Constantine VI facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Constantine VI
Emperor of the Romans
Constantine VI – gold solidus coin.
Byzantine emperor
Reign	8 September 780 – 19 August 797
Coronation	14 April 776
Predecessor	Leo IV
Successor	Irene
Co-ruler	Irene (792–797)
Regent	Irene (780–790)
Born	14 January 771
Died	before 805
Spouse	Maria of Amnia Theodote
Issue Detail	Euphrosyne
Dynasty	Isaurian
Father	Leo IV
Mother	Irene of Athens

Constantine VI (born January 14, 771 – died before 805) was a Byzantine emperor. He ruled the Byzantine Empire from 780 to 797. He was the only child of Emperor Leo IV.

Constantine became co-emperor with his father in 776, when he was five years old. He became the sole emperor in 780, at the age of nine. His mother, Irene, acted as his regent. A regent is someone who rules for a child until they are old enough. Irene was helped by her chief minister, Staurakios.

The regency ended when Constantine became an adult in 790. But Irene still wanted to be involved in ruling. After a short time of ruling alone, Constantine made his mother empress again in 792. This made her his official co-ruler.

Constantine faced military losses during his reign. He also made some unpopular choices. For example, he had his loyal general Alexios Mosele blinded. He also divorced his wife and married someone else, which caused problems with the church.

His mother, Irene, used his unpopularity to her advantage. In 797, Irene had Constantine removed from power. He was blinded and put in prison. Irene then took power for herself. She became the first empress to rule the empire alone. Constantine likely died soon after this.

Constantine VI was the last ruler recognized as the true Roman emperor by both the Eastern and Western parts of the old Roman Empire. After his rule, the Pope in Western Europe crowned Charlemagne as 'Emperor of the Romans' in 800. This created a new empire in the West, which later became the Holy Roman Empire.

Early Life and His Mother's Rule

Constantine VI was the only child of Emperor Leo IV and Irene. He was crowned co-emperor by his father in 776. He became the sole emperor in 780 when he was nine years old. Because he was so young, his mother Irene and her chief minister Staurakios ruled for him. This period was called the regency.

In 787, Constantine, who was 16, signed important church decisions. These decisions were made at the Second Council of Nicaea. However, he seemed to have different ideas about religious images.

In 788, Irene ended Constantine's engagement to Rotrude, a daughter of Charlemagne. Charlemagne was a powerful ruler in Western Europe. The Eastern Romans then supported someone who wanted to be king in Italy. This person was named Adalgis. He had been forced out by Charlemagne's army. But Adalgis's forces were defeated in Italy.

In 790, a group tried to overthrow Irene. After this, she tried to become empress officially. But this plan failed. With the help of the army, Constantine finally took real power in 790. This happened after a group of soldiers called the Armeniacs rebelled against Irene.

However, Constantine had trouble leading his army in the Balkans. After only two years of ruling alone, he brought his mother back into power in 792. He made her his co-ruler.

Reign

Once Constantine was in charge, he struggled to govern well. He suffered a big defeat against Kardam of Bulgaria in the 792 Battle of Marcellae. Some people then wanted his uncle, Nikephoros, to become emperor. Constantine reacted harshly. He had his uncle's eyes put out. He also had the tongues of his father's four other half-brothers cut off.

His former supporters, the Armenians, rebelled. This happened after he had their general, Alexios Mosele, blinded. Constantine crushed this revolt with extreme force in 793.

He then divorced his wife, Maria of Amnia. She had not given him a son to inherit the throne. He then married his new wife, Theodote. This marriage was not popular and caused problems with the church. The church leader, Patriarch Tarasios, did not openly oppose it. But he refused to perform the wedding ceremony.

Many people were unhappy with the marriage. Theodote's uncle, Plato of Sakkoudion, even stopped communicating with Tarasios. Plato was then imprisoned. His supporters were also punished and sent away. This event was called the "Moechian Controversy." It made Constantine lose the support he had left, especially from the church. Irene made sure to support the church against her own son.

It is not known exactly when Constantine died. It was certainly before 805. He may have died from his injuries soon after being blinded. He was buried in a monastery that Irene had founded.

Later, in the 820s, a rebel named Thomas the Slav claimed to be Constantine VI. He did this to gain support against another emperor, Michael II.

Family

Constantine VI had two daughters with his first wife, Maria:

• Euphrosyne (born 790 – died after 836), who married Emperor Michael II.
• Irene (born 789 – died after July 796), who became a nun.

With his second wife, Theodote, Constantine VI had two sons. Both of them died young:

• Leo (born October 7, 796 – died May 1, 797).
• An unnamed son (born after his father's death in 797/8 – died between 802 and 808).

Images for kids

• 

  Leo IV with his son and co-emperor Constantine VI.

• 

  Constantine VI and Irene.

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  Seal of Constantine VI, around 791.

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  The 2nd Council of Nicaea, from the Menology of Basil II.

See also

• List of Byzantine emperors

Sources

• Barbe, Dominique (1990). Irène de Byzance: La femme empereur. Paris.