John Paleologus facts for kids

John Paleologus (also known as Giovanni Paleologo) was born in June or July 1611. He was the third son of Theodore Paleologus, a soldier from the 16th and 17th centuries. Through his father, John's family believed they were connected to the ancient Palaiologos family, who were the last emperors of the Byzantine Empire.

John's story is quite mysterious. He was one of three sons of Theodore who lived to be adults. It's thought that he fought for the Royalists (also called Cavaliers) during the English Civil War (1642–1651). His brother, Ferdinand, also joined the Royalists. John is known to have traveled with Ferdinand to Barbados, an island in the Caribbean, where they were both recorded in 1644. After that year, there are no more records of John.

Many people believe John died fighting for the Royalists at the Battle of Naseby in 1645. However, there's no proof that he ever returned to England after being in Barbados. Another idea is that he stayed in the Caribbean and, like some other unhappy settlers, might have become a pirate.

Early Life and Family Connections

John Theodore Paleologus was the second oldest son of Theodore Paleologus and his wife, Mary Balls. He was baptized on July 11, 1611, which means he was likely born in late June or early July of that year.

John's family, the Paleologus family, believed they were the last living members of the Palaiologos dynasty. This powerful family ruled the Byzantine Empire from 1259 until 1453. They claimed to be descendants of Thomas Palaiologos, who was a brother of the last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos. While there's a missing link in their family tree, many people at the time didn't doubt their connection to the emperors.

John had two older brothers. One, also named Theodore, died when he was a baby. The other was Theodore Junior. John also had a younger brother, Ferdinand, and two older sisters, Dorothy and Mary.

When John was young, he lived with his family in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England. His father worked for a powerful man named Earl Henry Clinton. After the Earl died in 1616, John's father left Lincolnshire. It's thought that John and his siblings might have gone to work for other wealthy families, which was common for young people back then. They might also have lived with their mother's relatives, the Balls family.

From 1619 to 1628, John's parents, sisters, and younger brother Ferdinand lived in Plymouth. However, John was not with them during this time. He was likely still working in service for another household.

John's Role in the English Civil War

John is the most mysterious of Theodore's three sons. It is widely believed that he fought on the Royalist side during the English Civil War (1642–1651). His brother Ferdinand also supported the Royalists.

John seems to have gone with Ferdinand to Barbados. On June 26, 1644, both brothers were recorded as witnesses on an important legal document, called a deed, in Barbados. This is the last confirmed record of John.

What Happened to John?

No one knows for sure what happened to John Paleologus after 1644. There are different stories about his death. Some tales say he died at the Battle of Lansdowne in Somerset in 1643. However, this is not true because we know he was in Barbados in 1644.

Another popular story is that he died at the Battle of Naseby in 1645. This battle was a major event in the English Civil War. But, after 1644, there are no more records of John, either in Barbados or back in England. So, there is no proof that he was at Naseby, even though many historians have repeated this idea.

One historian, John Hall, who wrote a book about Theodore Paleologus in 2015, thinks it's unlikely John went back to England just to die at Naseby. Hall also points out that since there are no more records of John in Barbados, he probably didn't stay on the island for long.

Hall suggests that John might not have gotten along well with the people in Barbados. Or perhaps he couldn't earn enough money to settle down there, unlike his brother Ferdinand, who did make a life for himself on the island. In the 1600s, many unhappy settlers left the Caribbean islands to explore the mainland. Some of these people eventually became pirates. Because of this, Hall wonders if John might have become a pirate in the West Indies.