The Last Byzntine Empress

Empress Helena - st. Hypomone

Empress Helena Dragases Palaiologina (Greek: Ελένη Δραγάση Παλαιολογίνα) or Jelena Dragaš Dejanović (1365-1450), also known by her monastic name Hypomone (Patience), was a daughter of Constantine Dragaš, a regional Serbian lord in a realm centered at Velbužd (Kyustendil), and great-granddaughter of Serbian King St. Stephen of Decani.
On 10 February, 1392, Helena married Manuel II Palaiologos, Byzantine Emperor. They had several children. Manuel II died on 21 July, 1425. Helena survived him by almost twenty five years. She retired to a monastery and died on March 23, 1450 in Constantinople.

Her children included the last two Byzantine emperors. Constantine XI renamed himself after her maiden name Dragaš (in Greek, Dragasēs), adding it to his own.