Byzantine Emperors

This is a list of the Emperors of the late Roman Empire, called (ruled 476 - 491) – restored

  • (or Ηράκλειος) (575 - 641, ruled 610 - 641) – usurper; son of the Armenian Exarch of Africa
  • (Κώνστας Β' Ηράκλειος) (630 - 668, ruled 641 - 668) – son of Constantine III; assassinated by chamberlain
  • (Θεοδόσιος Γ' ο Αδραμμυττηνός) (ruled 715 - 717) – tax-collector; abdicated & entered monastery

    Isaurian dynasty

  • Leon the Isaurian against the Arabs

    • (Σταυράκιος Φωκάς) ( ? - 812, ruled 811) – son of Nicephorus I; paralyzed
    • Michael I Rhangabes (Μιχαήλ Α' ο Ραγκαβέ) (ruled 811 - 813) – son-in-law of Nicephorus I & master of the palace; deposed & entered monastery

    Non-dynastic

    • Leo V the Armenian (Λέων Ε' ο Αρμένιος) (775 - 820, ruled 813 - 820) – Strategos; assassinated

    Phrygian dynasty

    • Michael II the Stammerer or the Amorian (Μιχαήλ Β' ο Τραυλός η Ψηλλος) (770 - 829, ruled 820 - 829) – Strategos, son-in-law of Constantine VI
    • Theophilus (Θεόφιλος) (813 - 842, ruled 829 - 842) – son of Michael II
    • Ste. Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (ruled 842 - 855) – wife of Theophilus; empress and regent for Michael III; canonized by the Orthodox church; deposed & entered monastery
    • Michael III the Drunkard (Μιχαήλ Γ' ο Μέθυσος) (840 - 867, ruled 842 - 867) – son of Theophilus; assassinated

    Macedonian dynasty

    • Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α') (811 - 886, ruled 867 - 886) - married Michael III's widow; died in hunting accident
    • Leo VI the Wise (Λέων ΣΤ' ο Σοφός) (866 - 912, ruled 886 - 912) – likely either son of Basil I or Michael III;
    • Alexander III (Αλέξανδρος Γ' του Βυζαντίου) (870 - 913, ruled 912 - 913) – son of Basil I, regent for nephew
    • Constantine VII the Purple-born (Κωνσταντίνος Ζ' ο Πορφυρογέννητος) (905-959, ruled 913 - 959) – son of Leo VI
    • Romanus I Lecapenus (Ρωμανός Α' ο Λεκαπηνός) (870 - 948, ruled 919 - 944) – father-in-law of Constantine VII; coemperor, deposed by his sons & entered monastery
    • Romanus II the Purple-born (Ρωμανός Β' ο Πορφυρογέννητος) (939 - 963, ruled 959 - 963) – son of Constantine VII , his wife was Theophano





    • Nicephorus II Phocas (Νικηφόρος Β' Φωκάς ή Νικηφόρος Β' ο Φωκάς) (912 - 969, ruled 963 - 969) – Strategos; married Romanus II's widow, regent for Basil; assassinated
    • John I Tzimisces (Ιωάννης Α' Κουρκούας ο Τσιμισκής) (925 - 976, ruled 969 - 976) – brother-in-law of Romanus II, lover of Nicephorus's wife but banned from marriage, regent for Basil
    • Basil II the Bulgar-slayer (Βασίλειος Β' ο Βουλγαροκτόνος) (958 - 1025, ruled 976 - 1025) – son of Romanus II
    • Constantine VIII (Κωνσταντίνος Η')(960-1028, ruled 1025 - 1028) – son of Romanus II; silent coemperor with Basil II
    • Zoe I (Ζωή Α') ((c. 978 - 1050, ruled 1028 - 1050) – daughter of Constantine VIII
    • Romanus III Argyrus (Ρωμανός Γ' ο Αργυρός) (968 - 1034, ruled 1028 - 1034) – eparch of Constantinople; Zoe's first husband, arranged by Constantine VIII; murdered
    • Michael IV the Paphlagonian (Μιχαήλ Δ' ο Παφλαγών) (1010 - 1041, ruled 1034 - 1041) – Zoe's second husband
    • Michael V the Caulker (Μιχαήλ Ε' ο Καλαφάτης) (1015 - 1042, ruled 1041 - 1042) – Michael IV's nephew, Zoe's adopted son
    • Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (980 - 1056, ruled 1042) – daughter of Constantine VIII, coempress with Zoe
    • Constantine IX Monomachus (Κωνσταντίνος Θ' ο Μονομάχος) (1000 - 1055, ruled 1042 - 1055) – Zoe's third husband
    • Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (ruled 1055 - 1056) – restored

