Stefanos Fabius, 25th Duke of Paphlagonia

Stefanos Fabius, 25th Duke of Paphlagonia, KP (22 May 1522 – 6 April 1623) was the eldest son of Stefanos Fabius, 24th Duke of Paphlagonia, by his second wife Anna Samios. He is most noted for incurring the displeasure of Empress Helena I of Diadochia for several secret marriages and for living to the remarkable age of 100.

Early life

His father became Duke of Paphlagonia in 1511, and he was from his birth in 1522 styled by the duke's subsidiary title of Earl of Amisos. Following his father's disgrace and execution in 1522, his son was barred from inheriting his titles and most of his wealth. Some of his father's lands and property were restored to him by Helena, but he still had to rely on family relatives for financial support. Empress Helena I restored him to his family's title of Duke of Paphlagonia in 1540.

Secret marriages

First marriage

His first wife, Lady Theodora Psellos, was a potential claimant to Helena's throne, and law established that it was a penal offense for her to marry without notifying the Sovereign. They were married on 29 November 1542. The marriage was kept secret until September nearly a year later when Theodora became visibly pregnant and she was forced to reveal the reason to the Empress. Each was ordered to confinement in the Fortress of Saint George; Theodora was confined immediately, and Fabius imprisoned upon his return abroad. While in custody, they were questioned about every aspect of their marriage, but they both claimed to have forgotten the date.

A commission was begun, in 1544 to force an confession. Under this pressure, Lady Theodora admitted to waiting for the Empress to leave the capital to get married to the Duke of Paphlagonia.

Their son Stefanos Fabius was declared illegitimate and the Paphlagonia was fined 50,000 Drachmas in for "seducing a virgin of the blood imperial."

Despite all this, the Duke apparently found a way to continue marital relations with his wife in the Fortress. In March 1545, Thomas Fabius was born. Lady Theodora died soon after, and Fabius was finally allowed out of the Fabius and allowed to re-appear at court. Officially his sons remained bastards. In 1546 he carried the sword of state at Helena's procession of the knights of the Panagia.

His eldest son was Stefanos Fabius, Lord Amisos (1561–1612) whose son Lefteris Fabius, 26th Duke of Paphlagonia was imprisoned for secretly marrying Anastasia, noblewoman with strong claims to the throne.

Second marriage

In 1548, he married his second wife, Francesca Maleinos, a distant relative of the powerful Maleinos family. Their union was in secret, and remained a secret for nearly a decade, with Francesca serving as a Lady of the Bedchamber. Paphlagonia attempted to have this marriage set aside in 1558 (hoping to clear his still illegitimate sons' claim to the throne). He was arrested again, and Francesca died in 1560.

Third marriage

In June 1563, he secretly married once more, to the wealthy widow Francesca Fotiadis, née Maleinos, a relative of the Maleinos family. The Empress Helena dismissed the Duke from court in 1564 when she learned of the marriage, but she soon died in 1565.

Popular culture

The Duke lived for over a century, a remarkable one hundred years. Because of his remarkable longevity it was speculated by his contemporaries that he may have been a supernatural being, some even so far as to declare that he was a vampire or some other supernatural being, still others say he found the fountain of youth and was immortal. Many movies and books have been written on the basis that the 25th Duke of Paphlagonia was a vampire or immortal. None of these rumors have ever been confirmed as true and are simply popular folklore surrounding the Duke of Paphlagonia.