Constantinian Order Of The Knights Of St. George.

Panteleon Rhodocanakis ) , was here commanding a company o household troops . A fight takes place , the horse of Constantinus slips on tho pavement , and a soldier cuts off the bead of Constantinus and carries it to the Emperor . Niccphorus Ducas having learned the death of bis elder brother , ancl of his own eldest son Michael , with a host of his relatives ; ancl at the same time that his interests at Constantinople were assailed by the Tutors , who plundered his estate and procured bis

deprivation of the title of Magister , he revolted , gained over the troops under his command , ancl assuming the title and habiliments of Emperor , crossed over into Bulgaria to assert bis claims . He refused the offers of the Emperor's tutors , and assisted by bis friend , Simeon , King of Bulgaria , besieged Constantinople . That capital again owed its salvation to its high walls , the nemerous machines of war which defended them , ancl the bravery of the garrison . Nicephorus , despairing to take it

either by assault or by famine , accepted the proposal of the Tutors to come to terms . He received the high ancl invidious title of Vasileus , or King ( BacriAeus ) of the Island of Rhodes , for himself and his descendants , with permission to cnt coin with bis effigy , & c , & c . A few clays after this , Simeon , King of Bulgaria , ( R . 888-927 ) , departed , ancl Nicephorus left for bis new kingdom , both laden with presents ancl honours . On his return to RhodesNicephorus Ducasin order to distinguish

, , himself from the other branches of his family , added after his family name that of Rhodocanakis ; being a composition of the words Rhodoe ancl AnaJcs . King of Rhodes . ( Rhodoc-anahs , Rhodocanaks , Rhodocanakis ) , and to his escutcheon , which was Azure charged with a cross Argent , dividing the field into four quarter , added the insignia granted in A . D . 538 to the Isle of Rhodes by the Emperor Justinianus the Great , Autre , an inverted

imperial diadem Proper , containing roses Argent , and surmounted byanovalcircleofsix mullets Or . It maybe mentioned that the elder branch of the House of Ducas is now extinct , but from it descended the Emperors Constantinus XI , Dncas ( r , 1059 to 1067 ) , Michael VII ., Andronicus I , and Constantinus XII , Ducas ( r . 1071 to 1078 ) , ancl lastly Alexius V , Ducas ( r . 1204 , and dethroned by the Crusaders ) . From the second branch of the Ducas family descend the Kings ancl Emperors , who , as above , assumed the name of Rhodocanakis , ancl who are too

numerous to mention ; and from the third and last ( now extinct ) the Emperor , who assumed the name of A atatzes and later also that of Lascaris ; and who were Johannes III , Ducas Vatatzes ( r . 1222 to 1245 ) , Theodoras II , Ducas A atatzes Lascaris ( r . 1255 to 1259 ) , ancl Joannes IA , Ducas Vatatzes Lascaris ( r . 1259 to 1260 ) . The title of Rogal Highness was always prefixed before the titles and names of the various members , male or femaleof the Rbodocanakian Houseup to the year of

, , Grace 1636 , when by tho death of His Imperial Highness Prince Theodoras Palajologus ( b . 1573 , in . 1593 ) , sixth Titular Emperor ( Theodoras IV . ) of the Byzantine Empire , being the great-great-great-granclson of Thomas Palneologus , Porphyrogenitus , Despot of Achaia , ancl brother ancl heir to Constantinus XIII , Palneologus , last Emperor ( reigned A . D . 1448-1453 ) of Constantinople , his title , rights , and claims

were inherited as a matter of course by his only child and heiress , Theodora Palaeologina ( b . 1594 , m . 1614 , d . 1665 ) , tlie wife of His Royal Highness Prince Demetrius Rhodocanakis ( b . 1592 , m . 1614 , cl . 1664 ) , from whom the present Prince Demetrius is sixth in lineal descent , which branch by way of distinguishing themselves from the younger branches of their house , dropped the title of Royal Highness and assumed instead that of Imperial Hihnessand for this reason this illustrious familis described

g , y in some historical works as " Royal , " in others " Imperial , " and sometimes with both appellations , its head being tho Titular Emperor of the Byzantine Empire , in the same way as the exiled Royal House of Bourbon are Titular Kings of France , Spain , Two Sicilies , & c , ancl many other examples might be adduced . The Prince Francais Rhodocanaki Justinian ! assumed the family name of his wife after his own , two years

after his marriage ; ancl he dropped it a few years afterwards , having ascertained that her only brother , and consequently the inheritor of the titles and name of Giustiniani , had not been killed in battle , as reported . ( See Notes and Queries III . VII . April 1 st , 1865 , page 207 ) . The Prince informs me that Innocent XII . set up Comnenus "to revenge himself , as was always the practice of the Popes , from the time of the separation of the two churches—Easterft and Western—about the middle of the ninth century , upon our House ( with which I may say , ex passant , bis own

Constantinian Order Of The Knights Of St. George.

