This is a list of the Emperors of the late Eastern Roman Empire, called Byzantine by modern historians. This list does not include many of the emperors that ruled with someone else.
The title of all Emperors before Heraclius was Augustus, but other titles such as Dominus were also used. After Heraclius, the title was changed to the Greek Basileus. This title used to mean "king", "sovereign" but was now used in place of Augustus.
This list begins with Constantine I the Great, the first Christian emperor reigning from Constantinople.
- 1. St. Constantine I (Constantinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus Pontifex Maximus Pater Patriae Proconsul; 272 - 337; ruled 306 - 337) – son of Constantius Chlorus
- 2. Constantius II (Flavius Iulius Constantius; 317 - 361; ruled 337 - 361) – son of Constantine I
- 3. Julian (Flavius Claudius Iulianus; 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
- 4. Jovian (Iovianus; 332 - 364; ruled 363 - 364) – soldier, restored Christianity
- 5. Valentinian I (Flavius Valentinianus; 321 - 375; ruled 364) – soldier
- 6. Valens (Flavius Iulius Valens; 328 - 378; ruled 364 - 378) – brother of Valentinian I
- 7. Gratian (Flavius Gratianus; 359 - 383; ruled 378 - 379) – son of Valentinian I
- 8. Theodosius I (Flavius Gratianus; 346 - 395; ruled 379 - 395) – soldier
- 9. Arcadius (Flavius Arcadius; 377 - 408; ruled 395 - 408) – son of Theodosius I, brother of Honorius
- 10. Theodosius II (Flavius Theodosius; 401 - 450; ruled 408 - 450) – son of Arcadius
- 11. Pulcheria (Aelia Purcheria; 399 – 453; ruled 408 - 441, 450) – sister of Theodosius II
- 12. Marcian (Flavius Marcianus; 392 - 457; ruled 450 - 457) – soldier; married Pulcheria after Theodosius's death
- 13. Leo I the Thracian (Valerius Leo) (401-474, ruled 457 - 474) – soldier
- 14. Leo II (467 - 474, ruled 474) – grandson of Leo I, son of Zeno
- 15. Zeno (425 - 491, ruled 474 - 475) – son-in-law of Leo I
- 16. Basiliscus ( ? - c. 477, ruled 475 - 476) – usurper; brother-in-law of Leo I
- Zeno (ruled 476 - 491) – restored
- 17. Anastasius I (430 - 518, ruled 491 - 518) – son-in-law of Leo I
- 18. Justin I (Flavius Iustinius; 450 - 527; ruled 518 - 527)
- 19. Justinian I the Great (Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus; 482 - 565; ruled 527 - 565) – nephew and adoptive son of Justin I
- 20. Justin II (Flavius Iustinius Iunior; 520 - 578; ruled 565 - 578) – nephew of Justinian I
- 21. Tiberius II Constantine (Flavius Tiberius Constantinus; 540 - 582, ruled 574, 578 - 582) – adopted by Justin II
- 22. Maurice (Flavius Mauricius Tiberius; 539 - 602, ruled 582 - 602) – son-in-law of Tiberius II
Non-dynastic
- 23. Phocas (Flavius Phocas; ? - 610; ruled 602 - 610)
- 24. Heraclius (575 - 641, ruled 610 - 641)
- 25. Constantine III (Heraclius Constantine) (612 - 641, ruled 641) – son of Heraclius; coemperor with Heraklonas
- 26. Heraklonas (Constantine Heraclius)(626 - 641?, ruled 641) – son of Herakleios
- 27. Constans II (Herakleios, later Constantine, called the Bearded) (630 - 668, ruled 641 - 668) – son of Constantine III
- 28. Mezezius (668 - 669)
