Rita of Armenia

Rita of Armenia
Seal of Rita of Armenia (under the name Maria Doukaina Palaiologina)
Byzantine Empress consort
Tenure	16 January 1294 – 12 October 1320
Born	10/11 January 1278
Died	July 1333 (aged 55)
Spouse	Michael IX Palaiologos
Issue	Andronikos III Palaiologos Manuel Palaiologos, Despotes Anna Palaiologina, Despoina of Epirus and Countess of Cephalonia Theodora Palaiologina, Empress of Bulgaria
Dynasty	Hethumid (By Birth) Palaiologos (Marriage)
Father	Levon II of Armenia
Mother	Keran, Queen of Armenia

Rita of Armenia (Greek: Μαρία; 10/11 January 1278 – July 1333) was an Armenian Princess. She was a Byzantine Empress consort by marriage to Michael IX Palaiologos.^[1]

She was the daughter of King Levon II of Armenia and Queen Keran. She was the wife of Byzantine co-emperor Michael IX Palaiologos, making her a junior empress-consort of the Byzantine Empire. In 1317, she became the only empress upon the death of the senior empress, Irene of Montferrat. She was known as Maria in Constantinople.