List of Byzantine Emperors
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This is a list of Byzantine Emperors.
Note: It is difficult to determine when exactly the Roman Empire ends and the Byzantine Empire begins; Diocletian split the Roman Empire into eastern and western halves for administrative purposes in 284. Candidates for the "first" Byzantine emperor include Constantine I (the first Christian emperor, who moved the capital to Constantinople), Valens (the Battle of Adrianople (378) provides one of the traditional cut-off events to mark the start of the medieval period), Arcadius (treating Theodosius I as the last emperor of a single Roman Empire), and Zeno I (as the last western emperor Romulus Augustus was deposed during his reign). Others date the beginning of the Empire even as late as Heraclius (who replaced the traditional Roman imperial title of "Augustus" with "Basileus", the Greek word for "Emperor", and discontinued the use of Latin by making Greek the official language). Numismatists note the monetary reforms of Anastasius I in 498, which used the Greek numbering system. Of course, the Byzantines themselves continued to think of their empire as "Roman" for over a millennium.
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Constantinian dynasty
- Constantine I the Great (AD 272 - 337, ruled 306 - 337)
- Constantius II (317 - 361, ruled 337 - 361) – son of Constantine I
- Julian the Apostate (331 - 363, ruled 361 - 363) – son in-law of Constantine I, brother-in-law and first cousin of Constantius II, grandson of Constantius I
Non-dynastic
Valentinian-Theodosian dynasty
- Valens (328-378, ruled 364 - 378) - brother of Western Roman Emperor Valentinian I
- Theodosius I the Great (346-395, ruled 379 - 395) – married to Valens' niece
- Arcadius, (377-408, ruled 395 - 408) – son of Theodosius I
- Theodosius II, (401-450, ruled 408 - 450) – son of Arcadius
- Marcian, (392-457, ruled 450 - 457) – son-in-law of Arcadius, brother-in-law of Theodosius II
Dynasty of Leo
- Leo I the Great (401-474, ruled 457 - 474)
- Leo II (467-474, ruled 474) – grandson of Leo I
- Zeno Tarasius (425-491, ruled 474 - 491) – son-in-law of Leo I (first husband of Ariadne), father of Leo II
- Basiliscus (rival emperor) (???-476, ruled 475 - 476) – brother-in-law of Leo I
- Anastasius I (430-518, ruled 491 - 518) – son-in-law of Leo I (second husband of Ariadne)
Justinian dynasty
- Justin I the Great (450-527, ruled 518 - 527)
- Justinian I the Great (482-565, ruled 527 - 565) – nephew of Justin I
- Justin II (520-578, ruled 565 - 578) – nephew of Justinian I
- Tiberius II Constantine (540-582, ruled 578 - 582) – father-in-law of a grand-nephew of Justin I; Count of the Excubitors under Justin II; adopted by Justin II in 574
- Maurice Tiberius (539-602, ruled 582 - 602) – son-in-law of Tiberius II
Non-dynastic
Heraclian dynasty
- Heraclius (575-641, ruled 610 - 641)
- Constantine III Heraclius (612-641, ruled 641) – son of Heraclius
- Heraclonas Constantine (626-641, ruled 641) – son of Heraclius, step-brother of Constantine III
- Constans II Heraclius Pogonatus (the Bearded) (630-668, ruled 641 - 668) – son of Constantine III
- Constantine IV (649-685, ruled 668 - 685) – son of Constans II
- Justinian II Rhinotmetus (the Slit-nosed) (668-711, ruled 685 - 695) – son of Constantine IV
Non-dynastic
- Leontius (ruled 695 - 698) – general under Justinian II
- Tiberius III Apsimar (ruled 698 - 705) – soldier; overthrew Leontius II
- Justinian II Rhinotmetus (restored, second rule 705 - 711)
- Philippicus Bardanes (ruled 711 - 713) – soldier; usurper
- Anastasius II (died 721, ruled 713 - 715) – non-dynastic, secretary of Philippicus elected by the senate
- Theodosius III (ruled 715 - 717) – tax-collector; proclaimed emperor by rebellious troops
Isaurian dynasty
- Leo III the Isaurian (675-741, ruled 717 - 741)
- Constantine V Copronymus (the Dung-named) (718-745, ruled 741) – son of Leo III
- Artabasdus (rival emperor, ruled 741 - 743) – son-in-law of Leo III, brother-in-law of Constantine V
- Constantine V Copronymus (restored, second rule 743 - 775)
- Leo IV the Khazar (750-780, ruled 775 - 780) – son of Constantine V
- Constantine VI the Blinded (771-797, ruled 780 - 797) – son of Leo IV
- Irene the Athenian (755-803, ruled 797 - 802) – wife of Leo IV, mother of Constantine VI
Non-dynastic
- Nicephorus I the General Logothete (ruled 802 - 811) – logothete under Irene
- Stauracius (ruled 811) – son of Nicephorus I
- Michael I Rhangabes (ruled 811 - 813) – son-in-law of Nicephorus I, brother-in-law of Stauracius
- Leo V the Armenian (775-820, ruled 813 - 820) – general under Michael I
Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty
