Byzantine emperor
JEAN II COMNÈNE & EMPRESS IRENE THE HUNGARIAN
OIL PAINTING ON CANVAS
I have no further description, at this time
Geoffrey I of Villehardouin (c. 1169 – c. 1229) was a French knight from the County of Champagne who joined the Fourth Crusade. He participated in the conquest of the Peloponnese and became the second prince of Achaea (1209/1210–c. 1229).
Under his reign, the Principality of Achaea became the direct vassal of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He extended the borders of his principality, but the closing years of his rule were marked by his conflict with the church. More on Geoffroy Villardouin
Constantine IV ruled as emperor of the Byzantine empire from 668 to 685 CE. His reign is best remembered today for the five-year Arab siege of Constantinople from 674 CE, which the Byzantines resisted thanks to their strong fortifications and the secret weapon of Greek Fire. Although not hugely successful in other theatres, the reign of Constantine would at least stabilize the Empire, perpetuate the rule of Christianity in the East, and permit something of a revival of Byzantine fortunes under subsequent emperors.
Unknown artist
Byzantine emperor Constantine IV (r. 668-685 CE) and entourage, c. 7th century
Mosaic
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare, in Classe, Ravenna, Italy.
Constantine was the eldest son of Constans II (r. 641-668 CE) and he had been crowned co-emperor, as was customary for the chosen heir, in 654 CE. Constans was unpopular with the Church He did not win any admirers for his military record, either, as the Arab Caliphate inflicted a series of defeats on Byzantine armies throughout his reign. When the emperor relocated to Syracuse on Sicily for greater safety it was the last straw for the Byzantine aristocracy who envisaged their abandonment in Constantinople, the capital.
Watson Charlton
Death of Constans II, c. 1872Hutchinson publishing house's book History of the Nations (1920)
I have no further description, at this time
I have no further description, at this time
Watson Charlton (1872 - ?) was a British illustrator of children's books. He was born in Sunderland, Durham, the son of the painter John William Charlton (1848–1917).
It was no surprise, then, that Constans was assassinated - the deed done, while he took his bath, by one of his own military entourage on 15 September 668 CE, with a soap dish as the inglorious weapon.
Constantine travelled to Sicily where he put down the rebellion led by Mizizios, one of the conspirators who had murdered his father. It was in the east, though, with the now annual incursions of Byzantine Asia Minor by the Arab Caliphate, that the empire was most threatened.
Unknown artist
Clash between Byzantines and Arabs I have no further description, at this time
One of the most persistent attacks in Constantinople’s long history came with the Arab siege of 674-678 CE. Muawiya (r. 661-680 CE), the caliph and founder of the Umayyad Caliphate, had already enjoyed victories against Byzantine armies during the reign of Constans II and in 670 CE the Muslim fleet took Cyprus, Rhodes and Kos, and then moved into the northern Aegean. Next, they attacked Kyzikos (Cyzicus) on the south coast of the Sea of Marmara. Now possessing a handy peninsula from which to launch attacks, Constantinople was the next major target in 674 CE. The city’s legendary fortifications, the Theodosian Walls, and the Byzantine secret incendiary weapon of Greek Fire meant that, ultimately, the five-year siege was unsuccessful.
During the siege, every summer the city resisted siege engines and artillery fire from huge catapults, to the frustration of the army of Muawiya. Meanwhile, the Caliphate’s armies in Asia Minor had been suffering setbacks - for example, there were attacks by the Mardaites tribesmen of Lebanon (encouraged by Constantine).
Unknown artist
The crew of a Byzantine dromond spraying an enemy ship with Greek fire
I have no further description, at this time
His fleet was torched by Greek Fire, the caliph was forced to sign a 30-year truce with Byzantium. It was the first major defeat the Arabs had suffered since the rise of Islam. In 679 CE Muawiya was obliged to give up the Aegean islands he had conquered and pay an annual tribute which included 3,000 gold coins, 50 slaves and 50 thoroughbred horses.
Constantine still faced problems elsewhere, though. The Empire had fast been crumbling at the edges throughout the first half of the 7th century CE. Now the Arabs in North Africa were steadily increasing their territory at the expense of the empire and the Bulgars, led by Asparuch, were also flexing their military muscle south of the Danube. On top of that, the Slavs had attacked Thessaloniki, the empire’s second most important city.
The Byzantine fleet as seen in the Chronicle of John Skylitzes, circa 13th century
Madrid National Library.
Thessaloniki was successfully defended but, after a failed Byzantine naval mission in 680 CE, the Bulgar kingdom became the first in Byzantine territory which an emperor was obliged to recognize as independent. Constantine, preferring to concentrate his armies in Asia, was constrained to sign a treaty in 681 CE which necessitated the emperor paying a handsome annual tribute to the Bulgars as a price for peace.
Unknown artist
Bulgarian forces rout the Byzantines, 11th-12th centuries
illustrated illuminated manuscript of the Synopsis of Histories
Madrid, Skylitzes
I have no further description, at this time
In Italy, meanwhile, Constantine was obliged to sign a peace treaty with the ambitious Lombards who had captured Byzantine territory in the south.
The ambitious Lombards
I have no further description, at this time
Graham Sumner was born in 1958. He studied illustration at Wrexham Art School and has specialised in archaeological reconstruction drawings. Graham has been involved with the Ermine Street Guard for nearly 20 years. He has written a number of articles for ‘Military Illustrated’ magazine and was the author of the popular ‘Roman Army: Wars of the Empire’ in Brasseys’ ‘History of Uniform’ series. More on Graham Sumner
A similar treaty was signed with the Avars in central Europe. Greater success was enjoyed in Cilicia in 684 CE and most of the lands of the Armenians became a Byzantine protectorate at their own request. The empire had found its military feet again and stopped the rot after half a century of serious setbacks .
Unknown artist
The Sixth Ecumenical Council
I have no further description, at this time
Another notable event of Constantine’s reign was the Sixth Ecumenical Council of 680-681 CE.
Unknown artist
Pope Agatho
The Lives and Times of the Popes, c. 1842
The Catholic Publication Society of America, 1911
I have no further description, at this time
Constantine had communicated with Pope Agatho (678-681 CE) who enthusiastically agreed that a decision needed to be made on the Christian Church’s fundamental principles regarding the two natures of Jesus Christ, the embodiment of both the human and divine spirit. Accordingly, 174 delegates representing the Church from all parts of the empire gathered in the Domed Hall of the royal palace in Constantinople. The Council, meeting 18 times over ten months and presided over by the emperor himself, condemned both Monotheletism (the idea that Jesus Christ had a single will) and Monoenergism (that Christ had a single energy or force). Anyone who had or still disagreed with that view was condemned as a heretic.
Constantine died of dysentery aged just 33 in 685 CE and was succeeded by his son and chosen heir Justinian II (r. 685-695 CE). More on Constantine IV
Please visit my other blogs: Art
Collector, Mythology, Marine
Art, Portrait of a Lady, The
Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The
Canals of Venice, Middle
East Artists, and 365 Saints, also visit my Boards on Pinterest
Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others.
Some Images may be subject to copyright
I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless
it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell
me.
I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are
shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.
If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends and family.
Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.
Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.