Marina Smilets of Bulgaria

Marina Smilets (, before 1292 – 7 April 1355) was the eldest daughter of tsar Smilets of Bulgaria and his Byzantine wife, tentatively called Smiltsena Palaiologina. Family The date and the place of Marina's birth are unknown, but she was born before her father's ascension on the Bulgarian throne in 1292, maybe in his official residence in Kran. Marina's mother was the daughter of Constantine Palaiologos (half-brother of Michael VIII). In the histories she was called Smiltsena (Bulgarian: Смилцена; the wife of Smilets), without a name being given. Marina was the elder sister of tsar Ivan II of Bulgaria and Teodora, queen-consort of Serbia. Marina was maternal aunt of Emperor Stefan Dušan. Despotissa of Kran Tsar Smilets died in 1298 and Ivan II of Bulgaria succeeded him as emperor in Tarnovo. The new tsar was a child, and the government was in the hands of the widowed empress Smiltsena. Marina's mother apparently defeated Smilets' brothers Radoslav and Voysil, who sought refuge in the Byzantine Empire and entered into Byzantine service. To meet this threat and the invasion of the Mongol prince Chaka, Smiltsena sought an alliance with Aldimir (Eltimir), the brother of the former ruler George Terter I. Aldimir was accordingly married to Marina and, if this had not happened earlier, was given the title of despotēs and invested with an extensive landholding around Kran. As his wife, Marina was granted the title of despotissa of Kran. Despina Marina gave birth to a son, called Ivan Dragushin.