Duke of Patras

Duke of Patras is a title in the Peerage of Mesogeian nobility, created in 1111. The holder of the title is afforded the rank of a Patrician 1st class, allowing them a hereditary seat in the Gerousia. The holder of the title is the head of the Bryennios family. It should be noted that the Duke of Patras courtesy title Lord Bryennios is the lowest in rank of all heirs to dukedoms, but due to its holder's high status and seniority the title is higher in precedence then a normally ranked lord.

History

The Bryennios family emerged sometime in the the eight century, originally possessing land near the city of TBA. Around 717 Nikephoros Bryennios was created Count of Patras. Two centuries later in 980 the Count of Patras fell out of favor with Emperor Perseus VII and his properties and estates were confiscated. Contemporaries claim that it was only at the insistence of his lovely daughter that his life was spared. Rumors circulated at the time claim that Maria Bryennissa was a lover of Perseus VII. Whatever the truth of this story centuries later an ancestor of the Bryennios line had an affair with Emperor Perseus XV in the 17th century producing offspring.

The Bryennios family managed to rise to prominence again, and in 1111, Nikephoros Bryennios was awarded the title of Duke of Patras by Manuel II.

Titleholders

From	To	Duke of Patras	Notes
1111	1145	Sergeios Bryennios, 1st Duke of Patras (1081-1145)
1145	1183	Michael Bryennios, 2nd Duke of Patras (1126-1183)
1183	1213	Sergeios Bryennios, 3rd Duke of Patras (1147-1213)
1213	1221	Manuel Bryennios, 4th Duke of Patras (1151-1221)
1221	1229	Theodore Bryennios, 5th Duke of Patras (1193-1229)
1229	1260	Michael Bryennios, 6th Duke of Patras (1202-1260)
1260	1311	Manuel Bryennios, 7th Duke of Patras (1249-1311)
1311	1321	Theodore Bryennios, 8th Duke of Patras (1272-1321)
1321	1338	Theodore Bryennios, 9th Duke of Patras (1291-1338)
1338	1355	Panagiotis Bryennios, 10th Duke of Patras (1325-1355)
1355	1399	John Bryennios, 11th Duke of Patras (1355-1399)
1399	1440	Perseus Bryennios, 12th Duke of Patras (1373-1440)
1440	1462	Theodora Bryennissa, 13th Duchess of Patras (1409-1462)	heiress of the house of Bryennios, suo jure duchess
1462	1479	John Bryennios, 14th Duke of Patras (1433-1479)
1479	1482	Alexander Bryennios, 15th Duke of Patras (1457-1482)
1482	1482	Euphrosyne Bryennios, 15th Duchess of Patras (1437-1491)	she ceded her titles to her eldest son upon his twenty-second birthday
1482	1517	Alexius Bryennios, 16th Duke of Patras (1460-1517)
1517	1547	Achilles Bryennios, 17th Duke of Patras (1497-1547)
1547	1548	Henri Bryennios, 18th Duke of Patras (1521-1548)
1548	1611	Perseus Bryennios, 19th Duke of Patras (1544-1611)
1627	1634	Heraclius Bryennios, 20th Duke of Patras (1574-1634)
1634	1678	Perseus Bryennios, 21st Duke of Patras (1613-1679)	His titles were inherited by his daughter's illegitimate son, who was fathered by the emperor
1679	1727	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 22nd Duke of Patras (1677-1727)	illegitimate son of Perseus XV
1727	1754	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 23rd Duke of Patras (1705-1754)
1754	1810	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 24th Duke of Patras (1739-1810)
1769	1823	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 25th Duke of Patras (1705-1823)
1823	1864	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 26th Duke of Patras (1798-1864)
1864	1907	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 27th Duke of Patras (1827-1907)
1907	1932	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 28th Duke of Patras (1853-1932)
1932	1939	Perseus Prinkips-Bryennios, 29th Duke of Patras (1879-1939)
1939	1989	Achilles Prinkips-Bryennios, 30th Duke of Patras (1910-1989)
1989	2004	Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 31st Duke of Patras (1934-2004)
2004	incumbent	Perseus-Alexius Prinkips-Bryennios, 32nd Duke of Patras (1955-present)