The Latin Emperors of Constantinople

The Latin Empire which ruled Constantinople from 1204-1261 had a total of 9 rulers in just 57 years! These rulers were (2 were not emperors):

1. Baldwin I (1204-1205), also the Count of Flanders and Hainaut in today's Belgium, captured and killed by Bulgarians in 1205 following the Battle of Adrianople.
2. Henry (1205-1216), Baldwin's brother, ruled rather successfully, died naturally.
3. Peter Courtenay (1216-1217), brother-in-law of Baldwin I and Henry, proclaimed as Latin emperor in Rome, captured by the Byzantines of the Despotate of Epirus and never made it to Constantinople! He died in captivity in Epirus in 1219.
4. Yolande (1217-1219), sister of Baldwin I and Henry, wife of Peter, came to Constantinople in 1217 following Henry's death, died suddenly 2 years later (1219).
5. Conon de Bethune (1219), French knight who was also a leader of the Crusade in 1204, NOT emperor but regent for Peter and Yolande's infant orphaned son Baldwin II (born 1217).
6. Giovanni Colonna (1220-1221), Roman cardinal sent by the pope, NOT emperor but regent for Baldwin II following Conon's death, stepped down for Baldwin's older brother upon the latter's arrival in Constantinople.
7. Robert Courtenay (1221-1228), Baldwin II's older brother, ruled uselessly, died suddenly in Greece (1228) before making it back to Constantinople from Rome.
8. Jean de Brienne (1229-1237), former King of Jerusalem (1210-1225); senior emperor, regent, and father-in-law of Baldwin II, ruled rather successfully, defended Constantinople against the forces of John III Vatatzes of the Empire of Nicaea and Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria (1235-1236) but retired in 1237 (died same year).
9. Baldwin II Courtenay (1228-1261), the only Latin emperor to be known as a "Porphyrogennetos" as he was actually born in the Byzantine imperial palace's purple room, known as "the broke" as he spent most of his reign selling off relics for the sake of funding his dying empire, the last Latin emperor as he fled Constantinople in 1261 due to the overnight Byzantine reconquest by the Nicaean forces. He still kept the title of "Latin emperor" until his death in 1273. His descendants up until 1383 held the title of "Latin emperor" but only in name.

© Chart layout and illustrations by Powee Celdran, 2022