Phocas
Phocas, Eastern Roman Emperor (reigned 602-610) seized power in Constantinople by killing the Emperor Maurice I and then proceeded to rule the empire himself for eight years.
Phocas was a non-commissioned officer in the Roman army when he seized power, and was welcomed at first by many because he lowered taxes, which had been high during the reign of Maurice. But he also faced great opposition and was regarded by many as a usurper. He responded with extreme cruelty, allegedly killing thousands in an effort to keep the people in line.
He was no more successful as a military commander. The Balkans were soon lost to the invading Avars, who advanced as far as Athens. In the east, the Persian King Khusro II used Maurice's death as an excuse to break his treaty with the empire and attack Syria and Palestine. Soon, these lands were lost to the Empire.
In 610, several members of the government, seeing the empire collapsing around them and Phocas' cruelty increasing, sent an appeal to Heraclius the Elder, the powerful and popular Exarch of Carthage, asking him to aid them in deposing Phocas. His son, the future emperor Heraclius, then sailed for Constantinople. The army deserted to him and Heraclius was confirmed as Emperor by the senate. Heraclius personally executed Phocas.
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.
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
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
Non-dynastic
- Phocas the Tyrant (???-610, ruled 602 - 610) – overthrew Maurice
Heraclian dynasty
Non-dynastic
Isaurian dynasty
Non-dynastic
- Nicephorus I the General Logothete (ruled 802 - 811) – logothete under Irene
- Stauracius (ruled 811) – son of Nicephorus I
- Michael I Rhangabe (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
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 Porphyrogentius (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
- Zoë 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
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 widow
- 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
Lascaran dynasty (in exile in the Empire of Nicaea during the time of the Latin Empire)
- 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.
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