophia Palaiologina had poisoned the heir.

However, modern historians say that, due to lack of sources, the theory that Sophia Palaiologina poisoned Ivan the Young cannot be verified.

Sophia Palaiologina was buried in a massive white stone sarcophagus in the crypt of the Ascension Convent in the Kremlin, next to the grave of Maria of Tver, the first wife of Ivan III.

The word "Sophia Palaiologina" is carved on the lid of the sarcophagus.

Sophia Palaiologina was the subject of the 2016 Russian television series Sophia, in which she was portrayed by Mariya Andreyeva.

Sophia Palaiologina is a minor character in Dorothy Dunnett's acclaimed series of historical novels, known as The House of Niccolo, which is set in the late 15th century.