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 Constantine 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)
|
|