Who Was the Last Roman Emperor? 

Looks like you cartoonified me! Love your art style :)

4:29 Quite ironic considering that their grandson, Carlos I/Charles V would become both king of Spain and Holy Roman emperor, and would go on to embody the idea of a universal monarch. Had they accepted, we could have technically seen an emperor that could have, at least in theory, reunited both the West and the East. It would have also been even more ironic, since Theodosius I, the last emperor of a united Roman Empire was actually from Hispania or modern day Spain.

Fun fact : Conqueror Mehmed of Ottoman Empire viewed the last Byzantium emperor as a hero because he died fighting with his men, which was seen as a high status and many Ottoman sultans did this(Biggest example being Selim the Brave)

My vote goes for Constantine XI, because he lived and died how the real Roman emperor would do: in an epic defense of his capital, while firing off some sick quotes all around!

And I initially thought that Jerusalem was the most besieged city on Earth but I was wrong. It's quite amazing to know that the Theodosian Walls fended off numerous armies over the centuries only to yield to cannons by 1453.

Arguably, the original empire ended when the Praetorian guard eliminated the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, and basically became a shadow government that assassinated emperors at their whim. Even then, however, any suggestions of the emperor having royal status was downplayed to preserve the illusion of the Republic's continuation.

The common person: who? A slightly historically literate person: Romulus Augustus A historically literate person: Constantine XI A legalist (which is how the Romans saw things: Felipe VI of Spain (who is still alive)

David Megas Komnenos could count as well. He was the last of the Komnenos line, and ruled the Empire of Trebizond, which was one of the fractured states that came out of the Eastern Roman Empire.

The last emperor was Constantine XI Palaeologus

The term Byzantine appears in Renaissance literature shorty after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. This was a deliberate move by the academics of the day to A) de-legitimise the claims of the Ottoman's and B) Strengthen the claims of the Europeans (both claimed to be the Inheritors of Rome)

Bridge of the death-style: "What do you mean? Last roman emperor to rule unified roman empire or last person who held the title?" 3:06 his niece Sophia Palaiologina however managed to escape and married grand prince of moscow, Ivan III. You probably know her grandson better. Ivan IV, better known as Ivan the terrible. That's also where Russian tsardom's claim of being "the third rome" comes from.

The funniest part of this is Mehmed himself took the title Caesar of the Romans, which his descendants didn't really care about

Odd thing actually, I found this channel through an Ad, I watched a video, liked it, and subscribed. The animation is very unique! Keep up the work!

I’m a Constantine XI voter. I’m actually of the opinion that he should be an Orthodox saint too. I was actually pretty surprised when I found out he wasn’t.

4:17 I’m imagining an alternative timeline where Henry VII takes up this offer and therefore the British Empire would’ve gone on to also technically be the Roman Empire. It would just be fitting.

Does this mean that the current King of Spain is technically Roman Emperor?

Was waiting for a new video, you Guys are so underrated

Julius Nepos could also be a candidate for last emperor since he was considered the legitimate emperor and romulus augustulus was a usurper

I've never clicked on an ad and enjoyed it like this

This episode was genuinely hilarious. Great job!

Fun Fact: Thomas Palaiologos had another daughter (Sofia) who he married off to the king of the Kievan Rus, a fellow named Ivan who is known as The Great. That’s why their grandson Ivan the Terrible could rightfully claim the title Czar.

Nice video guys! There are the “german Romans” which replaced the Western Romans centuries later. But I mean they weren’t Romans, they definitely weren’t holy, and they were barely an empire.

Even though everyone has already said this, you deserve to hear it a million more times. I love your content and you are one of my favorite youtubers. I wish you got more recognition, but know you have a small but devout following. Keep up the good work 😁

the algorithm is doing this channel proud. I found this channel literally hours ago it's already got over 10k more subs, well deserved awesome content.

I like the Armchair Historian nod at 0:05

Saw the ad, clicked on the channel, I do not regret it. Subscribed.

Probably one of the best History show I saw on RU-vid. Keep going its awesome

Love these man keep it up!

I don't know how many people will get the Snatch reference, but thanks for including it, you're a man of culture.

Iirc, the Austrians, the Holy Roman Empire, The Russians and the Ottomans all claimed to be heirs of Rome, so depending on how you count, you could call Charles I of Austria. Wilhelm II of Germany, Mehmed VI of the Ottoman Empire or Nicholas II of Russia the last Roman Emperor. All of those guys were ousted in one way or another as a result of World War I. Three of them were ousted in 1918, but Mehmed VI managed to hang onto power until 1922, so if you want the last possible person with a claim to being Roman Emperor it may be him.

I watched every single video and I can't stop loving this content, top notch work! Much love from Tunisia and congratulations on the 150k subscribers milestone :D

Great video as always so informative and fun brilliant.

I definitly agree. The answer isnt a simple "[insert name here] was THE last roman emperor". There are 3; the last roman emperor to rule the united empire (Theodosius I), the last western roman emperor (Romulus Augustulus), and the last Byzantine emperor (Constantine XI).

I'm a romanian and even though i learnt in school that what today many call the bulgarian empire was actually a bulgarian and vlachs empire, but you are the first i see here on youtube to call it like that. Thank you.

