Leo V the Armenian

Leo V the Armenian - Byzantine emperor in 813 - 820 years. + 25 December. 820 g.
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Motherland Leo was Armenia. Upon reaching adolescence, he settled in the village Pidra in feme Anatolik. There he matured and gained fame brave. Stratig Vartan, who under the Emperor Nicephorus I of the rules of the five eastern femami, included Lion among his closest servants, because he was kind of scary, is huge growth and refined speech. But when Vartan in 803 g. proclaimed himself emperor, Leo left his master and ran to the side of Nicephorus. As a reward he was appointed chief of federates and two palaces in the capital: the royal house and Zinon Dagisfey. Later Nicephorus entrusted to him the war against the Arabs. Leo kept her in the overall success, but one day because of his carelessness the enemy captured the town Evhait and stole all the money that had been sent from the treasury AJ payday soldiers. For this fault Nicephorus ordered to beat Leo in the back and chest and told the eternal link. When the emperor was Michael I Rangabe, he returned to the capital of the Lion, granted the title of Patrick and appointed stratц?ges Anatolika. In the war with Bulgaria Lev was one of the closest advisers of the emperor, and it was he who persuaded him to give to the unfortunate Romans in battle Versinikii in June, 813 g. After the Romans were defeated, Michael went to Constantinople, and Leo instructed to observe the enemy. Taking advantage of the opportunity of Leo was inciting soldiers to mutiny and are strongly denounce the emperor. He soon succeeded in his endeavor: the soldiers rebelled and 11 July, 813 g. proclaimed him emperor. As soon as this became known in the capital, Mikhail voluntarily relinquished his power and took monastic vows as a monk. Leo arrived in Constantinople, publicly was crowned tsar, and then he spoke out against the Bulgarians, which ravaged the neighborhood of the capital and seized Andrianopol. In the autumn he finally won them under Messemvria and the following year entered the world of thirty years.

. Putting such a successful start of his reign, Leo set about affairs of state: he exercised and soldiers in many parts of Thrace and Macedonia's own diligence lifted from the base of the ruined city
. At all positions, and military and civilian, he set up the smart people and smart. Since he was above avarice, then all the people preferred incorruptible and distinguish them by virtue, not wealth. He wanted to pass for a lover of justice and the many court cases considered himself. However, because of his inherent brutality, he was a stern judge, and not merciful. He made no distinction between crimes large and small, but for all who would be what was not caught, there was his one sentence: the truncation of the most important members, who then hung on public display. Such matters, he soon inspired by hatred and a great aversion. Moreover, he appears to have been a champion of the iconoclast heresy, and as soon after coming to power, began a new persecution of the icons. Patriarch Nicephorus he made in 815. off into exile, and in its place erected a puppet Theodotos. Many people were dissatisfied with the emperor.

Among those who have the loudest reproached and blasphemed him, was Michael's persecution, his old comrade still in the service of Vartan. When this donesshi Emperor Leo ordered to grab Michael and, in the case, sentenced to be burned alive. The persecution has led to the stove, but then, because that was Christmas Eve, have postponed the execution until the end of the holiday. Taking advantage of this postponement, Michael told me to give a confessor of his accomplices that if they did not save him from death, he will give them all to the emperor. Those came together and decided not to postpone the case, kill the Lion. After that the plotters were hidden under clothing and daggers, along with all passed into the palace church. When the evening festive service, Leo stood next to the choir and sang with them. At this time the conspirators rushed at him, but because of the darkness and distress initially missed, taking the leader of the Lion of the clergy. The emperor managed to escape at the altar, grabbed the chain from the spoons (for other evidence - cross) and tried to defend. But the conspirators were many, and attacking from all sides, they have caused numerous injuries to Leo. Finally, they killed him and beheaded (Successor of Theophanes: 1, 1, 3-4, 6, 9, 13 - 16,19,21).