Duke of Alba

Dukedom of Alba
Creation date	10 January 2019
Creation	8th creation
Monarch	Emperor Constantine XX
First holder	Prince Leo
Present holder	Prince Leo
Remainder to	the 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Lord of Alba

The Duke of Alba is a substantive title awarded to members of the Latin Imperial Family. The title has been created eight times, on six occasions to Latin princes, once to an illegitimate child of a Monarch, and once to the cousin of a Monarch. It takes its name from the region of Alba, near the capital region of Latium.

The Dukedom was first created in 991 when it was conferred upon John of Ostia, the illegitimate child of Emperor John II. The line of John of Ostia would eventually become the Imperial line of Latium with the reign of Emperor Theodosius I in 1052, when the title became extinct and merged into the Crown. The third creation came in 1289, when Prince Constantine was conferred the second creation of the Dukedom after his marriage to PLACEHOLDER. The third creation to Prince Constantine also included the subsidiary title of Lord of Pistoria. Before the 2019 creation, most recent creation as on 11 September 1849, when it was granted to Prince John to mark his place as future monarch. He was also created Lord of Alba and Lord of Blachernae.

The eighth, and current, creation came on 10 January 2018 for Prince Leo of Ghant and Latium. Speculation of the grant first came 2016, in the last will and testament of Emperor Jason VI Augustus.

History

A title associated with Alba first arose in the 4th century with the Count Palatinate of Ostia, which was a non-hereditary title held by the Praetorian Prefect of Latium; this Count Palatinate fell out of use by the 7th century. In 970, a mistress to Latin Emperor John II gave birth to a son in the town of Ostia, located southwest of Castellum and the Imperial capital. John II acknowledged and later took the boy, also named John, into the Imperial house. John of Ostia, as he came to be known, was granted the Dukedoms of Ostia and Alba in 991 by Emperor John II. He held the titles and passed it on to his son, and the creation of the House of Ostia. The Ostians were prominent figures in Latin imperial court life, given prominent positions both in the reign of John II and his successor, Constantine XIII. John of Ostia, and his family, were eventually expelled from Latium proper during the reign of Empress Maria Augusta, who reportedly held a disdain for the illegitimate line.

The House of Ostia would eventually come into the Latin throne during the Crisis of the 11th Century, which saw the Latins lose territory across Belisaria and Scipia to native states and invading forces. Theodosius of Ostia, 3rd Duke of Ostia and Alba became Latin Emperor in 1052. Emperor Theodosius I would recreate the Dukedom and bestow it upon his second son, Alexander, in 1077. The Dukedom of Alba has been created seven times in total, and has been extinct since the title merged into the Crown upon the succession of Prince John as Emperor in 1897.

Dukes of Alba

First creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
John of Ostia House of Ostia 991–1037 also: Duke of Ostia, Lord of Ostia (991)		25 February 970 Ostia son of Emperor John II and Fausta	3 March 999 Maria Claudia 5 children	18 April 1037 Palatine, Castellum ab Alba aged 67
Leo of Ostia House of Ostia 1037–1044 also: Duke of Ostia, Lord of Ostia (1037)		1 August 1000 Castellum ab Alba son of John of Ostia and Duchess Maria	14 May 1023 PLACEHOLDER 2 children	4 December 1044 Sydalon aged 44
Theodosius of Ostia House of Ostia 1044–1052 also: Duke of Ostia, Lord of Ostia (1044)		3 March 1025 Ostia son of Leo of Ostia and PLACEHOLDER	18 June 1049 Maria Aurelia 5 children 20 September 1069 PLACEHOLDER 1 child	28 August 1080 Castellum ab Alba aged 55
Theodosius of Ostia succeeded as Theodosius I in 1052 as a result of the Crisis of the 11th century, and his titles merged into the Crown.

Second creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Alexander House of Ostia 1077–1088 also: Lord of Alba (1077)		3 October 1055 Galata, Ascanium son of Emperor Theodosius I and Empress Maria	20 August 1080 Silvia Rouanti 3 children	29 May 1088 Rhenus aged 34

Third creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Andreas House of Ostia 1160–1166 also: Lord of Alba (1160)		8 December 1152 Fabria son of Emperor Leo VII and Empress Agnes	12 June 1171 PLACEHOLDER 6 children	28 March 1198 Palatium Sacrum aged 45
Prince Andreas succeeded as Andreas III in 1166 upon his brother's death, and his titles merged into the Crown.

