Actress, Mistress, Empress

The Bridgeman Art Library

The first stop in my upcoming vacation is Istanbul, where I will be staying at a little hotel called the Empress Theodora. As I am not, I shamefacedly admit, up on my (or anyone's) history, I thought I should at least find out about this person for whom the hotel was named. Turns out she was quite a remarkable individual and in many ways the power behind ~ or rather beside ~ the man, Justinian I. It is reported that he wept bitterly and openly at her funeral, so attached they were to each other. Here's a basic bio of her: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/medbyzantempress/a/theodora.htm
   Theodora biographer Stella Duffy wrote a column for the Guardian about her subject that goes into more ~ and more tantalizing ~ detail: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jun/10/theodora-empress-from-the-brothel