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Byzantine Empire: Rulers, Statesmen, and Titleholders

The Byzantine Empire represented the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire, formally established in 330 AD, when Emperor Constantine I refounded the city of Byzantium as Constantinople, the new imperial capital. While firmly rooted in Roman law and governance, the empire gradually became increasingly influenced by Greek language, Orthodox Christianity, and Eastern traditions, evolving into a distinct political and cultural entity. It played a significant role in preserving classical knowledge, fostering theological and artistic developments, and acting as a formidable barrier against both Islamic expansion and Western incursions. The origins of the Byzantine Empire can be traced to the administrative division of the Roman Empire in the late 4th century, and its persistence was characterised by alternating periods of revival and fragmentation, particularly following the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire, as it was known in its day, continued to thrive and evolve, ultimately forming what modern historians refer to as the Byzantine Empire. Notably, the term 'Byzantine' is a retrospective label, derived from the ancient name of the city of Byzantium, employed to distinguish the Christianised eastern empire from its earlier Roman phase. However, the Byzantines themselves did not identify with this term; they referred to their state as the Roman Empire and considered themselves 'Romans,' with their emperor bearing the title 'Emperor of the Romans,' emphasising the continuity with the Roman imperial tradition. A significant rupture occurred in 1204 AD, when Latin Crusaders sacked Constantinople and established the short-lived Latin Empire. Although the Byzantines succeeded in reclaiming the city in 1261, the empire's recovery remained incomplete. The Byzantine Empire ultimately succumbed in 1453, when the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, bringing an end to over a millennium of continuous imperial rule.