Fourth creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Constantine House of Ostia 1292–1308 also: Lord of Alba (1292)		6 July 1266 Palatium Purpura, Ascanium son of Empress Theodora I and PLACEHOLDER	25 October 1292 PLACEHOLDER 2 children	29 May 1308 Velia, Castellum ab Alba aged 42
Prince Andreas House of Ostia 1308–1331 also: Lord of Alba (1308)		6 July 1298 Velia, Castellum ab Alba son of Prince Constantine and Princess PLACEHOLDER	2 May 1292 PLACEHOLDER 2 children	21 January 1331 Velia, Castellum ab Alba aged 33
Prince Andreas had two children by his wife, PLACEHOLDER, both of whom predeceased him, though he had two illegitimate sons by his mistress, NAME, who were ineligible to succeed him.

Fifth creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Michael House of Aemelius 1467–1524 also: Count of Pistoria (1467) and Lord of Velia		22 March 1461 Palatium Purpura, Ascanium son of Emperor Stephanus II and Empress Maria	1489 Elena of Montgisard 2 children	3 December 1524 Ascanium aged 63
Prince Stephanus House of Aemelius 1524–1530 also: Lord of Alba (1524)		6 September 1492 Palatium Purpura, Ascanium son of Prince Michael and Duchess Elena	1510 PLACEHOLDER 3 children	1 January 1530 Ascanium aged 37
Prince Adrian House of Aemelius 1530–1531 also: Lord of Alba (1530)		2 May 1510 Velia House, Castellum son of Prince Michael and Duchess Elena	Unmarried	1 April 1531 Caesena aged 20
Prince Constantine House of Aemelius 1531–1560 also: Lord of Alba (1531)		1 June 1511 Palatium Sacrum, Ascanium son of Prince Sergius and Duchess PLACEHOLDER	22 April 1530 PLACEHOLDER 5 children	7 February 1560 Leonopolis aged 61
Prince Flavius House of Aemelius 1560–1600 also: Lord of Alba (1560)		7 February 1533 Palatium Augusti, Castellum ab Alba son of Prince Constantine and Duchess PLACEHOLDER	19 September 1556 Princess Maria of Latium 4 children	30 July 1612 Palatium Augusti aged 79
Prince Flavius had 4 children, one of whom who became Emperor Anastasius in 1599. Upon Prince Flavius's death, his titles merged into the Crown.

Sixth creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Arcadius House of Aemilius 1699– 1741 also: Lord of Velia (1699) and Lord of Pistoria		3 October 1662 Palatium Purpura, Ascanium son of Emperor John IX and Empress Maria Victoria	20 August 1686 PLACEHOLDER 2 children	29 May 1721 Durnovaria aged 59

Seventh creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Michael House of Anicius 1849–1897 also: Lord of Alba, Lord of Blachernae (1849)		27 December 1875 Palatium Purpura, Ascanium son of Emperor John XIII and Empress Alexandra	11 September 1897 Marie-Amélie of Prusson 1 child	13 September 1923 Hiera Palace, Ascanium aged 47
Prince Michael died without legitimate male issue and upon his death, his titles merged into the Crown.

Eighth creation

Duke	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Leo House of Alba 2019–present also: Lord of Alba and Lord of Blachernae (2019)		31 August 1991 Inperiala Palace, Ghish, Ghant son of Isabella, Princess Imperial and John, Crown Prince of Ghant	11 September 1897 Princess Elissa of Dakmoor 1 child 1 illegitimate child	– now 33 years old

Remainder

The Dukedom of Alba follows male-only succession practices for ducal titles – male heirs of the body lawfully begotten. Succession follows through the line of the first Duke, and his legitimate male descendants. Females and illegitimate children are not eligible for succession. Under the current grant of title, the title may pass to once illegitimate males of the first Duke's line following legitimization by the Emperor. Should there be no male heirs, the title will pass back to the Emperor.

Line

• Prince Leo, Duke of Alba (b. 1991)
  • (1) Prince Constantine of Ghant and Alba (b. 2019

See also

• Latin monarchy
• Alba