greek died prominent byzantine general stopped influential court official arabs return manipulated father fleeing court constantine followed father baghdad soon escaped returned byzantium restored wise favour entrusted high military offices death emperor alexander constantine support unsuccessfully tried throne young constantine vii killed clash supporters legitimate emperor life early life career son prominent general emperor wise reigned prominent member family constantine appears sources attempted flight arab born emperor trusted aides syria constantine captured monastery holy cross near river escorted constantinople matter held senate leo attached servant constantine maintain fact making pilgrimage shrine arab frontier senators asked constantine verify truth claim swearing god emperor head refused hide truth punished house arrest pardoned leo months restored offices conceived deep came fore tricked refusing participate imperial expedition afraid punished family fled fortress near border exile constantine father ended baghdad capital leo sent secret message offering pardon returned letter fell hands confined house arrest forced convert islam followed died constantine managed escape baghdad warmly welcomed leo ceremony throne room date return byzantium unclear placed despite father revolt remained popular military successes apparently circulated predicted constantine rise throne result according leo warned young man trying emperor probably later view eventual fate reality leo trusted gifts appointed senior military positions initially named apparently succession theme risen post domestic schools commander chief army positions fought arabs attempted died succeeded brother alexander reigned little year dying june leo empress son titular emperor constantine vii sidelined reign alexander restored old adversary patriarch constantinople death alexander june constantine vii years old power struggle ensued headed regency council point launched rebellion aiming throne life source hostile patriarch nicholas reports patriarch involved byzantine sources include widespread fact according sources unaware appointed regent alexander named regency council deathbed fearful losing pre eminent position anxious military threat posed bulgarian required experienced hand helm state patriarch summoned assume throne enjoying wide support populace accepted summons headed constantinople trusted friends barely days alexander death entered capital secret night sea walls hid house father law soon joined high ranking dawn following morning constantine supporters bearing marched joined way great multitude people constantine duly proclaimed emperor people headed triumph gate imperial palace crossing iron gate hall opposed soldiers guard armed imperial fleet assembled member regency council clash followed killed including constantine son gregory nephew michael friend constantine turned tried flee horse slipped fell constantine killed arrow according patriarch nicholas died head cut presented constantine vii hand reports slightly different version according summons undertaken entire regency council proposed assume governance state constantine vii limited ceremonial duties according source proposal met refusal send second letter persuade time entered constantinople changed minds palace proclamation resolved palace finally tried enter ordering followers draw swords avoid ambushed placed killed number followers numerous supporters according according younger harshly punished blinded exiled including sought sanctuary confined monasteries common folk stakes eastern shore wife exiled husband estate younger son stephen deaths constantine son nephew meant extinction branch family relation later constantine unclear legacy despite failure seizing throne popularity meant memory preserved people aristocracy asia minor copper hand assumed identity led peasant revolt aristocracy hero elements constantine life eventually found way epic poem
Constantine Doukas (usurper)