Lucius

Lucius, (c. 1418 — 10 September 1462), also known by his soldiers and subjects as Pluto and subsequently Plutarch, was Roman Emperor from 1460 to 1462, as well as a notable mercenary captain in Italia and Hellas.

Although initially a steward to John of Trebizond, a member of the Conspirators, Lucius would go on to lead mercenaries in Italia for several years before marching east to intervene in the Battle of Constantinople, winning a decisive victory against the Turks and deposing the Roman-Byzantine Emperor John VIII. After assisting his heir, Constantine XI, in reconquering Hellas, he would eventually attempt to usurp power as the de-facto Roman Emperor. On September 10th, 1462, he was assassinated by his officers and his personal guards on the orders of the Synkletos — the Senate — just a few months after reinstating it.

Despite his decadence and pretension to the throne of Constantine, Lucius is often regarded as the savior of the city for his role in the Battle of Constantinople. His victories, as well as his armies, gave the Empire a suitable base from which it could then reconquer its lost territories.