Duke of Khvarvaran
The Duke of Mesaia is the premier duke in the Peerage of Mesogeia, and the senior most noble in Mesogeia aside from the sixteen royal houses in the kingdom, which hold a higher status by virtue of their regal title. The dukedom has been held by the head of the Daras-Doukas family since the 16th century.
History
The dukedom was originally created as a royal title in 701, for Prince Leo, the younger son of Emperor Constantine IV, who awarded it to him on his eleventh birthday. At his death in 739, the title reverted to the crown because he lacked any offspring. The title was recreated in 740 for Christopher, the younger son of Emperor Michael VIII. The title of Duke of Mesaia was forfeit in 752 when Christopher was blinded by order of Empress Cleopatra Irene for plotting against the throne. The title of Duke of Mesaia remained vacant for the next thirty years, until 781 when it was created for the third time, and was restored to the descendants of Christopher in the female line.
In 781, Leo VI a few months after his accession decided to reward those who had supported his bid for the throne, among those supporters were Alexius Doux. The Duke of Mesaia was descended from the last Duke of Mesaia by way of his mother Anna, while on his father's side he was a scion of the Doux, one of the most prominent families in Mesogeia in the 8th century. For the next century the descendants of Anna held the ducal title until 874 when the senior male line died out. The title was recreated for the fourth time in 874 when it was granted to Andronikos Doukas, a member of the junior line of the Doux family. From that point onward the family was latinized as Doukas.
In addition to their main title the Doukas family possess various other titles including Marquess of Magnesia, Marquess of Nainava, Count of Assur, Count of Dodona, Lord Anatolinos, Lord Makrodoukas, and Lord Daras
Residences and estates
For centuries the Doukas family have been one of the wealthiest and most influential families in all of Mesogeia; as a result several estates have come into their possession over the last several centuries. The most notable of these estates include: Doukas House, Assur Castle.
List of titleholders
Dukes of Mesaia (701)
| Created by Constantine IV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Period | Spouse | Notes | Other titles |
| 1 | Leo Anatolinos (690–740) |
701–740 | WIP | Son of Constantine IV | Count of Nainava Count of Mesaia |
Dukes of Mesaia (740)
| Created by Michael VIII | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Period | Spouse | Notes | Other titles |
| 1 | Christopher Anatolinos (719–753) |
740–752 | WIP | Son of Constantine IV | Count of Nainava |
Dukes of Mesaia (781)
| Created by Constantine VI | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Period | Spouse | Notes | Other titles |
| 1 | Alexius Doux (762–825) |
781–825 | WIP | grandson of Christopher Anatolinos in the female line | Count of Nainava Count of Assur Lord Anatolinos Lord Doukas |
| 2 | Alexius Doux (798–850) |
825–850 | WIP | Son of the preceding | |
| 3 | Alexius Doux (839–874) |
850–874 | WIP | Son of the preceding | |
Dukes of Mesaia (874)
| Created by Alexander XVII | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Period | Spouse | Notes | Other titles |
| 1 | Andronikos Doukas (c. 832 – 883) |
874–883 | WIP | Grandson of Alexius Doux, 1st Duke of Mesaia | Count of Nainava Count of Assur Lord Anatolinos Lord Doukas |
| 2 | Constantine Doukas (857–885) |
883–885 | Lady of Magnesia WIP |
Son of the preceding, he attempted to usurp the throne and was killed, his titles and estates were confiscated; later restored to his son | Count of Magnesia Count of Nainava Count of Assur Lord Anatolinos |
| 3 | Stephan Doukas (877–940) |
885–940 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he inherited the dukedom upon his father's death | |
| 4 | Alexius Doukas (877–940) |
940–960 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he inherited the dukedom upon his father's death | |
| 5 | Constantine Doukas (923–1012) |
