11. Irene, Empress of the Byzantine Empire, had her own son’s eyes gouged out in an attempt to solidify her position as the sole ruler of the Eastern Romans
Irene of Athens, also known as Irene Sarantapechaina, was Empress Consort to the Byzantine Emperor Leo IV, before serving as Regent during the early reign of her son Constantine VI, and final ruling in her own right as Empress Regent from 797 until 802. After the death of her husband in 780, Irene was appointed to serve as regent for her nine-year-old son, Constantine. Successfully combating a conspiracy to supplant her son in favor of Caesar Nikephoros, a half-brother of Leo IV, she also quelled rebellions in Sicily and maintained the territorial integrity of the empire under attack from external rivals.
However, Irene’s position as ruler was not without challenge and as soon as Constantine reached adulthood, efforts were made to sideline his mother. After several efforts to proclaim him sole ruler in the 790s, Irene responded with her own conspiracy. In 797, Irene arranged for the capture of her son as he attempted to escape her custody, whereupon she ordered his eyes to be gouged out. Constantine would die of his injuries stemming from this event seventeen days later. Opposing sole female rule, Pope Leo III proclaimed Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor in her place, whilst Irene was herself overthrown in 802 to die in exile on the island of Lesbos.