I love the style of your videos, so glad I saw your ad.

First ad I've sat through, enjoyed, and subscribed as a result of it. Keep up the good work

Don't worry sidequest we both will reconquer Constantinople together just keep posting these amazing videos 😃😃

Everybody forget my man Julius Nepos in the West He was the legitimate emperor until Orestes deposed him to place Romulo Augustulus, yet he ruled in Dlamatia with approval of the Eastern emperor, and Odoacer was nominally under his command, minting coin in his name.

Awesome as always!

Best page I’ve seen in a long time love it

You forgot to make the point that the Mehmed the Conqueror claimed that, by virtue of conquest, he was the rightful "Qayser-i Rûm", a continuation of the Empire rather than its end. The Ottoman Sultans continued to bare the title until that empire collapsed in the 20th century.

You should have mentioned David Megas Komnenos, Autokrator of the Empire of Trebizond. It was one of those three Roman remnants after the IV Crusade (the others being Despotate of Epirus and Empire of Nicea), and it managed to survive the longest, even past the fall of Constantinople. Trebizond only fell to the Ottomans in 1461 AD. Trapezuntine Emperors considered themselves to be the true Roman Emperors, and after the desposition of Palaiologan dynasty they were uncontested. So, David Megas Komnenos is my pick for the last Roman Emperor.

Nicely done. Enjoy your videos.

U deserve WAAAY more subs and views man

One of the few ads Im happy to get

He said he wasn’t going to re-conquer Constantinople any time soon. I knew my pledge wasn’t in vain. Now, we play the waiting game.

Your Snatch reference earned you an instant subscription. God bless you.

The voice acting is simply amazing.

Trebizond had a royal bloodline of Byzantium since the first crusade. The komnenons

4:38 well, their grandson Charles I of spain also became Holy roman emperor, thus making him technically the last roman emperor, and for once making the HRE sort of legit.

Love your channel bro 🥰

Just found your channel, great video you got yourself one new subscriber

I absolutely love your channel and I believe you deserve more exposure, but you made a few omissions that I see as detrimental to this specific question. For starters, neither Thomas nor his son; Andreas, were ever formally recognized by Constantine XI as his lawful successors. Thomas Palaiologos never claimed to be more than the Despot of Morea, and when he lost the Despotate, he was merely content being an ex-despot, living as a guest of the Pope, trying to organize a crusade. It was Andreas who made these fanciful claims of being the Emperor of Constantinople (not Roman Emperor, mind you). This claim was legitimatized by 3 individuals: Charles VIII of France, Maximilian I of Habsburg and Pope Alexander VI Borgia. These 3 individuals had 3 different motives for this. • Charles VIII wanted to challenge the hegemony of the Holy Roman Emperor, who at the time, was at odds with France over the Duchy of Burgundy. • Maximilian I part in legitimizing Andreas' claims was completely unintentional. It happened when he threw a tantrum saying there could be no more than one "Emperor" in the West when Charles started buttering up Andreas. • Pope Alexander VI Borgia was happy to aid Charles in his fanciful ambitions concerning Constantinople because his primary goal was to keep the French the fuck away from Italy. Charles VIII actually bought Andreas' titles under the conditions that he immediately sire a biological son and launch a crusade to take back Constantinople. Neither happened and when Charles VIII knocked his head on his doorway and died, these hypothetical titles reverted back to Andreas. It was around this time that the King of Spain; Ferdinand the Catholic did 3 crucial things: 1- He ousted the Turks from Naples and made a solemn vow to avenge the Massacre of Otranto. 2- He aided the Venetians in their war with the Ottomans and crushed the Turks at Cephalonia. 3- He welcomed Orthodox Greeks expelled from Thessaloniki by Bayezid II and Moses Capsali, and settled them in Majorca (he even gave them full run of the University of Palma-Majorca). Ferdinand had already usurped France and made Spain seem the foremost defender of Christendom. This made him a prime candidate in the eyes of Andreas Palaiologos. That's why he did what he did in his last will & testament. Only, Ferdinand never even bothered acknowledging this will much less claim the titles afforded to him by it. The reason being, the titles were never real to begin with. Ergo, the last undisputed Emperor of the Romans is Constantine XI Palaiologos.

If you count the passing down of the title to the monarchs of Spain and consider the HRE as legitimate, then Charles V technically reunited both the East and the West and the "Roman Empire" carved up a huge chuck of territory from California to Manila. Since Charles passed down the title of Roman Emperor to the Austrian Habsburgs then the last legitimate Emperor was Francis II who abolished the title in 1806 and died in 1835 If you recognize right of conquest, then you can say the Ottomans were the legitimate rulers of Rome and the last legitimate Roman Emperor died as late as 1944(Abdulmeijid II)

Got a concussion so listening to your videos is helping tremendously💪

Well, arguably one of the better things I've found through adverts, this is pretty poggers

Constantine XI. Rome acknowledged then as Roman when the Empire agreed to the split. They were, for all intents and purposes, the (eastern) Roman Empire.

