title: The Immortal Emperor: The Life and Legend of Constantine Palaiologos, Last Emperor of the Romans
author: Donald M. Nicol
description: 'This account of the life of Constantine XI Palaiologos, last Byzantine emperor, is the entertaining and well written product of deep research into the diverse sources which cover the last years of the Byzantine Empire ... The main text has the thrust of an epic work of fiction, but the powerful narrative is never allowed to eclipse the constant tight referencing, which gives the book its authority.' The Times Higher Education Supplement<br /><br />'The value of this work lies in its masterly synthesis of previous scholarship to produce a coherent and very readable account of the life of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor ... a lucid and interesting account of an intriguing subject.' History<br /><br />'... a sympathetic portrait of a ruler who stood out nobly, albeit vainly, against the flow of events'. The Spectator<br /><br />'Professor Nicol is also able to indulge his 'own enthusiasm for the lunatic fringe of Byzantine genealogy' ... The last chapters provide a highly entertaining addition to the theme Byzance apr&#232;s Byzance. It is good to know that until quite recently there was still a Byzantine court and government in the Isle of Wight.' The Times Literary Supplement<br /><br />'... lucid and compelling ...' The Times
zlib_text: ![](Images/image00208.jpeg)
  
  ![](Images/image00209.jpeg)
  
  ![](Images/image00210.jpeg)
  
  > > IT IS THE 41ST MILLENNIUM. FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED CENTURIES THE EMPEROR
  > HAS SAT IMMOBILE ON THE GOLDEN THRONE OF EARTH. HE IS THE MASTER OF MANKIND
  > BY THE WILL OF THE GODS, AND MASTER OF A MILLION WORLDS BY THE MIGHT OF HIS
  > INEXHAUSTIBLE ARMIES. HE IS A ROTTING CARCASS WRITHING INVISIBLY WITH POWER
  > FROM THE DARK AGE OF TECHNOLOGY. HE IS THE CARRION LORD OF THE IMPERIUM FOR
  > WHOM A THOUSAND SOULS ARE SACRIFICED EVERY DAY, SO THAT HE MAY NEVER TRULY
  > DIE.
  
  > > YET EVEN IN HIS DEATHLESS STATE, THE EMPEROR CONTINUES HIS ETERNAL
  > VIGILANCE. MIGHTY BATTLEFLEETS CROSS THE DAEMON-INFESTED MIASMA OF THE WARP,
  > THE ONLY ROUTE BETWEEN DISTANT STARS, THEIR WAY LIT BY THE ASTRONOMICAN, THE
  > PSYCHIC MANIFESTATION OF THE EMPEROR’S WILL. VAST ARMIES GIVE BATTLE IN HIS
  > NAME ON UNCOUNTED WORLDS. GREATEST AMONGST HIS SOLDIERS ARE THE ADEPTUS
  > ASTARTES, THE SPACE MARINES, BIO-ENGINEERED SUPER-WARRIO