List of Byzantine Emperors

This is a list of the Emperors of the late Eastern Roman Empire, called Byzantine by modern historians. This list does not include numerous co-emperors who never attained sole or senior status as rulers.

The title of all Emperors listed preceding Heraclius was officially Augustus, although various other titles such as Dominus were used as well. For official purposes, their names were preceded by Imperator Caesar and followed by Augustus. Following Heraclius, the title commonly became the Greek Basileus (Gr. Βασιλεύς), which had formerly meant generally "king", "sovereign" but now was used in place of Imperator. Kings were now titled by the neologism Regas (Gr. Ρήγας, from the Lat. "Rex") or by another generic term Archon (Gr. Άρχων, "ruler"). Autokrator (Gr. Αυτοκράτωρ) was also frequently used, along with a plethora of more hyperbolic titles including Kosmokrator (Gr.Κοσμοκράτωρ) ("Master of the Universe"). The emperors of the 15th century alone were often self-styled as Basileus ton Hellinon, "Emperor of the Greeks," though they still considered themselves "Roman" Emperors.

[Note: See also the term "Byzantine" with regard to the late Roman Empire. This list begins erroneously with Constantine I the Great, the first Christian emperor reigning from Constantinople. Diocletian before him had ruled from Nicomedia and replaced the republican trappings of the office with a straightforward autocracy. The emperors between 300-600 AD were Roman Emperors, as they regarded themselves. To list these emperors as Byzantine is an anachronism. Late Roman is the better term. It isn't until the mid-5th century that the eastern parts of the Empire move away from Latin as the official language of administration (from the provincial level up) and the army into Greek.

The Emperor Heraclius, 610-641 replaced Latin with Greek as the language of the army and began the restructuring of the Empire into themata.] Although he and his suceesors regarded themselves as Roman emperors, the reign of Heraclius marks a watershed or decisive break (from our viewpoint) that markds the beginning of the "Byzantine" Greek phase of the eastern Roman Empire.

Constantinian dynasty (306-363)

Constantine I (Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus; 272 - 337; ruled 306 - 337) – son of Constantius Chlorus, left the empire divided among his heirs, and was canonized by the Orthodox church
Constantius II (Flavius Iulius Constantius; 317 - 361; ruled 337 - 361) – son of Constantine I
Julian (Flavius Claudius Iulianus; 331 - 363; ruled 361 - 363) – nephew of Constantine I, grandson of Constantius I, rejected Christianity for paganism

Non-dynastic (363-364)

Jovian (Iovianus; 332 - 364; ruled 363 - 364) – soldier, restored Christianity

Valentinian-Theodosian dynasty (364-457)

Valentinian I (Flavius Valentinianus; 321 - 375; ruled 364-375 in the West) – soldier, gave the Eastern part of the Empire to his brother
Valens (Flavius Iulius Valens; 328 - 378; ruled 364 - 378) – brother of Valentinian I
Gratian (Flavius Gratianus; 359 - 383; ruled 375 - 383 in the West) – son of Valentinian I, gave the Eastern part of the Empore to Theodosius
Theodosius I (Flavius Gratianus; 346 - 395; ruled 379 - 395) – soldier, married to Valentinian I's daughter Galla, fought with Magnus Maximus at the Battle of the Save in 388
Arcadius (Flavius Arcadius; 377 - 408; ruled 395 - 408) – son of Theodosius I, brother of Honorius
Theodosius II (Flavius Theodosius; 401 - 450; ruled 408 - 450) – son of Arcadius, until 441 under the guidance of his sister Pulcheria (Aelia Purcheria; 399 – 453)
Marcian (Flavius Marcianus; 392 - 457; ruled 450 - 457) – soldier; married Pulcheria after Theodosius's death; canonized by the Orthodox church

Leonid dynasty (457-518)

Leo I the Thracian (Valerius Leo) (401-474, ruled 457 - 474) – soldier
Leo II (467 - 474, ruled 474) – grandson of Leo I, son of Zeno
Zeno (425 - 491, ruled 474 - 475) – son-in-law of Leo I; orig. Tarasicodissa, an Isaurian
Basiliscus ( ? - c. 477, ruled 475 - 476) – usurper; brother-in-law of Leo I
Zeno (ruled 476 - 491) – restored
Anastasius I (430 - 518, ruled 491 - 518) – silentiarius; son-in-law of Leo I, elevated by selection by Zeno's widow Ariadne