Everyone knows Finland is the true hier to the Roman Empire, and that the current Imperator is President Sauli Niinistö

A very good video for an ad, short, informative, entertaining.

I must've watched 95% of your videos now. Every. Single. One. Is. AMAZING.

I think it would be good to also mention Julian the Apostate since he was the last pagan emperor, I'm not saying that's why he's the last but this video tries to give all the possible options.

So legally speaking...Does this mean Rome conquered the new world and "Romans" fought the aztecs and incas?

Wonderful video!

Amazing video!

I prefer the question of who was the last ROMAN emperor, as in, an Emperor born in Rome

I like your art style 👍 The ottomans also has a good claim because after sultan mehmet II conquered constantinople he proclaimed himself as kaiser-el-rome and hunted down anyone who threatened his claim in anatolia(empire of trebizond) and the rest of greece(the peloponnesian peninsula)

This channel is the best!!!

Saw this on an ad, and now i'm subbed!

Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, especially Mehmed the Conqueror whom conquered Istanbul, did claim that they are the Ceaser of the Roman Empire, and I think they did have a strong claim on the title. So it is sad that you did not mention this possibility.

I’m team Constantine XI

I love accidentally stumbling into awesome channels like this one :D

Your subscriber count is growing so fast !

Ivan III, the Grand Prince of Moscow, proclaimed his lands the third Rome through his marriage to Sofia Paleologue, niece Constantine XI, the last Eastern Emperor. Moscow whold be elevated to the rank of Empire through his Grandson, also named Ivan, who would become known to history as Ivan the terrible. Ivan the terrible was the first ruler of Russia to adopt the title of Czar. A name derived from the Roman title of Caesar. So one could argue that the last Roman Emperor was Nicholas II of Russia, who died in 1918.

You completely did not mention that the Ottoman Sultans would refer to themselves as 'Kayser-i Rum' (ruler of rome) and were also reffered to as 'Basileus' (which means rightful ruler as opposed to 'Tyranos', an unrighftul ruler) by the greek population of the ottoman empire. Even the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople recognized Sultan Mehmet II as the successor to Constantine.

love this channel

That was amazing 😀👍

Most Catholic Monarch Carlos V was both within right to claim title of Eastern Roman Emperor (via Andreas Palaiologos' donation to the Spanish Royal Line of Succession) and was elected Western Roman Emperor (via Charlemagne's line) re-unifying Roman Empire potency as Theodosius the Great had once before him with a large intercontinental territory including inside of Italy and "Plus Ultra" throughout Europe, Africa, New World, and Asia. Also Carlos protected the Ecumenical Council of Trent as Theodosius did for the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople. Rightly #CarlosV was consecrated and coronated THE ROMAN EMPEROR. #ESPERANZA ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JbIItvxi7p0.html

If you don’t hold Rome and you speak Greek not Latin your not Roman. It’s as simple as that and I don’t understand why people don’t see it like thay

The reference to Snatch was priceless...and the video is awesome! (And I would say that you sound very much like to Stephen Fry)

Great topic! History is hindsight

Id say the legal heir to Rome would be Spain, The religious heir of Rome would be Russia, The greatest claimants via ancestral lands of Rome would be Italy and Greece, The heir of the Eastern Romans through conquest is the Ottomans/Turkey, The heir of the Western Romans through conquest is France and Germany/HRE

Having a title of Roman Emperor, as part of your titles, does not make one a Roman Emperor. It is two parts: one has to be 1) An emperor, and 2) of the Roman Empire. It requires the empire, without it the title is meaningless. No Roman Empire, no Roman Emperor. So, sorry Ottomans (who didn't even get the title right, Caesar is not Emperor, Augustus/Basileus is), Franks, and whomever after Constantine XI. One can call themselves whatever, but it does not make it so. Austrians and Ottoman Turks can call themselves whatever they like, but they're no more Emperor of Rome than Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden is the King of the Goths and Vandals.

Excellent video

I love this channel

well, after the conquest Mehmed II took the title of Kayser-i Rûm (“Caesar of Rome”) by right of conquest. All the Ottoman sultans who came after him took the title as well. Remind you that the Ottoman sultans were recognized as the legitimate rulers of the Roman Empire by the Greek Orthodox Church and by the inhabitants of the former Byzantine Empire.

Love this channel lol.

This shit is so funny man!! Keep it up 👍🏻 great content.

Do a video... on how you make your videos, they are great!

Got an ad for this video. I can't say I regret clicking it. I finally got an ad for something I actually wanted to watch.

Your channel is Nice

Love this channel only just found it

Nice video

You forgot David Komnenos last Emperor of Empore of Trebizod

The nod to Turkish from Snatch is hilarious ;)

1:06 Love "The Snatch" reference. I love that movie!

Video suggestion: short video on the history of the middle finger gesture and the critique/analysis of misconceptions associated with it.

Yall must be doing something wrong with your marketing strategy because there is no way in hell a channel this good has so little views and subs

I follow a lot of history YTers but not once heard the story of the brothers of Constantine XI. Good job👍

1:06 I died at the accidental accent switch

Last emperor of the west of Julius Nepos. He was still recognized in east and nomally by Odovacar after Romulus abdication.