Editing Irene of Athens (section)

===Selection and marriage===
It is unclear why and how Irene was selected as the bride for the young Leo IV.{{sfn|Garland|1999|page=73}}{{sfn|Karagianni|2013|pp=12-13}} The influence of the prominent Sarantepechos family in the theme of [[Hellas (theme)|Hellas]] likely played a part in the selection of Irene as the wife of the emperor's son, indicating the emperor's interest in restoring order in the Greek mainland.{{sfn|Herrin|2004|pp=55-57}}{{sfn|Turner|2021|p=823}} Especially unusual is that, while Constantine V was a militant iconoclast who was known for persecuting venerators of icons, Irene herself displayed iconophile predilections.{{sfn|Garland|1999|page=73}} This fact, combined with the limited information available about her family, has led some scholars to speculate that Irene may have been selected in a [[bride-show]], in which eligible young women were paraded before the bridegroom until one was finally selected.{{sfn|Garland|1999|page=73}}{{sfn|Karagianni|2013|pp=12-13}} If this was the case, then she would have been the first imperial bride to be selected in this manner.{{sfn|Garland|1999|page=73}} However, there is no solid evidence to support this hypothesis other than the apparent oddity of Irene's selection as Leo IV's bride.{{sfn|Garland|1999|page=73}}

Irene arrived in [[Constantinople]] on 1 November 769, escorted, per [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes]], by decorated ''[[Dromon|dromones]]'' and ''{{transliteration|el|chelandia}}'' ([[warship]]s ang [[galley]]s). She was betrothed to 19-year-old [[Leo IV the Khazar|Leo IV]], the son of emperor [[Constantine V]], on 3 November at the [[Church of the Virgin of the Pharos|Church of the Virgin of Pharos]].{{sfn|Garland|1999|pp=73-74}}{{sfn|Herrin|2004|pp=51-52}} The coronation took place the following month, on 17 December, in [[Augoustaion]] and was followed by the couple's marriage at the [[Palace of Daphne]] within the [[Great Palace of Constantinople]].{{sfn|Garland|1999|pp=73-74}}{{sfn|Herrin|2004|pp=51-52}}{{sfn|Theophanes|loc=AM 6261}} On 14 January 771, Irene gave birth to a son, the future [[Constantine VI]], who was named after his grandfather, Irene's father-in-law, Constantine V.{{sfn|Theophanes|loc=AM 6262}} When Constantine V died in September 775, Leo IV ascended to the throne at the age of twenty-five, and Irene became empress consort.{{sfn|Garland|1999|page=74}}{{sfn|Karagianni|2013|p=13}}