Justinian dynasty (518-602)

Justin I (Flavius Iustinius; 450 - 527; ruled 518 - 527) – commander of the guard
Justinian I the Great (Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus; 482 - 565; ruled 527 - 565) – nephew and adoptive son of Justin I, canonized by the Orthodox church, built the Hagia Sophia, organized the Roman Laws, took back many western territories
Justin II (Flavius Iustinius Iunior; 520 - 578; ruled 565 - 578) – nephew of Justinian I
Tiberius II Constantine (Flavius Tiberius Constantinus; 540 - 582, ruled 574, 578 - 582) – Comes Excubitris; adopted by Justin II
Maurice (Flavius Mauricius Tiberius; 539 - 602, ruled 582 - 602) – son-in-law of Tiberius II

Non-dynastic (602-610)

Phocas (Flavius Phocas; ? - 610; ruled 602 - 610); Subaltern officer in Balkan army; Usurpation of the throne from Maurice sparked war with Sassanid Chosroes II

Heraclian dynasty (610-711)

Heraclius (Ηράκλειος) (575 - 641, ruled 610 - 641) – usurper; son of the Armenian Exarch of Africa; defeated Chosroes II in final Sassanid-Byzantine War; lost Palestine and Egypt to Arab Expansion
Constantine III (Heraclius Constantine) (Κωνσταντίνος Γ') (612 - 641, ruled 641) – son of Heraclius; coemperor with Heraklonas
Heraklonas (Constantine Heraclius) (Ηρακλωνάς) (626 - 641?, ruled 641) – son of Herakleios; mutilated and deposed
Constans II (Herakleios, later Constantine, called Πωγωνάτος, the Bearded) (Κώνστας Β') (630 - 668, ruled 641 - 668) – son of Constantine III; assassinated by chamberlain
Mezezius (668 - 669) – Usurper
Constantine IV (Κωνσταντίνος Δ') (649 - 685, ruled 668 - 685) – son of Constans II
Justinian II the Slit-nosed (Ιουστινιανός Β' ο Ρινότμητος) (668 - 711, ruled 685 - 695) – son of Constantine IV; mutilated, deposed, and exiled
Leontios (Λεόντιος) (ruled 695 - 698) – Usurper; Strategos (general); mutilated, deposed, and imprisoned - later executed
Tiberios III (Τιβέριος Γ' ο Αψίμαρος) (ruled 698 - 705) – Usurper; German originally named Apsimar; deposed and executed
Justinian II the Slit-nosed (Ιουστινιανός Β' ο Ρινότμητος) (ruled 705 - 711) – restored; deposed and executed

Non-dynastic (711-717)

Philippikos Bardanes (Φιλιππικός Βαρδάνης) (ruled 711 - 713) – Armenian soldier; deposed and mutilated
Anastasios II (Αναστάσιος Β') ( ? - 721, ruled 713 - 715) – orig. Artemios; secretary of Philippikos; deposed & entered monastery, later revolted & was executed
Theodosios III (Θεοδόσιος Γ' ο Αδραμμυττηνός) (ruled 715 - 717) – tax-collector; abdicated and entered monastery

Isaurian dynasty (717-802)

Leo III the Isaurian (Λέων Γ' ο Ίσαυρος) (675 - 741, ruled 717 - 741) – Strategos
Constantine V Kopronymos (the Dung-named) (Κωνσταντίνος Ε' ο Κοπρώνυμος ή Καβαλίνος) (718 - 775, ruled 741) – son of Leo III; deposed
Artabasdus the Icon-lover (Αρτάβασδος ο Εικονόφιλος) (ruled 741 - 743) – Leo III's chamberlain and son-in-law
Constantine V Kopronymos (Κωνσταντίνος Ε' ο Κοπρώνυμος ή Καβαλίνος) (ruled 743 - 775) – restored
Leo IV the Khazar (Λέων Δ' o Χαζάρος) (750 - 780, ruled 775 - 780) – son of Constantine V
Constantine VI the Blinded (Κωνσταντίνος ΣΤ') (771 - 797 or 805, ruled 780 - 797) – son of Leo IV; deposed and mutilated by mother
Irene the Athenian (Ειρήνη η Αθηναία) (755 - 803, ruled 797 - 802) – wife of Leo IV, mother of Constantine VI; canonized by the Orthodox church; deposed and exiled to Lesbos

