Dobrodeia of Kiev facts for kids

Dobrodeia of Kiev was a princess from Rus', an old region that included parts of modern-day Ukraine and Russia. She married Alexios Komnenos, who was a co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Dobrodeia was also a talented writer and studied medicine.

Her Early Life and Marriage

Dobrodeia was born in Kyiv around the early 1100s. Her father was Mstislav I of Kiev, and her mother was Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden.

Around the year 1122, Dobrodeia married Alexios Komnenos. Alexios was the oldest son of John II Komnenos, who was the emperor of the Byzantine Empire. When she married Alexios, Dobrodeia became an empress. She also took a new name, Irene, which was the same name as her mother-in-law, Empress Irene of Hungary. Dobrodeia and Alexios had one daughter together, named Maria, who was born around 1125.

A Scholar and Healer

In the Byzantine capital city of Constantinople, Dobrodeia joined a group of smart and educated women. This group included Alexios' aunt, Anna Komnene, who was a famous historian. Dobrodeia was encouraged to explore her own interests in learning. She studied a lot and was known for her wisdom. People at the time said she "learned all the wisdom of the Greeks."

Dobrodeia was very interested in healing and medicine. She created her own medical salves, which are like healing ointments. She even wrote a book about them called "Ointments" (Alimma in Greek). This book is believed to be the first medical book ever written by a woman. Some parts of her work are still kept in the Medici Library in Florence, Italy.

She also studied the works of an ancient Greek physician named Galen. Dobrodeia even translated some of Galen's writings into Old East Slavic, which was the language of her home country.

Dobrodeia died on November 16, 1131. The reason for her death is not known. After she passed away, Alexios Komnenos is thought to have married his next wife, Kata of Georgia.