- 29. Constantine IV (649 - 685, ruled 668 - 685) – son of Constans II
- 30. Justinian II the Slit-nosed (668 - 711, ruled 685 - 695) – son of Constantine IV
Non-dynastic (695-705)
- 31. Leontios (ruled 695 - 698)
- 32. Tiberios III (ruled 698 - 705)
- Justinian II the Slit-nosed (ruled 705 - 711)
Non-dynastic (711-717)
- 33. Philippikos Bardanes (ruled 711 - 713) – Armenian soldier
- 34. Anastasios II ( ? - 721, ruled 713 - 715)
- 35. Theodosios III (ruled 715 - 717)
- 36. Leo III the Isaurian (675 - 741, ruled 717 - 741)
- 37. Constantine V Kopronymos (the Dung-named) (718 - 775, ruled 741) – son of Leo III
- 38. Artabasdus the Icon-lover (ruled 741 - 743) – Leo III's son-in-law
- Constantine V Kopronymos (the Dung-named)(ruled 743 - 775)
- 39. Leo IV the Khazar (750 - 780, ruled 775 - 780) – son of Constantine V
- 40. Constantine VI the Blinded (771 - 797 or 805, ruled 780 - 797) – son of Leo IV
- 41. Irene the Athenian (755 - 803, ruled 797 - 802) – wife of Leo IV, mother of Constantine VI
- 42. Nikephoros I ( ? - 811, ruled 802 - 811)
- 43. Staurakios ( ? - 812, ruled 811) – son of Nikephoros I
- 44. Michael I Rangabe (ruled 811 - 813) – son-in-law of Nikephoros I
Non-dynastic
- 45. Leo V the Armenian (775 - 820, ruled 813 - 820)
- 46. Michael II the Stammerer or the Amorian (770 - 829, ruled 820 - 829) – son-in-law of Constantine VI
- 47. Theophilos (813 - 842, ruled 829 - 842) – son of Michael II
- 48. Theodora (ruled 842 - 855) – wife of Theophilus
- 49. Michael III the Drunkard (840 - 867, ruled 842 - 867) – son of Theophilos
- 50. Basil I the Macedonian (811 - 886, ruled 867 - 886) - married Michael III's widow
- 51. Leo VI the Wise (866 - 912, ruled 886 - 912)
- 52. Alexander (870 - 913, ruled 912 - 913) – son of Basil I
- 53. Constantine VII the Purple-born (905-959, ruled 913 - 959) – son of Leo VI
- 54. Romanos I Lekapenos (870 - 948, ruled 919 - 944) – father-in-law of Constantine VII
- 55. Romanos II the Purple-born (939 - 963, ruled 959 - 963) – son of Constantine VII
- 56. Nikephoros II Phokas (912 - 969, ruled 963 - 969) – married Romanos II's widow
- 57. John I Tzimiskes (925 - 976, ruled 969 - 976) – brother-in-law of Romanus II
- 58. Basil II the Bulgar-slayer (958 - 1025, ruled 976 - 1025) – son of Romanos II
- 59. Constantine VIII (960-1028, ruled 1025 - 1028) – son of Romanos II
- 60. Zoe (c. 978 - 1050, ruled 1028 - 1050) – daughter of Constantine VIII
- 61. Romanos III Argyros (968 - 1034, ruled 1028 - 1034) – Zoe's first husband
- 62. Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1010 - 1041, ruled 1034 - 1041) – Zoe's second husband
- 63. Michael V the Caulker (1015 - 1042, ruled 1041 - 1042) – Michael IV's nephew, Zoe's adopted son
- 64. Theodora (980 - 1056, ruled 1042) – daughter of Constantine VIII, coempress with Zoe
- 65. Constantine IX Monomachos (1000 - 1055, ruled 1042 - 1055) – Zoe's third husband
- Theodora (ruled 1055 - 1056)
Non-dynastic
- 66. Michael VI the General (ruled 1056 - 1057) – chosen by Theodora
- 67. Isaac I Komnenos (c. 1007 - 1060, ruled 1057 - 1059) – soldier
- 68. Constantine X Doukas (1006 - 1067, ruled 1059 - 1067)
