Byzantine Emperors

Note: It is difficult to determine when exactly the Roman Empire ends and the Byzantine Empire begins; the Roman Empire was actually split into eastern and western halves for administrative purposes by Diocletian 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) is one of the traditional ways to mark the start of the medieval period), Arcadius (as Theodosius I is often considered 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 made Greek the official language), and 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.

Theodosian Dynasty

• Valens, (AD 328-378, ruled 364 - 378)
• Theodosius I the Great, (346-395, ruled 379 - 395)
• Arcadius, (377-408, ruled 395 - 408)
• Theodosius II, (401-450, ruled 408 - 450)
• Marcianus, (392-457, ruled 450 - 457)
• Leo I the Great, (401-474, ruled 457 - 474)
• Leo II, (467-474, ruled 474)
• Zeno I Tarasius, (425-491, ruled 474 - 491)
• Basiliscus (rival emperor), (???-476, ruled 475 - 476)
• Anastasius I, (430-518, ruled 491 - 518)

Justinian Dynasty

• Justin I the Great, (450-527, ruled 518 - 527)
• Justinian I the Great, (482-565, ruled 527 - 565)
• Justin II, (520-578, ruled 565 - 578)
• Tiberius II Constantine, (540-582, ruled 578 - 582)
• Maurice I Tiberius, (539-602, ruled 582 - 602)
• Phocas the Tyrant, (???-610, ruled 602 - 610)

Heraclian Dynasty

• Heraclius, (575-641, ruled 610 - 641)
• Constantine III Heraclius, (612-641, ruled 641)
• Heraclonas Constantine, (626-641, ruled 641)
• Constans II Heraclius Pogonatus (the Bearded), (630-668, ruled 641 - 668)
• Constantine IV, (649-685, ruled 668 - 685)
• Justinian II Rhinotmetus (the Slit-nosed), (668-711, ruled 685 - 695)
• Leontius II, (ruled 695 - 698)
• Tiberius III Apsimar (ruled 698 - 705)
• Justinian II, Rhinotmetus (restored, second rule 705 - 711)
• Philippicus Bardanes, (ruled 711 - 713)
• Anastasius II, (died 721, ruled Artemius, 713 - 715)
• Theodosius III, (ruled 715 - 717)

Isaurian Dynasty

• Leo III the Isaurian, (675-741, ruled 717 - 741)
• Constantine V Copronymus (the Dung-named), (718-745, ruled 741)
• Artabasdus (rival emperor, ruled 741 - 743)
• Constantine V Copronymus (restored, second rule 743 - 775
• Leo IV the Khazar, (750-780, ruled 775 - 780)
• Constantine VI the Blinded, (771-797, ruled 780 - 797)
• Irene the Athenian, (755-803, ruled 797 - 802)
• Nicephorus I the General Logothete, (ruled 802 - 811)
• Stauracius, (ruled 811)
• Michael I Rhangabe, (ruled 811 - 813)
• Leo V the Armenian, (775-820, ruled 813 - 820)

Amorian (Phrygian) Dynasty

• Michael II the Amorian, (770-829, ruled 820 - 829)
• Theophilus II, (813-842, ruled 829 - 842)
• Michael III the Drunkard, (840-867, ruled 842 - 867)

Macedonian Dynasty

• Basil I the Macedonian, (811-886, ruled 867 - 886)
• Leo VI the Wise, (866-912, ruled 886 - 912)
• Alexander III, (870-913, ruled 912 - 913)
• Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (the Purple-born), (905-959, ruled 913 - 959)
• Romanus I Lecapenus (co-emperor), (870-948, ruled 919 - 944)
• Romanus II Porphyrogentius, (939-963, ruled 959 - 963)
• Nicephorus II Phocas (912-969, ruled 963 - 969)
• John I Tzimisces, (925-976, ruled 969 - 976)
• Basil II Bulgaroktonus (the Bulgar-slayer), (958-1025, ruled 976 - 1025)
• Constantine VIII Porphyrogentius, (960-1028, ruled 1025 - 1028)
• Romanus III Argyrus, (968-1034, ruled 1028 - 1034)
• Michael IV the Paphlagonian, (1010-1041, ruled 1034 - 1041)
• Michael V Calaphates (the Caulker), (1015-1042, ruled 1041 - 1042)
• Zoë Porphyrogenita (978-1050, regent 1028 - 1050)
• Constantine IX Monomachus, (1000-1054, ruled 1042 - 1054)
• Theodora Porphyrogenita, (980-1056, ruled 1054 - 1056)
• Michael VI Stratioticus, (ruled 1056 - 1057)

Proto-Comnenan Dynasty

• Isaac I Comnenus, (1007-1060, ruled 1057 - 1059)
• Constantine X Ducas, (1006-1067, ruled 1059 - 1067)
• Michael VII Ducas, (1050-1090, ruled 1067 - 1078)
• Romanus IV Diogenes (1032-1072, co-emperor 1067 - 1071)
• Nicephorus III Botaniates, (1001-1081, ruled 1078 - 1081)

Comnenan Dynasty

• Alexius I Comnenus, (1057-1118, ruled 1081 - 1118)
• John II Comnenus, (1087-1143, ruled 1118 - 1143)
• Manuel I Comnenus, (1118-1180, ruled 1143 - 1180)
• Alexius II Comnenus, (1169-1183, ruled 1180 - 1183)
• Andronicus I Comnenus, (1118-1185, ruled 1183 - 1185)

Angelan Dynasty

• Isaac II Angelus, (1156-1204, ruled 1185 - 1195)
• Alexius III Angelus, (1153-1211, ruled 1195 - 1203)
• Alexius IV Angelus, (1182-1204, ruled 1203 - 1204)
• Isaac II Angelus (restored with Alexius IV, 1203 - 1204)
• Alexius V Ducas Murzuphlus (the Bushy-eyebrowed), (1140-1204, ruled 1204)

Lascaran Dynasty (in exile as the Empire of Nicaea)

• Theodore I Lascaris, (1174-1222, ruled 1204 - 1222)
• John III Ducas Vatatzes, (1192-1254, ruled 1222 - 1254)
• Theodore II Lascaris, (1221-1258, ruled 1254 - 1258)
• John IV Lascaris, (1250-1305, ruled 1258 - 1261)

Palaeologan Dynasty (restored at Constantinople)

• Michael VIII Palaeologus, (1224-1282, ruled 1259 - 1282)
• Andronicus II Palaeologus, (1258-1332, ruled 1282 - 1328)
• Andronicus III Palaeologus, (1297-1341, ruled 1328 - 1341)
• John V Palaeologus, (1332-1391, ruled 1341 - 1376)
• John VI Cantacuzenus, (1295-1383, co-emperor 1347 - 1354)
• Andronicus IV Palaeologus, (1348-1385, ruled 1376 - 1379)
• John V Palaeologus, (restored, second rule 1379 - 1391)
• John VII Palaeologus, (1370-1408, rival emperor 1390)
• Manuel II Palaeologus, (1350-1425, ruled 1391 - 1425)
• John VII Palaeologus, (rival emperor 1399 - 1402)
• John VIII Palaeologus, (1392-1448, ruled 1425 - 1448)
• Constantine XI Palaeologus, (1405-1453, ruled 1449 - 1453)

See also Roman Emperors, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, and List of Byzantine Empire-related topics.

Referenced By