CONSTANTINE IV POGONAT

Constantine IV Pogonat - Byzantine emperor Irakleyskoy dynasty, who reigned in 654 - 685 years. Son of Constans II. Genus. in 652 g. + 10 July 685 g.
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After the father of Constantine Constans II was 668 g. killed in Syracuse, Sicilians proclaimed emperor of a Miziziya, Armenian, because he distinguished the haves and the majesty. Constantine, having learned of the death of his father, with a large fleet arrived in Sicily, seized Miziziya and killed him along with his father's killer. Then, after arranging all the affairs in the West, he returned to Constantinople, and began to reign, with his brothers Tiberius and Heraclius (Theophanes: 660). In the following years, he had a heavy, but in general, successful war with the Arabs. In 670 g. Arabs took to the Asia Minor coast Cyzicus, and in 672 g. - Smyrna. In the summer of 674 g. Arabic fleet approached Constantinople. Constantine put up a big navy, and between opponents until late autumn day there were numerous naval battles and fights. In winter, the Arab fleet crossed in Cyzicus, and with the coming of spring, went up again and so waged war for seven years. However, the Arabs have not reached the goal and, after suffering heavy losses in battles with the Roman fire-bearing ships were to return home. Near the sea Sileyskogo their fleet was captured by a violent storm, so that almost all the ships died. After that, peace was concluded with a caliphate over thirty years.

The war in Thrace did not end so well. In 680 g. Constantine, having learned that the tribe of Bulgarians settled in the Danube glei and raids on villages adjacent to the Danube, was very concerned about. He ordered the troops to gather in Thrace, and shells fleet, went himself against them by land and by sea. Army he set foot near Oglan on the Danube, the fleet was near. Bulgarians, seeing the army, collected in full battle order, had lost hope of salvation, and hid in the hold. But soon the emperor, suffering from gout, was compelled to sail with five ships and with the entire suite of Messemvria that, as usual, to take baths. He left the strategists and the army, ordering them to call the Bulgarians to fight and wheedle them out of the building. But the cavalry, dismissing the rumor that the emperor fled, stricken with fear, she fled. Bulgarians, seeing this, began to pursue the Romans. Many are killed by the sword, and many of vanilla. Reaching the Danube and cross it, the Bulgarians came to Varna. Here they saw that the area is well fortified - behind the Danube, the front and sides of canyons and the sea Pontus. Having conquered the people living there Slavs, Bulgars settled among them. Hence, they attacked the fortress and the city of the Romans, so that Constantine has agreed to eventually pay them tribute.

After that Constantine did not wage wars, and made every effort to stop religious strife. In November, 680 g. he gathered in Constantinople, the Sixth Ecumenical Council, which adopted the tenets established by the five previous Councils, condemned Monothelites and adopted the doctrine of two wills and two forces (Nikephoros: 673). Shortly before his death in 681, Constantine deposed from the throne of the brethren, ordered to cut off their noses and later reigned alone with his son, Justinian (Theophanes, 673).