Constantine VI
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Constantine VI (
Constantine suffered military defeats and made controversial decisions, such as blinding his loyal general Alexios Mosele and illicitly marrying his mistress, Theodote. Taking advantage of her son's unpopularity, Irene had Constantine deposed, blinded and imprisoned in 797 and seized power for herself alone, becoming the first Empress regnant of the Empire. Constantine likely died shortly thereafter.
Constantine VI was the final ruler to be universally recognized as
Early life and the regency of Irene
Constantine VI was the only child of Emperor
In 787, Constantine, then 16 years old had signed the decrees of the
After a conspiracy against Irene was suppressed in the spring of 790 she attempted to get official recognition as empress. This backfired and with military support Constantine finally came to actual power in 790, after the
Reign
Once in control of the state, Constantine proved incapable of sound governance. Constantine himself suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Kardam of Bulgaria in the 792 Battle of Marcellae.[2] A movement developed in favor of his uncle, the Caesar Nikephoros. Constantine had his uncle's eyes put out and the tongues of his father's four other half-brothers cut off. His former Armenian supporters revolted after he had blinded their general Alexios Mosele. He crushed this revolt with extreme cruelty in 793.[2]
He then divorced his wife
On 19 August 797[a] Constantine was captured, blinded, and imprisoned by the supporters of his mother, who had organized a conspiracy, leaving Irene to be crowned as first Empress regnant of Constantinople. It is unknown when exactly Constantine died; it was certainly before 805, though he may have died of his wounds shortly after being blinded. He was buried in the Monastery of St. Euphrosyne, which Irene had founded.[2][6][10]
In the early 820s, the rebel Thomas the Slav claimed to be Constantine VI in an effort to gain support against Michael II.[11]
Family
By his first wife Maria, Constantine VI had two daughters:
- Euphrosyne (790 – after 836), who married Emperor Michael II
- Irene (789 – after July 796), who became a nun
By his mistress and then second wife Theodote, Constantine VI had two sons, both of whom died young:
- Leo (7 October 796 – 1 May 797)
- An unnamed son (posthumously 797/8 – between 802 and 808)
Gallery
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Leo IV with his son and co-emperor Constantine VI.
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Constantine VI and Irene.
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Seal of Constantine VI, c. 791.
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TheMenology of Basil II.[b]
See also
Notes
- ^ The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium gives 19 April, but this is a mistake. Theophanes the Confessor writes: "[They] reached the City on Saturday morning, 15 August." The 15th was Tuesday, so the correct date would be August 19.[8][9]
- ^ Constantine VI (right center) is depicted as bearded grown man even though he was only 16 years old at the time.
References
- ^ PBW, "Konstantinos VI".
- ^ a b c d e f g Cutler & Hollingsworth 1991, pp. 501–502
- ^ James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce (1864), The Holy Roman Empire, pp. 62–64
- ^ Ottorino Bertolini, "Adelchi, re dei Longobardi", Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani 1 (1960).
- ^ "Constantine VI (780–797)", Dumbarton Oaks
- ^ a b Treadgold 1997, p. 442.
- ^ Garland 1999, pp. 84–85.
- ISBN 9780198225683.
- JSTOR 1291157.
- ^ Garland 1999, pp. 85–87, 260 (Note 67).
- ^ Treadgold 1997, pp. 435.
Works cited
- Barbé, Dominique (1990). Irène de Byzance: la femme empereur. Passé simple. Paris: Perrin. ISBN 978-2-262-00738-6.
- Cutler, Anthony; Hollingsworth, Paul A. (1991). "Constantine VI". In ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- ISBN 978-0-415-14688-3.
- ISBN 0-8047-2630-2.
Further reading
- Ostrogorsky, George (1956). History of the Byzantine State. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.