Name	Tenure
Augusta
Leontia	602	••••

Byzantine Empire Countries [or part of them] that were part of the empire at various points: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Palestine, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican.
Byzantine Emperors and Empresses Co-emperors—often sons or political allies—were appointed to ensure succession or political stability, but usually held less power than the senior emperor.
►*Fall of the Western Roman Empire 476, Eastern Empire continued*
Anastasius I	491–518†	(257)
Justin I (co-Emp 527)	518–27†	Justinian (501)
Justinian I (co-Emp 527)	527–65†	Justinian (501)
Justin II	565–78†	Justinian (501)
Regent: Tiberius II (for Justin II)	574–78; †582	(501)
Tiberius II	578–82†	(501)
Maurice	582–602 dep; †602	(501)
Phocas	602–10 dep; †610	••••
Heraclius	610–41†	Heraclian (324)
Constantine III (co-Emp 613–41; 638–41†)	641†	Heraclian (324)
Co-Emperor: Heraclonas	638–41 dep; †642	Heraclian (324)
Regent: Martina (for Heraclonas)	641 dep	(324)
Constans II	641–68†	Heraclian (324)
Constantine IV (co-Emp 654–80; 659–68)	668–85†	Heraclian (324)
Co-Emperor: Heraclius	659–80 dep; 680–81 dep	Heraclian (324)
Co-Emperor: Tiberius	659–80 dep; 680–81 dep	Heraclian (324)
Justinian II (1)	685–95 dep; †711	Heraclian (324)
Leontius	695–98 dep; †706	••••
Tiberius III	698–705 dep; †706	••••
Justinian II (2)	705–11 dep; †711	Heraclian (324)
Co-Emperor: Tiberius (IV)	706–11 dep; †711	Heraclian (324)
Philippicus Bardanes	711–13 dep; †>1713	••••
Anastasius II	713–15 dep; †719	••••
Theodosius III	715–17 abd; †>754?	••••
Leo III	717–41†	Isaurian (492)
Constantine V (co-Emp 720–41)	741–75†	Isaurian (492)
Usurper: Artavasdos	741–43 dep	(492)
Leo IV	775–80†	Isaurian (492)
Constantine VI (co-Emp 776–80)	780–97; †797?	Isaurian (492)
Regent: Empress Irene (for Constantine VI)	780–90 dep; †803	(492)
Irene (co-Emp 792–97)	797–802; dep; †803	(492)
Nicephorus I	802–11†	(492)
Stauracius (co-Emp 803–11)	811 dep; †812	(492)
Michael I	811–13 dep; †844	(492)
Co-Emperor: Theophylact	811–13 dep; †849	(492)
Co-Emperor: Stauracius	811 dep; †812	(492)
Leo V	813–20†	••••
Co-Emperor: Constantine (Symbatios)	813–20 dep	••••
Michael II	820–29†	Amorian (572)
Theophilus (co-Emp 821–29)	829–42†	Amorian (572)
Co-Empress: Euphrosyne	829–30 res.; †>839	Isaurian (492)
Michael III (co-Emp 840–42)	842–67†	Amorian (572)
Regent: Empress Theodora (for Michael III)	842–55 dep; †867?	(572)
Basil I (co-Emp 866)	867–86†	Macedonians (189)
Leo VI (co-Emp 870–86)	886–912†	Macedonians (189)
Alexander (co-Emp 879–912)	912–13†	Macedonians (189)
Constantine VII (co-Emp 908–12)	913–59†	Macedonians (189)
Regency Council Leader: Nicholas I Mystikos, Patr of Constant.	913–14 dep; †925	••••
Romanus I	919–44 dep; †948	Lecapenus (752)
Co-Emperor: Christopher	921–31†	Lecapenus (752)
Co-Emperor: Constantine	924–45 dep; †946	Lecapenus (752)
Co-Emperor: Stephen	924–45 dep; †963	Lecapenus (752)
Romanus II (co-Emp 945–59)	959–63†	Macedonians (189)
Titular: Basil II (1) (co-Emp 960)	963–76; †1025†	Macedonians (189)
Titular: Constantine VIII (1) (co-Emp 960)	963–1025; †1028	Macedonians (189)
Regent: Empress Theophano (for Basil II and Constantine VIII)	963–69 dep	(189)
Nicephorus II (officially, co-Emp)	963–69†	Phocas (547)
John I	969–76†	(189)
Basil II (2)	976–1025†	Macedonians (189)
Constantine VIII (2)	1025–1028†	Macedonians (189)
Titular: Zoe (1)	1028 –42; †1050	Macedonians (189)
Romanus III	1028–34†	Argyrus (132)
Michael IV	1034–41†	(189)
Michael V	1041–42 dep; †>1042	(189)
Zoe (2) (co-Empss)	1042; †1050	Macedonians (189)
Theodora (1) (co-Empss)	1042 dep ; †1056	Macedonians (189)
Titular: Zoe (3)	1042–50†	Macedonians (189)
Constantine IX	1042–55†	Monomachus (548)
Theodora (2)	1055–56†	Macedonians (189)
Michael VI	1056–57 abd; †c. 1057	••••
Isaac I	1057–59 abd; †1061	Comnenus (82)
Constantine X	1059–67†	Ducas (100)