became allied by marriage in 1419 , ancl in 1589 ) , to promote Ins interests and oblige his favourite , Francis Farnese , Duke of Parma , & c , & e , by concocting and confirming the illegal and imaginary sale of the most Ancient Order in Christendom . For be , as w-ell as his predecessors to the Papal throne , knew that the dignity belonged to our House , which would have been under their special favour and protection , had they abjured the religion of their forefathers and

become Catholics . This was always the policy of the Popes , although with some Paulas III . ( Alexandras Farnesius r . A . D . 1534—1549 ) , Clemens VIII . ( Hippnlytus Aldobrandinns , r . A . D . 1592—1605 ) , Paulus V , ( CamiTlus Borghesius , r . 1 G 05—1621 ) , Clemens IX . ) Julius Rospiglinsus , r . 1667- —1669 ) , Bonedictus XIII . ( Petrus Franciseus " Ursinns , r . 1724—17301 , Clemens XII ( Lanrentius Corsinus , r . 1730—1740 , & e . ) , we were very intimatel y connected , ancestors of mine having married relatives

of their own . The Giustiniani theory can end in nothing . The so-called "Johannes Andreas Angelas Flavins Comnenus" was a mere ducal puppet set up by the Holy Father , Innocent XII . ( Antonio Pignntelli ) , with the intention of giving a colourable sale to bis favourite , Duke Francis Farnese of Parma . [ It is on the foregoing that we made our correction of the titles of the Princo Rhodocanaki at page 380 ante . — -ED . ]

Scientific Meetings For The Week.

SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK .

Monday , 16 th Nov . —Institution of Civil Engineers , 28 , Great George-street , AA estminster . Wednesday , I 7 th November . —Society of Arts . First meeting of the session ; opening address by Lord Henry G . Lennox M . P , chairman of the Council .

LIST OF LODGE , MEETINGS , & c , POR WEEK ENDING 20 TH NOVEMBER , 1869 . ( Abbreviations . —F . M . H , Freemisons' Hall ; M . H , Masonic Hall ; M . T ., Masonic Temple ; Tav , Tavern ; Ho , Hotel ; R . Rooms ; L , Lodge ; St , Street ; Sq , Square ) . METROPOLITAN LODGES AND CHAPTERS .

Monday , Nov . 15 ft ,. LODGES . —British , F . M . H . ; Emulation , Albion Tav , Aldersgatest . ; Felicity , London Tav ., Bisbopsgate-st . ; Tranquility , Radley ' s Ho , Bridge-st . ; Blackfriars ; Panmure , Balham Ho , Balham ; Whittingtcn , Anderton ' s Ho , Fleet-st . ; City of London , Guildhall Coffee-House , Greshomst . ; Eclectic , F . M . H . CHAPTER . —PrudenceShip and Turtle Tavern

, , Leadenhall-st . Tuesday , Nov . 16 th . Board of Gen . Purposes . L ODGES . —Mount Lebanon , Bridge House Ho , Southwark ; Eastern Star , Ship ancl Turtle Tav , Lendenbnll-st . ; Cadogan , F . M . H . ; Honour and Generosity , London Tav , Bisbopsgate-st . ; St . Paul ' s , City Terminus Ho ., Cannon-st . ; Salisbury , 71 , Donn-st , Soho ; Camden , Lamb

Ho , Metropolitan Cattle Market ; St . Mark ' s , Horns Tav , Kennington ; Cosmopolitan , City Terminus Ho , Cannon-st . CHAPTERS . —Mount Sinai , ' Anderton's Ho , Fleet-st . ; Industry , F . M . H .

Wednesday , Nov . 17 th . Gen . Com . Grand Lodco and Lodge of Benevolence , at 7 precisely . Grand Stewards' Lodge . LODGES . — United Mariners , George Ho , Aldermanbury ; St . George ' s , Trafalgar Ho , Greenwich ; Sincerity , Cheshire Cheese Tav , Crntched Friars ; Oak , Radley's Ho , Bridge-st ., Blackfriars ; Nelson , Ma . Ha , AA illiam st , AVoolwich ; Buckingham and Chandos , F .. A 1 . H .

Thursday , Nov . 18 th . House Com . Female School , at 4 . LODGES . —Globe , F . M . H . ; Gibon , Guildhall Coffee-bouse , Gresham-st . ; Constitutional , City Terminus Ho , Cannon-st . ; St . Mary's , F . M . H . ; Temperance , AVhite Swan , Higb-st , Deptford ; Manchester , Anderton's Ho , Fleet-st . ; South Norwood , Goat House Ho ., South Norwood . FridayNov . Wth .

, House Com . Boys' School . BODGES . —Middlesex , Albion Tav . Aldersgate-st . ; Jordan , F . M . H . ; New Concord , Rosemary Branch Tav , Hoxton ; Rose of Denmark , AVhite Hart , Barnes ; University , F . M . H . CHAPTER . —Moira , London Tav , Bisbopsgate-st ,