Duke of Patras is a title in the Peerage of Mesogeian nobility, created in 1050. The holder of the title is afforded the rank of a Patrician 1st class, allowing them a hereditary seat in the Senate. 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 Adrianopolis. Around 717 Nikephoros Bryennios was created Count of Patras. Two centuries later in 980 the Count of Patras fell out of favor with Emperor Romanox IV 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 Romanos IV. Whatever the truth of this story centuries later an ancestor of the Bryennios line had an affair with Emperor Constantine XV in the 17th century producing offspring.
The Bryennios family managed to rise to prominence again, and 1050 Nikephoros Bryennios was awarded the title of Duke of Patras by Elena I and Constantine XI, co-Emperor and Empress of the Troianian Empire of Anatolia.
Titleholders
| From
|
To
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Duke of Patras
|
Notes
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| 1050
|
1072
|
Alexius Bryennios, 1st Duke of Patras (1032-1072)
|
|
| 1072
|
1120
|
Theodore Bryennios, 2nd Duke of Patras (1054-1120)
|
|
| 1120
|
1145
|
Sergeios Bryennios, 3rd Duke of Patras (1081-1145)
|
|
| 1145
|
1183
|
Michael Bryennios, 4th Duke of Patras (1126-1183)
|
|
| 1183
|
1213
|
Sergeios Bryennios, 5th Duke of Patras (1147-1213)
|
|
| 1213
|
1221
|
Manuel Bryennios, 6th Duke of Patras (1151-1221)
|
|
| 1221
|
1229
|
Theodore Bryennios, 7th Duke of Patras (1193-1229)
|
|
| 1229
|
1260
|
Michael Bryennios, 8th Duke of Patras (1202-1260)
|
|
| 1260
|
1311
|
Manuel Bryennios, 9th Duke of Patras (1249-1311)
|
|
| 1311
|
1321
|
Theodore Bryennios, 10th Duke of Patras (1272-1321)
|
| 1321
|
1338
|
Theodore Bryennios, 11th Duke of Patras (1291-1338)
|
|
| 1338
|
1355
|
Panagiotis Bryennios, 12th Duke of Patras (1325-1355)
|
|
| 1355
|
1399
|
John Bryennios, 13th Duke of Patras (1355-1399)
|
|
| 1399
|
1440
|
Constantine Bryennios, 14th Duke of Patras (1373-1440)
|
|
| 1440
|
1462
|
Theodora Bryennissa, 15th Duchess of Patras (1409-1462)
|
heiress of the house of Bryennios, suo jure duchess
|
| 1462
|
1479
|
John Bryennios, 16th Duke of Patras (1433-1479)
|
|
| 1479
|
1482
|
Alexander Bryennios, 17th Duke of Patras (1457-1482)
|
|
| 1482
|
1482
|
Euphrosyne Bryennios, 18th Duchess of Patras (1437-1491)
|
she ceded her titles to her eldest son upon his twenty-second birthday
|
| 1482
|
1517
|
Alexius Bryennios, 19th Duke of Patras (1460-1517)
|
|
| 1517
|
1547
|
Achilles Bryennios, 20th Duke of Patras (1497-1547)
|
|
| 1547
|
1548
|
Henri Bryennios, 21st Duke of Patras (1521-1548)
|
|
| 1548
|
1611
|
Constantine Bryennios, 22nd Duke of Patras (1544-1611)
|
|
| 1627
|
1634
|
Henri Bryennios, 23rd Duke of Patras (1574-1634)
|
|
| 1634
|
1678
|
Constantine Bryennios, 24th Duke of Patras (1613-1675)
|
His titles were inherited by his daughter's illegitimate son, who was fathered by the emperor
|
| 1678
|
1727
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 25th Duke of Patras (1677-1727)
|
illegitimate son of Constantine XV
|
| 1727
|
1754
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 26th Duke of Patras (1705-1754)
|
| 1754
|
1810
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 27th Duke of Patras (1739-1810)
|
|
| 1769
|
1823
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 28th Duke of Patras (1705-1823)
|
|
| 1823
|
1864
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 29th Duke of Patras (1798-1864)
|
|
| 1864
|
1907
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 30th Duke of Patras (1827-1907)
|
|
| 1907
|
1932
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 31st Duke of Patras (1853-1932)
|
|
| 1932
|
1939
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 32nd Duke of Patras (1879-1939)
|
|
| 1939
|
1989
|
Achilles Prinkips-Bryennios, 33rd Duke of Patras (1910-1989)
|
|
| 1989
|
2004
|
Constantine Prinkips-Bryennios, 34th Duke of Patras (1934-2004)
|
|
| 2004
|
incumbent
|
Constantine-Alexius Prinkips-Bryennios, 35th Duke of Patras (1955-present)
|
|