Michael VII (co-Emp 1059–67) (1)	1067; †c. 1090	Ducas (100)
Regent: Empress Eudocia Macrembolitissa (unofficial, for Michael VII)	1067–68; †1096	(100)
Co-Emperor: Michael VII (2)	1068–71; †c. 1090	Ducas (100)
Co-Emperor: Romanus IV	1068–71 dep; †1072	Diogenes (3500)
Michael VII (3)	1071–78 abd ; †c. 1090	Ducas (100)
Co-Emperor: Constantine (1)	1074–78 abd; †1094	Ducas (100)
Nicephorus III	1078–81 abd; †c. 1081	Bryennios (706)
Alexius I	1081–18†	Comnenus (82)
Co-Emperor: Constantine (2)	1081–92 dep; †1094	Ducas (100)
John II (co-Emp 1092–1118)	1118–43†	Comnenus (82)
Co-Emperor: Alexius	1119–42†	Comnenus (82)
Manuel I	1143–80†	Comnenus (82)
Alexius II (co-Emp 1092–1118)	1180–83 dep; †1183	Comnenus (82)
Regent: Empress Maria of Antioch (for Alexius II)	1180–82†	Poitiers (3515)
Regent: Andronicus I (for Alexius II)	1182–83; †1185	Comnenus (82)
Andronicus I	1183–85 dep; †1185	Comnenus (82)
Isaac II (1)	1185–95 dep; †1204	Angelus (5)
Alexius III	1195–1203 dep; †1213?	Angelus (5)
Isaac II (2)	1203–04; †1204	Angelus (5)
Alexius IV (co-Emp)	1203–04 dep; †1204	Angelus (5)
Alexius V	1204 dep; †1204	(5)
►Crusader conquest of Constantinople, Byzantine Empire replaced with Latin Empire 1204
Latin Emperors and Empress in Constantinople.
Baldwin I	1204–05 dep; †1205	Flanders (115)
Regent: Henry of Flanders (for Baldwin I)	1205; †1216	Flanders (115)
Henry I	1206–16†	Flanders (115)
Regent: Conan de Béthune (for Peter)	1216; †1219/20	Béthune (600)
Peter	1216–17†	Courtenay (87)
Yolande	1217–19†	Flanders (115)
Co-Regent: Conon de Béthune (for Robert)	1219; †1219/20	Béthune (600)
Co-Regent: Cardinal Giovanni Colonna (for Peter)	1219–21; †1245	Colonna (3475)
Robert	1221–28†	Courtenay (87)
Baldwin II	1228–61 dep; †1273	Courtenay (87)
Regent: Jean de Brienne (for Baldwin II)	1229–31; †1237	Brienne (1428)
Co-Emperor: Jean de Brienne	1231–37†	Brienne (1428)
►Empire collapses after Byzantine forces recapture city, Byzantine Empire restored
Titular: Philip I	1273–83†	Courtenay (87)
Titular Empress: Catherine I	1283–1307†	Courtenay (87)
Titular Empress: Catherine II	1307–46†	Valois (512)
Titular Emperor: Robert (II) of Taranto	1346–64†	Anjou (3546)
Titular Emperor: Philip (II) of Taranto	1364–73†	Anjou (3546)
Titular Emperor: Jacques de Baux	1373–83†	Baux (404)
Claimant: Louis I of Anjou	1383–84†	Anjou (512)
Emperors in Constantinople (Byzantine Emperors)
Michael VIII	1261–82†	Palaeologus (224)
Andronicus II	1282–1328 dep; †1332	Palaeologus (224)
Co-Emperor: Michael IX	1294–1320†	Palaeologus (224)
Andronicus III (co-Emp 1316–28)	1328–1341†	Palaeologus (224)
John V (1)	1341–47; †1391	Palaeologus (224)
Regent: Empress Anna (Jeanne of Savoy) (for John V)	1341–47; †1365	Savoy (254)
Rival Emperor: John VI (1)	1341–47; †1383	Cantacuzene (69)
John VI (2)	1347–54 abd; †1383	Cantacuzene (69)
Co-Emperor: John V (2)	1347–54; †1391	Palaeologus (224)
Co-Emperor: Matthew	1353–57 dep; †1383	Cantacuzene (69)
John V (2)	1354–76 dep; †1391	Palaeologus (224)
Andronicus IV	1376–79 dep; †1379	Palaeologus (224)
John V (3)	1379–90 dep; †1391	Palaeologus (224)
John VII	1390 dep; †1408	Palaeologus (224)
John V (4)	1390–91†	Palaeologus (224)
Manuel II (co-Emp 1373–91)	1391–1425†	Palaeologus (224)
Regent: Emperor John VII (for Manuel II)	1399–1403; †1408	Palaeologus (224)
John VIII (co-Emp 1421–25)	1425–48†	Palaeologus (224)
Constantine XI	1449–1453†	Palaeologus (224)
►Empire collapses after Ottoman invasion 1453

Curopalates (An administrative role prior to 552)
Domentziolus	603–10	••••

Patricius (honorific title bestowed at the prerogative of the emperor)
Philippicus	<603; †>614	(501)
Priscus	c.593; †613	••••
Sergius	600s	••••
Domentziolus	603–10	••••
Comentiolus	†610	••••
Leontius (Byzantine Emp)	†706	••••

Sebastos
Bohemund I, Prince of Antioch	1108-11†	Hauteville (134)


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