    Non-dynastic

    • Michael VI the Bellicose (Μιχαήλ ΣΤ' ο Στρατιωτικός) (ruled 1056 - 1057) – chosen by Theodora; deposed & entered monastery

    Comnenid dynasty

    • Isaac I Comnenus (Ισαάκιος Α' ο Κομνηνός) (c. 1007 - 1060, ruled 1057 - 1059) – soldier; abdicated in a fit of illness & entered monastery

    Doukid dynasty

    • Constantine X Ducas (Κωνσταντίνος Ι' ο Δούκας) (1006 - 1067, ruled 1059 - 1067) – selected by Michael Psellus the Younger
    • Michael VII Ducas Quarter-short (Μιχαήλ Ζ' Δούκας Παραπινάκης) (1050 - 1090, ruled 1067 - 1078) – son of Constantine X, originally coemperor with two brothers and Romanus; deposed & entered monastery

      Romanus IV and his wife Eudocia Makrembolitissa , who was also the wife of Constantine X

    • Romanus IV Diogenes (Ρωμανός Δ' Διογένης) (1032 - 1072, ruled 1068 - 1071) – married Constantine X's widow; coemperor, deposed & mutilated to death
    • Nicephorus III Botaniates (Νικηφόρος Γ' Βοτανειάτης) (1001 - 1081, ruled 1078 - 1081) – Strategos claiming descent from the Fabii, bigamously married Michael VII's wife; deposed & forced into monastery

    Comnenid dynasty (restored)

    • Alexius I Comnenus (Αλέξιος Α' Κομνηνός) (1057 - 1118, ruled 1081 - 1118) – nephew of Isaac I, married Constantine X's grandniece
    • John II Comnenus the Beautiful (Ιωάννης Β' Κομνηνός o Καλος) (1087 - 1143, ruled 1118 - 1143) – son of Alexius I, died of a hunting accident
    • Manuel I Comnenus the Great (Μανουήλ Α' Κομνηνός ο Μέγας) (1118 - 1180, ruled 1143 - 1180) – son of John II
    • Alexius II Comnenus (Αλέξιος B' Κομνηνός) (1169 - 1183, ruled 1180 - 1183) – son of Manuel I; murdered with garrotte
    • Andronicus I Comnenus (Ανδρόνικος Α' Κομνηνός) (1118 - 1185, ruled 1183 - 1185) – nephew of John II; married Alexius II's widow; deposed, tortured & executed; font of the Komnenid line in Trapezountas

    Angelid dynasty

    • Isaac II Angelus (Ισαάκιος Β' Άγγελος) (1156 - 1204, ruled 1185 - 1195) – great-grandson of Alexius I, deposed & blinded
    • Alexius III Angelus (Αλέξιος Γ' Άγγελος) (1153 - 1211, ruled 1195 - 1203) – brother of Isaac II, deposed by IV Crusade & eventually forced into monastery
    • Alexius IV Angelus (Αλέξιος Δ' Άγγελος) (1182 - 1204, ruled 1203 - 1204) – son of Isaac II, deposed & executed
    • Isaac II Angelus (ruled 1203 - 1204) – largely witless, restored as coemperor with Alexius IV, deposed
    • Alexius V Ducas the Bushy-eyebrowed (Αλέξιος Ε' Δούκας ο Μούρτζουφλος) (1140 - 1204, ruled 1204) – son-in-law of Alexius III

    The Great Seal of the Laskarid dynasty

    Laskarid dynasty (in exile in the Empire of Nicaea)

