Steven Avery
Administrator
what is the invented noble lineage, Simonis-Dou
The invented noble lineage of "Simonis-Dou" (often styled as Simonis-Doukai or Simonis-Doukas) was a fraudulent family tree constructed by Constantine Simonides to tie himself to the imperial dynasties of the Byzantine Empire. [1, 2, 3]
The Composition of the Fraud
To craft a name that sounded instantly recognizable to European historians and collectors, Simonides cleverly mashed together two major historic Byzantine entities: [1, 2]
How He Used It
By combining these names into "Constantine A. F. Simonis-Dou," he could sign his correspondence, book dedications, and forged collection catalogs as a descendant of absolute royal privilege. In his self-published work Autographs (1854), he formally used the title to present his fabricated manuscripts not as fakes he just painted, but as hereditary heirlooms passed down through centuries of his "noble" family line. [1, 2, 3]
In tandem with this fake name, he also claimed that his maternal uncle, "Benedict," was a great Archimandrite on Mount Athos, weaving a elaborate backstory that his imperial ancestors had hidden ancient libraries of manuscripts to protect them from Crusaders—conveniently leaving him as the sole rightful heir to discover and sell them. [1, 2]
Would you like to explore how scholars like Sir Frederic Mad
The invented noble lineage of "Simonis-Dou" (often styled as Simonis-Doukai or Simonis-Doukas) was a fraudulent family tree constructed by Constantine Simonides to tie himself to the imperial dynasties of the Byzantine Empire. [1, 2, 3]
The Composition of the Fraud
To craft a name that sounded instantly recognizable to European historians and collectors, Simonides cleverly mashed together two major historic Byzantine entities: [1, 2]
- Simonis: Taken from Simonis Palaiologina (Princess Simonida), a famous 13th-century Byzantine princess and daughter of Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos. By attaching "Simonis" to his identity, he attempted to morph his actual surname, Simonides, into an ancient royal patronymic. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Dou (Doukas / Ducas): Taken from the House of Doukas, one of the most powerful aristocratic families and imperial dynasties in Byzantine history. [1, 2]
How He Used It
By combining these names into "Constantine A. F. Simonis-Dou," he could sign his correspondence, book dedications, and forged collection catalogs as a descendant of absolute royal privilege. In his self-published work Autographs (1854), he formally used the title to present his fabricated manuscripts not as fakes he just painted, but as hereditary heirlooms passed down through centuries of his "noble" family line. [1, 2, 3]
In tandem with this fake name, he also claimed that his maternal uncle, "Benedict," was a great Archimandrite on Mount Athos, weaving a elaborate backstory that his imperial ancestors had hidden ancient libraries of manuscripts to protect them from Crusaders—conveniently leaving him as the sole rightful heir to discover and sell them. [1, 2]
Would you like to explore how scholars like Sir Frederic Mad