5th century
Saint Pulcheria the Empress
Byzantine empress (399–453), sister of Theodosius II and wife of Marcian, who supported the convening of the Fourth Ecumenical Council.
Biography
Pulcheria was born in 399, daughter of Emperor Arcadius. In 414, at fifteen, she was proclaimed Augusta and took over the guardianship of her young brother Theodosius II, after taking a vow of virginity.
She wielded significant influence on the ecclesiastical affairs of her time, taking part in the Council of Ephesus and guiding the convening of the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon.
After Theodosius died in 450, she married Marcian without breaking her vow of virginity, and died three years later, in 453.