- 69. Michael VII Doukas Quarter-short (1050 - 1090, ruled 1067 - 1078) – son of Constantine X
- 70. Romanos IV Diogenes (1032 - 1072, ruled 1068 - 1071) – married Constantine X's widow
- 71. Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1001 - 1081, ruled 1078 - 1081)
- 72. Alexios I Komnenos (1057 - 1118, ruled 1081 - 1118) – nephew of Isaac I, married Constantine X's grandniece
- 73. John II Komnenos the Handsome (1087 - 1143, ruled 1118 - 1143) – son of Alexios I
- 74. Manuel I Komnenos the Great (1118 - 1180, ruled 1143 - 1180) – son of John II
- 75. Alexios II Komnenos (1169 - 1183, ruled 1180 - 1183) – son of Manuel I
- 76. Andronikos I Komnenos (1118 - 1185, ruled 1183 - 1185) – nephew of John II; married Alexios II's widow
- 77. Isaac II Angelos (1156 - 1204, ruled 1185 - 1195) – great-grandson of Alexios I
- 78. Alexios III Angelos (1153 - 1211, ruled 1195 - 1203) – brother of Isaac II
- Isaac II Angelos (ruled 1203 - 1204)
- 79. Alexios IV Angelos (1182 - 1204, ruled 1203 - 1204) – son of Isaac II
- 80. Nikolaos Kanabos (ruled 1204)
- 81. Alexios V Doukas the Bushy-eyebrowed (1140 - 1204, ruled 1204) – son-in-law of Alexios III
- 82. Constantine Laskaris (ruled 1204) – not officially crowned
- 83. Theodore I Laskaris (1174 - 1222, ruled 1204 - 1222) – son-in-law of Alexios III
- 84. John III Doukas Vatatzes (1192 - 1254, ruled 1222 - 1254) – son-in-law of Theodore I
- 85. Theodore II Doukas Laskaris (1221 - 1258, ruled 1254 - 1258) – son of John III
- 86. John IV Doukas Laskaris (1250 - 1305, ruled 1258 - 1261) – son of Theodore II
At around this time the emperors began using the title Βασιλευς Βασιλεων Βασιλευων Βασιλευσιν, that is, Emperor of Emperors, ruling over those who rule.
- 87. Michael VIII Palaiologos (1224 - 1282, ruled 1259 - 1282) – great-grandson of Alexios III Angelos
- 88. Andronikos II Palaiologos the Elder (1258 - 1332, ruled 1282 - 1328) – son of Michael VIII
- 89. Andronikos III Palaiologos the Younger (1297 - 1341, ruled 1328 - 1341) – grandson of Andronikos II
- 90. John V Palaiologos (1332 - 1391, ruled 1341 - 1347) – son of Andronikos III
- 91. John VI Kantakouzenos (1295 - 1383, ruled outright 1347 - 1354) – father-in-law of John V
- John V Palaiologos (ruled 1354 - 1376)
- 92. Andronikos IV Palaiologos (1348 - 1385, ruled 1376 - 1379) – son of John V
- John V Palaiologos (ruled 1379 - 1390)
- 93. John VII Palaiologos (1370 - 1408, ruled 1390) – son of Andronikos IV
- John V Palaiologos (ruled 1390 - 1391)
- 94. Manuel II Palaiologos (1350 - 1425, ruled 1391 - 1425) – son of John V
- John VII Palaiologos (ruled 1399 - 1402)
- 95. John VIII Palaiologos (1392 - 1448, ruled 1425 - 1448) – son of Manuel II
- 96. Constantine XI Palaiologos Dragases (1405 - 1453, ruled 1449 - 1453) – son of Manuel II, not crowned in 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.
- Thomas Palaiologos (1409 or 10 - 1465) – brother of Constantine XI
- Andrew Palaiologos (1453 - 1502) – son of Thomas; 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.
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