The Byzantine Dynasty Survived 1,100 Years. Where Are They Now?

On May 29, 1453, the last Roman emperor charged into the Ottoman line and was never seen again. His body was never found. But Constantine XI had brothers — and their children scattered across 3 continents, producing some of the strangest fates in royal history. One brother surrendered to the sultan and died a monk. Another fled to Rome with a saint's skull. Their children sold the imperial title, defected to the Ottoman court, and married into the Russian royal family. 6 generations later, the dynasty's trail leads to a parish church in Cornwall, a sugar plantation in Barbados, and a baptism record in east London — after which the bloodline simply vanishes. The Palaiologos dynasty ruled the Byzantine Empire for 192 years and the empire itself lasted over 1,100 years. This is the story of what happened to the family after the fall of Constantinople — and whether any descendants survive today. This video is a researched documentary created for educational purposes.