Latin Emperor

Latin Empire is the historiographical convention for the Crusader realm, established in Constantinople after the Fourth Crusade (1204) and lasting until the city was recovered by the Byzantine Greeks in 1261. Its name derives from its Catholic and Western European ("Latin") nature. The empire, whose official name was Imperium Romaniae (Latin: "Empire of Romania"), claimed the direct heritage of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, which was disbanded and partitioned by the Fourth Crusade. This claim however was disputed by the Byzantine Greek successor states, the Empire of Nicaea, the Empire of Trebizond and the Despotate of Epirus. Out of these three the Nicaeans succeeded in displacing the Latin emperors in 1261 and restored the Byzantine Empire.

Latin emperors of Constantinople in exile, 1261–1383

 * Baldwin II (1261–1273), in exile from Constantinople
 * Philip I (1273–1283), his son
 * Catherine I (1283–1307), his daughter, with...
 * Charles of Valois (1301–1307), her husband
 * Catherine II (1307–1346), their daughter, with...
 * Philip II (1313–1332), her husband
 * Robert II (1346–1364), their son
 * Philip III (1364–1373), his brother
 * James of Baux (1373–1383), his nephew

James of Baux willed his titular claims to Duke Louis I of Anjou, also claimant to the throne of Naples, but Louis and his descendants never used the title. However, James' feudal heirs were the descendants of Joan of Valois, youngest sister of Empress Catherine II, as follows:


 * John of Artois, Count of Eu (1383–1387), son of Joan of Valois (youngest sister of Empress Catherine II) and Count Robert III of Artois
 * Robert IV of Artois, Count of Eu (6 April – 20 July 1387), son
 * Philip of Artois, Count of Eu (1387–1397), brother
 * Charles of Artois, Count of Eu (1397–1472), son
 * John II, Count of Nevers (1472–1491), nephew
 * John II, Duke of Cleves (1491–1521), grandson
 * John III, Duke of Cleves (1521–1539), son
 * William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (1539–1592), son
 * John William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (1592–1609), son
 * Duchess Anna of Prussia (1609–1625), niece, married with John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg
 * George William, Elector of Brandenburg (1625–1640), son
 * Frederick William I, Elector of Brandenburg (1640–1688), son
 * Frederick I of Prussia (1688–1713), son
 * Frederick William I of Prussia (1713–1740), son
 * Frederick II of Prussia (1740–1786), son
 * Frederick William II of Prussia (1786–1797), nephew
 * Frederick William III of Prussia (1797–1840), son
 * Frederick William IV of Prussia (1840–1861), son
 * William I, German Emperor (1861–1888), brother
 * Frederick III, German Emperor (9 March–15 June 1888), son
 * William II, German Emperor (1888–1941), son
 * William, German Crown Prince (1941–1951), son
 * Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia (1951–1994), son
 * George Frederick, Prince of Prussia (1994–present), grandson