Nikephoros' dynasty (802-813)

Nikephoros I (Νικηφόρος Α') ( ? - 811, ruled 802 - 811) – Megas Logothetes; died in battle, skull used as wine cup
Staurakios (Σταυράκιος Φωκάς) ( ? - 812, ruled 811) – son of Nikephoros I; paralyzed
Michael I Rangabe (Μιχαήλ Α' Ραγκαβής) (ruled 811 - 813) – son-in-law of Nikephoros I and master of the palace; deposed and entered monastery

Non-dynastic (813-820)

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

Phrygian dynasty (820-867)

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

Macedonian dynasty (867-1056)

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 (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
Romanos I Lekapenos (Ρωμανός Α' ο Λεκαπηνός) (870 - 948, ruled 919 - 944) – father-in-law of Constantine VII; coemperor, deposed by his sons and entered monastery
Romanos II the Purple-born (Ρωμανός Β' ο Πορφυρογέννητος) (939 - 963, ruled 959 - 963) – son of Constantine VII
Nikephoros II Phokas (Νικηφόρος Β' Φωκάς) (912 - 969, ruled 963 - 969) – Strategos; married Romanos II's widow, regent for Basil II; assassinated
John I Tzimiskes (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 Romanos II
Constantine VIII (Κωνσταντίνος Η')(960-1028, ruled 1025 - 1028) – son of Romanos II; coemperor with Basil II
Zoe (Ζωή) ((c. 978 - 1050, ruled 1028 - 1050) – daughter of Constantine VIII
Romanos III Argyros (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 Monomachos (Κωνσταντίνος Θ' ο Μονομάχος) (1000 - 1055, ruled 1042 - 1055) – Zoe's third husband
Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (ruled 1055 - 1056) – restored

Non-dynastic (1056-1059)

Michael VI the General (Μιχαήλ ΣΤ' ο Στρατιωτικός) (ruled 1056 - 1057) – chosen by Theodora; deposed & entered monastery
Isaac I Komnenos (Ισαάκιος Α' ο Κομνηνός) (c. 1007 - 1060, ruled 1057 - 1059) – soldier; abdicated in a fit of illness & entered monastery

Doukid dynasty (1059-1081)

Constantine X Doukas (Κωνσταντίνος Ι' ο Δούκας) (1006 - 1067, ruled 1059 - 1067) – selected by Michael Psellus the Younger
Michael VII Doukas 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
Romanos IV Diogenes (Ρωμανός Δ' Διογένης) (1032 - 1072, ruled 1068 - 1071) – married Constantine X's widow; coemperor, deposed & mutilated to death
Nikephoros III Botaneiates (Νικηφόρος Γ' Βοτανειάτης) (1001 - 1081, ruled 1078 - 1081) – Strategos claiming descent from the Fabii, bigamously married Michael VII's wife; deposed & forced into monastery

Komnenid dynasty (1081-1185)

Alexios I Komnenos (Αλέξιος Α' Κομνηνός) (1057 - 1118, ruled 1081 - 1118) – nephew of Isaac I, married Constantine X's grandniece
John II Komnenos the Handsome (Ιωάννης Β' Κομνηνός o Καλός) (1087 - 1143, ruled 1118 - 1143) – son of Alexios I, died of a hunting accident
Manuel I Komnenos the Great (Μανουήλ Α' Κομνηνός ο Μέγας) (1118 - 1180, ruled 1143 - 1180) – son of John II
Alexios II Komnenos (Αλέξιος B' Κομνηνός) (1169 - 1183, ruled 1180 - 1183) – son of Manuel I; murdered with garrotte
Andronikos I Komnenos (Ανδρόνικος Α' Κομνηνός) (1118 - 1185, ruled 1183 - 1185) – nephew of John II; married Alexios II's widow; deposed, tortured, and executed; ancestor of the Komnenian line in Trebizond

Angelid dynasty (1185-1204)

