Godscall Paleologue - Wikipedia

Godscall Paleologue or Paleologus (12 January 1694 – ?) was the last recorded living member of the Paleologus family, and through them possibly the last surviving member of the Palaiologos dynasty, rulers of the Byzantine Empire from 1259 to its fall in 1453. The posthumous daughter of privateer Theodore Paleologus, the only surviving source on Godscall is her baptismal records. Nothing is known of her life.

The meaning of her name is unknown. It might be an English equivalent of the Greek name Theocletiane (Θεοκλητιανή), a reference to the child possibly being sickly, a surname derived from one of her mother's ancestors, or might derive from one or both of her parents being Puritans (though there is no evidence that they were), who in the 17th century commonly gave Godly names to their children.

Godscall Paleologue was born on 12 January 1694, the daughter of the privateer Theodore Paleologus, who had died the year before, and his wife Martha Bradbury. She was baptised twelve days later, on 24 January, with the registers of St Dunstan's Church in the East London district of Stepney reading "January 24 Godscall daughter of Theodore Paleologus of upp. Wapping Gent: and of Martha uxor. 12 days old".[1]

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