960–1012 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he inherited the dukedom upon his father's death | |
| 6 | Constantine Doukas (992–1056) |
1012–1056 | WIP | Grandson of the preceding, he inherited the dukedom upon his grandfather's death | |
| 7 | Christopher Doukas (1019–1081) |
1056–1081 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he inherited the dukedom upon his father's death | |
| 8 | Andreas Doukas (1059–1115) |
1081–1115 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he inherited the dukedom upon his father's death | |
| 9 | Constantine Doukas (1103–1130) |
1115–1130 | WIP | grandson of the preceding, | |
| 10 | Christopher Doukas (1112–1170) |
1130–1177 | WIP | Brother of the preceding, | |
| 11 | Andreas Doukas (1133–1177) |
1177–1199 | WIP | Son of the preceding | |
| 12 | Michael Doukas (1180–1234) |
1199–1234 | WIP | Grandson of the preceding | Count of Magnesia Count of Nainava Count of Assur Lord Anatolinos Lord Makrodoukas |
| 13 | John Doukas (1200–1241) |
1234–1241 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 14 | Alexius Doukas (1225–1270) |
1241–1270 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 15 | John Doukas (1255–1307) |
1270–1307 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 16 | Alexius Doukas (1272–1312) |
1307–1312 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 17 | John Doukas (1306–1352) |
1312–1352 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 18 | Constantine Doukas (1329–1389) |
1352–1389 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 19 | Bardas Doukas (1372–1428) |
1389–1428 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 20 | John Doukas (1421–1481) |
1428–1481 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he was imprisoned but died before he could be tried for treason | |
| 21 | Bardas Doukas (1439–1520) |
1481–1520 | WIP | Son of the preceding | |
| 22 | Bardas Doukas (1472–1555) |
1520–1554 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he incurred the wrath of Manuel V who had him imprisoned; he later was restored to favor by Francis III | |
| 23 | Bardas Doukas (1537–1575) |
1554–1575 | WIP | Grandson of the preceding, he was imprisoned and later executed for treason | |
| 24 | Alexander Daras-Doukas (1558–1598 |
1575–1598 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he was imprisoned with his father, but later released and his titles were restored | Marquess of Magnesia Marquess of Nainava Count of Assur Count of Dodona Lord Anatolinos Lord Makrodoukas Lord Daras |
| 25 | Bardas Daras-Doukas (1587–1647 |
1598–1647 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he was an avid art collector. At his death of Doukas family possessed one of the largest private art collections | |
| 26 | Henri Daras-Doukas (1605–1650 |
1547–1650 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 27 | Bardas Daras-Doukas (1616–1666 |
1650–1666 | WIP | Son of the preceding, he was declared insane | |
| 28 | Henri Daras-Doukas (1621–1676) |
1666–1676 | WIP | Brother of the preceding, | |
| 29 | Henri Daras-Doukas (1647–1698) |
1666–1698 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 30 | Bardas Daras-Doukas (1680–1729) |
1698–1729 | WIP | Nephew of the preceding, | |
| 31 | Andreas Daras-Doukas (1688–1729) |
1729–1774 | WIP | Brother of the preceding, | |
| 32 | Constantine Daras-Doukas (1743–1812) |
1774–1812 | WIP | nephew of the preceding, | |
| 33 | Bardas Daras-Doukas (1762–1839 |
1812–1839 | WIP | brother of the preceding, | |
| 34 | Henri Constantine Daras-Doukas (1789–1854) |
1839–1854 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 35 | Henri George Daras-Doukas (1814–1859) |
1854–1859 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 36 | Bardas Daras-Doukas (1848–1918) |
1859–1918 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |
| 37 | Bardas Daras-Doukas (1907–1977 |
1918–1977 | WIP | Grandson of the preceding, | |
| 38 | Marius Francis Daras-Doukas (1914–2001) |
1977–2001 | WIP | Brother of the preceding, | |
| 39 | Andreas Manuel Daras-Doukas (b. 1955) |
Since 2001 | WIP | Son of the preceding, | |