Isaac II Angelos (Ισαάκιος Β' Άγγελος) (1156 - 1204, ruled 1185 - 1195) – great-grandson of Alexios I, deposed & blinded
Alexios III Angelos (Αλέξιος Γ' Άγγελος) (1153 - 1211, ruled 1195 - 1203) – brother of Isaac II, deposed by the Fourth Crusade and eventually forced into monastery
Isaac II Angelos (Ισαάκιος Β' Άγγελος) (ruled 1203 - 1204) – restored after Alexios III had fled as coemperor with Alexius IV, deposed by Alexios V
Alexios IV Angelos (Αλέξιος Δ' Άγγελος) (1182 - 1204, ruled 1203 - 1204) – son of Isaac II, deposed and killed by Alexios V
Nikolaos Kanabos – usurper in rebellion to Isaac II and Alexios IV 1204
Alexios V Doukas the Bushy-eyebrowed (Αλέξιος Ε' Δούκας ο Μούρτζουφλος) (1140 - 1204, ruled 1204) – usurper; son-in-law of Alexios III

Laskarid dynasty (in exile, Empire of Nicaea, 1204-1261)

Constantine Laskaris (ruled 1204) – not officially crowned
Theodore I Laskaris (Θεόδωρος Α' Λάσκαρης) (1174 - 1222, ruled 1204 - 1222) – son-in-law of Alexios III
John III Doukas Vatatzes (Ιωάννης Γ' Δούκας Βατάτζης) (1192 - 1254, ruled 1222 - 1254) – son-in-law of Theodore I; epileptic
Theodore II Doukas Laskaris (Θεόδωρος Β' Δούκας Λάσκαρης) (1221 - 1258, ruled 1254 - 1258) – son of John III
John IV Doukas Laskaris (Ιωάννης Δ' Δούκας Λάσκαρης) (1250 - 1305, ruled 1258 - 1261) – son of Theodore II, deposed, blinded, and imprisoned by Michael VIII

Palaiologan Dynasty (restored to Constantinople, 1259-1453)

Michael VIII Palaiologos (Μιχαήλ Η' Παλαιολόγος) (1224 - 1282, ruled 1259 - 1282) – Strategos, regent for John IV Lascaris; great-grandson of Alexios III Angelos
Andronikos II Palaiologos the Elder (Ανδρόνικος Β' ο Γέρος) (1258 - 1332, ruled 1282 - 1328) – son of Michael VIII; abdicated
Andronikos III Palaiologos the Younger (Ανδρόνικος Γ' Παλαιολόγος ο Νέος) (1297 - 1341, ruled 1328 - 1341) – grandson of Andronikos II
John V Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ε' Παλαιολόγος) (1332 - 1391, ruled 1341 - 1347) – son of Andronikos III, deposed by John VI
John VI Kantakouzenos (Ιωάννης Στ' Καντακουζηνός) (1295 - 1383, ruled outright 1347 - 1354) – father-in-law of John V; deposed, and entered monastery as Ioasaph Christodoulus
John V Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ε' Παλαιολόγος) (ruled 1354 - 1376) – restored, deposed by Andronikos IV
Andronikos IV Palaiologos (Ανδρόνικος Δ' Παλαιολόγος) (1348 - 1385, ruled 1376 - 1379) – son of John V, half-blinded following revolt, later succeeded and was deposed, revolted a third time
John VII Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ζ' Παλαιολόγος) (1370-1408, co-emperor 1376-1379), deposed
John V Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ε' Παλαιολόγος) (Ιωάννης Ε' Παλαιολόγος) (ruled 1379 - 1390) – restored, deposed
John VII Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ζ' Παλαιολόγος) (ruled 1390)
John V Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ε' Παλαιολόγος) (ruled 1390 - 1391) – restored
Manuel II Palaiologos (Μανουήλ Β' Παλαιολόγος) (1350 - 1425, ruled 1391 - 1425) – son of John V
John VII Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Ζ' Παλαιολόγος) (regent 1399 - 1402)
John VIII Palaiologos (Ιωάννης Η' Παλαιολόγος) (1392 - 1448, ruled 1425 - 1448) – son of Manuel II
Constantine XI Palaiologos Dragases (Κωνσταντίνος ΙΑ' Παλαιολόγος Δραγάσης) (1405 - 1453, ruled 1449 - 1453) – son of Manuel II, not crowned in Constantinople, died during the Fall of Constantinople.

Ottomans

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

Palaiologan Dynasty (in exile)

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