    • Theodore I Lascaris (Θεόδωρος Α' Λάσκαρης) (1174 - 1222, ruled 1204 - 1222) – son-in-law of Alexius III
    • John III Ducas Vatatzes (Ιωάννης Γ' Δούκας Βατάτζης) (1192 - 1254, ruled 1222 - 1254) – son-in-law of Theodore I; epileptic
    • Theodore II Lascaris (Θεόδωρος Β' Λάσκαρης) (1221 - 1258, ruled 1254 - 1258) – son of John III
    • John IV Lascaris (Ιωάννης Δ' Λάσκαρης) (1250 - 1305, ruled 1258 - 1261) – son of Theodore II, deposed, blinded & imprisoned by Michael VIII

    Palaeologid Dynasty (restored to Constantinople)

    • Michael VIII Palaeologus (Μιχαήλ Η' Παλαιολόγος) (1224 - 1282, ruled 1259 - 1282) – Strategos, regent for John IV Lascaris; great-grandson of Alexius III Angelus
    • Andronicus II Palaeologus the Elder (Ανδρόνικος Β' ο Γέρος) (1258 - 1332, ruled 1282 - 1328) – son of Michael VIII; abdicated
    • Andronicus III Palaeologus the Younger (Ανδρόνικος Γ' Παλαιολόγος ο Νέος) (1297 - 1341, ruled 1328 - 1341) – grandson of Andronicus II
    • John V Palaeologus (Ιωάννης Ε' Παλαιολόγος) (1332 - 1391, ruled 1341 - 1347) – son of Andronicus III, deposed by John VI

    John VI Cantacuzenus, as Emperor and monk

    • John VI Cantacuzenus (Ιωάννης Στ' Καντακουζηνός) (1292 - 1383, ruled outright 1347 - 1354) – father-in-law of John V; deposed & entered monastery as Ioasaph Christodoulos
    • John V Palaeologus (ruled 1354 - 1376) – restored, deposed by Andronicus IV
    • Andronicus IV Palaeologus (Ανδρόνικος Δ' Παλαιολόγος) (1348 - 1385, ruled 1376 - 1379) – son of John V, half-blinded following revolt, later succeeded & was deposed, revolted a third time
    • John V Palaeologus (ruled 1379 - 1390) – restored, deposed
    • John VII Palaeologus (Ιωάννης Ζ' Παλαιολόγος) (1370 - 1408, ruled 1390) – son of Andronicus IV
    • John V Palaeologus (ruled 1390 - 1391) – restored
    • Manuel II Palaeologus (Μανουήλ Β' Παλαιολόγος) (1350 - 1425, ruled 1391 - 1425) – son of John V
    • John VII Palaeologus (ruled 1399 - 1402) – restored as coemperor

      John VIII Palaeologus, bust by Antonio Averlino also known as Filarete (Greek "lover of virtue")

    • John VIII Palaeologus (Ιωάννης Η' Παλαιολόγος) (1392 - 1448, ruled 1425 - 1448) – son of Manuel II
    • Constantine XI Palaeologus Dragatses (Κωνσταντίνος ΙΑ' Παλαιολόγος Δραγάτσης) (1405 - 1453, ruled 1449 - 1453) – son of Manuel II, never crowned, died on the walls

    Osmanli

    • In 1453 Mehmed II overthrew the Byzantine Empire and claimed the title of Caesar; his successors continued this claim. See Osmanli for the complete list of Ottoman sultans.

    Palaeologid Dynasty (in exile)

    • Thomas Palaeologus (Θωμάς Παλαιολόγος) (1409 or 10 - 1465) – brother of Constantine XI; died in exile in Rome
    • Andreas Palaeologus (Ανδρέας Παλαιολόγος) (1453 - 1502) – son of Thomas; created Despot by Pope Pius II, self-styled imperator Constantinopolitanus; sold titles to Charles VIII in 1494 & granted the remainder to King Ferran II of Aragon and Queen Isabel of Castille in his will.

    See also

    Byzantine Empire, Books

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