Constantine Palaiologos (Papal Guard)

Constantine Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Κωνσταντῖνος Παλαιολόγος, romanized: Kōnstantinos Palaiologos; died 1508) was a 16th-century noble of Greek descent who served as a soldier in Italy. By the time of his death in 1508,[1] he served the Papal States, having risen through the ranks to become the commander of the Papal Guard.[2]

For other people by this name, see Constantine Palaiologos.
Constantine Palaiologos
Died1508[1]
Rome
Noble familyPalaiologos (?)
FatherAndreas Palaiologos (?)
MotherCaterina (?)

There are no primary sources that can confirm his parentage or possible connections to the Palaiologos dynasty,[2] the final ruling family of the Byzantine Empire (which they ruled 1259/1261–1453).[3][4] In 1965, British historian Steven Runciman identified Constantine as the son of Andreas Palaiologos, a nephew of the final Byzantine emperor (and Constantine's namesake) Constantine XI Palaiologos.[5] Andreas, who claimed to be the titular Byzantine emperor, had died poor in Rome in 1502.[2] Runciman referred to Constantine as "handsome but worthless".[5] In 1980, Runciman was no longer as confident in Constantine's parentage, writing that Andreas "was said to have left a son called Constantine".[6] British historian Donald Nicol also believed Constantine to have been a son of Andreas,[2] as does genealogist Peter Mallat.[7] It is possible that he can be identified with a "Constantinus de Morea", mentioned as the receiver of a pension by Pope Innocent VIII (r. 1484–1492).[8]

Constantine died in obscurity[6] and he is not known to have had any children.[5] The known members of the Imperial Palaiologos dynasty were rendered extinct shortly thereafter with the deaths of Andreas's brother Manuel Palaiologos in the reign of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II (r. 1481–1512)[9] and the death of Manuel's son Andreas in the reign of sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566).[10] British historian Russell Foster considered Constantine a suitable end to the line of Roman emperors, writing:[1]

Andreas' only son, Constantine Palaiologos, the last male heir of the Roman Imperial line traceable back to Julius Caesar, died in 1508 as a common soldier in Rome – a fitting end to fifteen centuries of Roman Imperators.[1]

References
  1. Foster 2015, p. 67.
  2. Nicol 1992, p. 116.
  3. Haldon 2005, p. 176.
  4. Grierson 1999, p. 3.
  5. Runciman 1969, p. 184.
  6. Runciman 2009, p. 84.
  7. Mallat 1985, p. 145.
  8. Mallat 1985, p. 147.
  9. Harris 2010, p. 254.
  10. Miller 1908, p. 455.

Cited bibliography
  • Grierson, Philip (1999). Catalogue of Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection: Volume Five: Michael VIII to Constantine XI 1258–1453. Washington DC: Dumbarton Oaks. ISBN 0-88402-261-7.
  • Haldon, John (2005). The Palgrave Atlas of Byzantine History. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0230243644.
  • Harris, Jonathan (2010). The End of Byzantium. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300117868. JSTOR j.ctt1npm19.
  • Mallat, Peter (1985). "A Famous 'Emperor in Exile': Thomas Palaiologos and His Descendants". The Genealogist. 6: 141–147.
  • Miller, William (1908). The Latins in the Levant: A History of Frankish Greece (1204–1556). E. P Dutton and Company. OCLC 1106830090.
  • Nicol, Donald M. (1992). The Immortal Emperor: The Life and Legend of Constantine Palaiologos, Last Emperor of the Romans. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0511583698.
  • Foster, Russell (2015). Mapping European Empire: Tabulae imperii Europaei. Oxford: Routledge. ISBN 978-1315744759.
  • Runciman, Steven (1969) [1965]. The Fall of Constantinople 1453. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521398329.
  • Runciman, Steven (2009) [1980]. Lost Capital of Byzantium: The History of Mistra and the Peloponnese. New York: Tauris Parke Paperbacks. ISBN 978-1845118952.
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