Theophilus Miroyan

Theophilus Miroyan (1645-1713) was a Rhomanian aristocrat, and member of the Imperial family. A grandson of both the great Armeno-Roman politician Christopher Miroyan and the Romanov Emperor Basil IV, Theophilus married his distant relative Eirene, the exiled daughter of the murdered Emperor Constantine XII for political reasons in 1666, and together, they had a large family of eight children, the eldest of whom eventually became George IV, the first Miroyanid Emperor.

Theophilus never adopted the title of Emperor himself, even though he was entirely entitled to it. Many contemporaries believed this was due to the rather domineering nature of his wife, who wanted as few potential challenges to her own sole rule in Calula in the 1670s as possible. After her death in 1682, the succession passed to their teenage son George, who rejected attempts by his father to crown him co-Emperor. Nonetheless, Theophilus did gain the title of Sebastokrator, and was given precedence at court over all but his son, the Emperor. He long outlived his wife, dying in 1713. His tomb lies at the Church of Holy Wisdom in Calula.