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- St. Constantine I the Great (Constantinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus Pontifex Maximus Pater Patriae Proconsul) (AD 272 - 337 , ruled 306 - 337 ) – son of Constantius I Chlorus; left the empire redivided among his heirs; canonized
- Constantius II (Iulius Constantius) ( 317 - 361 , ruled 337 - 361 ) – son of Constantine I
- Julian the Apostate (Claudius Iulianus) ( 331 - 363 , ruled 361 - 363 ) – Pagan son-in-law of Constantine I, brother-in-law and first cousin of Constantius II, grandson of Constantius I
Non-dynastic
- Valentinian I (Valentinianus) ( 321 - 375 , ruled 364 ) – Soldier, redivided the empire, taking the West
- Valens (Iulius Valens) ( 328 - 378 , ruled 364 - 378 ) – brother of Valentinian I
- Gratianus ( 359 - 383 , ruled 378 - 379 ) – son of Valentinian I
- Theodosius I the Great ( 346 - 395 , ruled 379 - 395 ) – soldier; married to Valentinian I's daughter Galla
- Arcadius ( 377 - 408 , ruled 395 - 408 ) – son of Theodosius I
- Theodosius II the Younger ( 401 - 450 , ruled 408 - 450 ) – son of Arcadius
- Ste. Pulcheria ( 399 – 453 , ruled 408 - 441 , 450 ) – sister of Theodosius II; canonized
- St. Marcian (Marcianus) ( 392 - 457 , ruled 450 - 457 ) – soldier; married Pulcheria after Theodosius's death; canonized by the Orthodox church
Non-dynastic
- Phocas the Tyrant ( ? - 610 , ruled 602 - 610 ) – usurper; betrayed by his son-in-law
- Heraclius (or Ηράκλειος) ( 575 - 641 , ruled 610 - 641 ) – usurper; son of the Armenian Exarch of Africa
- Constantine III Heraclius (Κωνσταντίνος Γ' Ηράκλειος) ( 612 - 641 , ruled 641 ) – son of Heraclius; coemperor with Heracleonas
- Heracleonas Constantine (Ηρακλεωνάς) ( 626 - 641 ?, ruled 641 ) – son of Heraclius; mutilated and deposed
- Constans II Heraclius (Κώνστας Β' Ηράκλειος) ( 630 - 668 , ruled 641 - 668 ) – son of Constantine III; assassinated by chamberlain
- Constantine IV the Bearded (Κωνσταντίνος Δ' ο Πωγώνατος ) ( 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, & exiled
Non-dynastic
- Leontius (Λεόντιος) (ruled 695 - 698 ) – Strategos (general); mutilated, deposed, & imprisoned - later executed
- Tiberius III (Τιβέριος Γ' ο Αψίμαρος) (ruled 698 - 705 ) – German orig. named Apsimar; deposed & executed
Heraclian dynasty
Non-dynastic
- Philippicus Bardanes (Φιλιππικός Βαρδάνης) (ruled 711 - 713 ) – Armenian soldier; deposed & mutilated
- Anastasius II (Αναστάσιος Β') ( ? - 721 , ruled 713 - 715 ) – orig. Artemios; secretary of Philippicus; deposed & entered monastery, later revolted & was executed
- Theodosius III (Θεοδόσιος Γ' ο Αδραμμυττηνός) (ruled 715 - 717 ) – tax-collector; abdicated & entered monastery
- Leo III the Isaurian (Λέων Γ' ο Ίσαυρος) ( 675 - 741 , ruled 717 - 741 ) – Strategos
- Constantine V Copronymus (the Dung-named) (Κωνσταντίνος Ε' ο Κοπρώνυμος ή Καβαλίνος) ( 718 - 745 , 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 (ruled 743 - 775 ) – restored
- Leo IV the Khazar (Λέων Δ' Χάζαρος) ( 750 - 780 , ruled 775 - 780 ) – son of Constantine V
- Constantine VI the Blinded (Κωνσταντίνος ΣΤ') ( 771 - 797 , ruled 780 - 797 ) – son of Leo IV; deposed and mutilated by mother
- Ste. 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 & exiled to Lesbos
Phocid dynasty
- Nicephorus I Phocas (Νικηφόρος Α' Φωκάς) ( ? - 811 , ruled 802 - 811 ) – Megas Logothetes; died in battle, skull used as wine cup
- Stauracius (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
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
- 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
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 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)
Angelid dynasty
Laskarid dynasty (in exile in the Empire of Nicaea )
- 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 (Ιωάννης Στ' Καντακουζηνός) ( 1295 - 1383 , ruled outright 1347 - 1354 ) – father-in-law of John V; deposed & entered monastery as Ioasaph Christodoulus
- 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 (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.
- Thomas Palaeologus (Θομας Παλαιολόγος) ( 1409 or 10 - 1465 ) – brother of Constantine XI; died in exile in Rome
- Andreas Palaeologus (Ανδρεας 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.
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