Leo IV the Khazar
| Leo IV | |
|---|---|
Byzantine emperor | |
| Reign | 14 September 775 – 8 September 780 |
| Coronation | 6 June 751[1] |
| Predecessor | Constantine V |
| Successor | Constantine VI and Irene of Athens (as regent) |
| Born | 25 January 750 |
| Died | 8 September 780 (aged 30) |
| Consort | Irene |
| Issue | Constantine VI |
| Dynasty | Isaurian |
| Father | Constantine V |
| Mother | Tzitzak |
Isaurian dynasty | |
|---|---|
| Chronology | |
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| Succession | |
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Leo IV the Khazar (
Germanicia. Leo died on 8 September 780, of tuberculosis. He was succeeded by his underage son Constantine VI
, with Irene serving as regent.
History
Leo IV was born on 25 January 750 AD,[2] to Emperor Constantine V and his first wife, Empress Tzitzak.[3] Because his mother was a Khazar, Leo was given the epithet 'the Khazar'.[4] Leo was elevated to co-emperor in 751, while still an infant.[3] He became emperor on 14 September 775, after Constantine V died while campaigning against the Bulgarian Empire.[5][6]
Leo was by this point suffering from
Christopher, hope of attaining the throne. These hopes were crushed when, in 776, Leo elevated Constantine to caesar, declaring him to be his successor. Shortly after this, Nikephoros and Christopher were discovered conspiring against Leo. Despite public opinion supporting the execution of the pair, Leo instead chose to pardon them, although he did exile several other plotters to Cherson.[4][3][7]
Invasion of the Abbasid Caliphate
Leo launched an invasion against the
Asia Minor.[8]
Death and succession
Leo died of a violent fever, due to his tuberculosis, on 8 September 780. Constantine, still only nine years old, became the new emperor, with Irene as his regent.[9][10]
References
Citations
- Theophanes Confessor, AM 6241.
- ISBN 9788879882446.
- ^ a b c Lawler 2011, p. 186.
- ^ a b Bury 2015, p. 478.
- ^ Melton 2014, p. 568.
- ^ Sophoulis 2011, p. 143.
- ^ Finlay 2017, p. 85.
- ^ Bury 2015, p. 479.
- ^ Melton 2014, p. 569.
- ^ Finlay 2017, pp. 85–88.
Bibliography
- Bury, J. B. (2015). A History of the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108083188.
- Finlay, George (2017). The Later Byzantine Empire. Merkaba Press. OCLC 1886829.
- Lawler, Jennifer (2011). Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empire. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786466160.
- Melton, J. Gordon (2014). Faiths Across Time: 5,000 Years of Religious History [4 Volumes]: 5,000 Years of Religious History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781610690263.
- Sophoulis, Panos (2011). Byzantium and Bulgaria, 775-831. Brill. ISBN 978-9004206953.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leon IV.
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