- Michael II the Amorian (770-829, ruled 820 - 829) – son-in-law of Constantine VI
- Theophilus (813-842, ruled 829 - 842) – son of Michael II
- Michael III the Drunkard (840-867, ruled 842 - 867) – son of Theophilus
Macedonian dynasty
- Basil I the Macedonian (811-886, ruled 867 - 886) - married Michael III's widow
- Leo VI the Wise (866-912, ruled 886 - 912) – supposed son of Basil I; probably son of Michael III
- Alexander III (870-913, ruled 912 - 913) – son of Basil I
- Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (the Purple-born) (905-959, ruled 913 - 959) – son of Leo VI
- Romanus I Lecapenus (co-emperor), (870-948, ruled 919 - 944) – father-in-law of Constantine VII
- Romanus II Porphyrogentius (939-963, ruled 959 - 963) – son of Constantine VII
- Nicephorus II Phocas (912-969, ruled 963 - 969) – married Romanus II's widow; step-father of Basil II and Constantine VIII
- John I Tzimisces (925-976, ruled 969 - 976) – brother-in-law of Romanus II
- Basil II Bulgaroktonus (the Bulgar-slayer) (958-1025, ruled 976 - 1025) – son of Romanus II
- Constantine VIII Porphyrogenitus (960-1028, ruled 1025 - 1028) – son of Romanus II, brother of Basil II
- Romanus III Argyrus (968-1034, ruled 1028 - 1034) – son-in-law of Constantine VIII (Zoe's first husband)
- Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1010-1041, ruled 1034 - 1041) – married Romanus III's widow (Zoe's second husband)
- Michael V Calaphates (the Caulker) (1015-1042, ruled 1041 - 1042) – Michael IV's cousin
- Zo� Porphyrogenita (the Purple-born) (978-1050, regent 1028 - 1050) – daughter of Constantine VIII
- Constantine IX Monomachus (1000-1055, ruled 1042 - 1055) – married Michael IV's widow (Zoe's third husband)
- Theodora Porphyrogenita, (980-1056, ruled 1055 - 1056) – daughter of Constantine VIII (Zoe's sister)
Non-dynastic
- Michael VI Stratioticus (ruled 1056 - 1057) – chosen by Theodora
Ducaian-Comnenan dynasty
- Isaac I Comnenus (1007-1060, ruled 1057 - 1059) - overthrew Michael VI
- Constantine X Ducas (1006-1067, ruled 1059 - 1067) - chosen on the retirement of Isaac I
- Michael VII Ducas (1050-1090, ruled 1067 - 1078) – son of Constantine X
- Romanus IV Diogenes (1032-1072, co-emperor 1067 - 1071) – married Constantine X's widow Eudocia Macrembolitissa
- Nicephorus III Botaniates (1001-1081, ruled 1078 - 1081) – married Michael VII's wife Maria of Alania (Maria was accused of bigamy as Michael was still alive)
- Alexius I Comnenus (1057-1118, ruled 1081 - 1118) – nephew of Isaac I; married Constantine X's grandniece
- John II Comnenus (1087-1143, ruled 1118 - 1143) – son of Alexius I
- Manuel I Comnenus (1118-1180, ruled 1143 - 1180) – son of John II
- Alexius II Comnenus (1169-1183, ruled 1180 - 1183) – son of Manuel I
- Andronicus I Comnenus (1118-1185, ruled 1183 - 1185) – grandson of Alexius I; nephew of John II; first cousin once removed of Alexius II; married Alexius II's widow
Angelan dynasty
- Isaac II Angelus (1156-1204, ruled 1185 - 1195) – great-grandson of Alexius I
- Alexius III Angelus (1153-1211, ruled 1195 - 1203) – brother of Isaac II
- Alexius IV Angelus (1182-1204, ruled 1203 - 1204) – son of Isaac II
- Isaac II Angelus (restored with Alexius IV, 1203 - 1204)
- Alexius V Ducas Murzuphlus (the Bushy-eyebrowed) (1140-1204, ruled 1204) – son-in-law of Alexius III
Lascaran dynasty (in exile in the Empire of Nicaea during the time of the Latin Empire)
- Theodore I Lascaris (1174-1222, ruled 1204 - 1222) – son-in-law of Alexius III
- John III Ducas Vatatzes (1192-1254, ruled 1222 - 1254) – son-in-law of Theodore I
- Theodore II Lascaris (1221-1258, ruled 1254 - 1258) – son of John III
- John IV Lascaris (1250-1305, ruled 1258 - 1261) – son of Theodore II
Palaeologan Dynasty (restored at Constantinople)
- Michael VIII Palaeologus (1224-1282, ruled 1259 - 1282)
- Andronicus II Palaeologus (1258-1332, ruled 1282 - 1328) – son of Michael VIII
- Andronicus III Palaeologus (1297-1341, ruled 1328 - 1341) – grandson of Andronicus II
- John V Palaeologus (1332-1391, ruled 1341 - 1376) – son of Andronicus III
- John VI Cantacuzenus (1295-1383, co-emperor 1347 - 1354) – father-in-law of John V
- Andronicus IV Palaeologus (1348-1385, ruled 1376 - 1379) – son of John V
- John V Palaeologus (restored, second rule 1379 - 1391)
- John VII Palaeologus (1370-1408, rival emperor 1390) – son of Andronicus IV
- Manuel II Palaeologus (1350-1425, ruled 1391 - 1425) – son of John V, brother of Andronicus IV
- John VII Palaeologus (co-emperor 1399 - 1402) – son of Andronicus IV
- John VIII Palaeologus (1392-1448, ruled 1425 - 1448) – son of Manuel II
- Constantine XI Palaeologus (1405-1453, ruled 1449 - 1453) – son of Manuel II, brother of John VIII
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.