latin greek armenian february byzantine emperor responsible introducing greek official language rise power began father elder africa led revolt unpopular reign marked military campaigns year came power empire threatened multiple immediately took charge byzantine war battles campaign ended defeat byzantines persian army fought way constantinople protected walls strong navy able avoid total defeat soon initiated reforms rebuild strengthen military drove asia minor pushed deep territory defeating decisively battle persian king overthrown executed son soon sued peace treaty agreeing withdraw occupied territory way peaceful relations restored deeply strained soon experienced new event muslim conquests emerging muslims quickly conquered empire muslims marched roman syria defeating brother short period time arabs conquered armenia egypt entered diplomatic relations serbs balkans tried repair christian church regard promoting compromise doctrine called church east commonly called involved process eventually project unity rejected sides dispute early life origins eldest son elder armenian family probably descent little specific information known ancestry father key general emperor war war position africa revolt accession elder renounced loyalty emperor overthrown years earlier rebels issued coins showing dressed explicitly claimed imperial title time younger cousin launched overland invasion egypt defeated general secured province younger sailed eastward force sicily cyprus approached constantinople contact prominent leaders planned attack overthrow city soon arranged ceremony crowned acclaimed emperor reached capital elite unit led son law deserted entered city resistance captured asked ruled said reply rule better enraged beheaded spot later removed body raped wife powerful politician city october crowned second time time great palace time married took death married niece second marriage considered unpopular reign sons divisive center power political intrigue despite widespread hatred constantinople took campaigns refused attempts patriarch prevent later dissolve marriage advantage balkan campaigns emperor family murdered november mutiny restored throne remained allies persian king seized pretext attack byzantine_empire byzantine province court man claimed son demanded byzantines accept emperor war initially went way partly brutal repression succession crisis ensued general sent nephew attack egypt enabling son younger claim throne unpopular ruler invariably described historical sources original meaning word illegitimate king rules succession eventually deposed sailed constantinople icon ship time conquered overran syria entered major counter attack led years later decisively defeated outside roman position collapsed devastated parts captured constantinople following decade able conquer palestine egypt province hands took advantage situation overrun balkans bringing empire brink destruction persian army took damascus help jews seized jerusalem damaging capturing capturing egypt gate constantinople thought abandoning city moving capital powerful church figure patriarch convinced stay safe walls constantinople able sue peace exchange annual tribute thousand talents gold thousand talents silver thousand silk robes thousand horses thousand peace allowed rebuild empire army non military expenditure currency melting backing patriarch church treasures raise necessary funds continue war byzantine counter offensive resurgence april left constantinople city general bonus son assembled forces asia minor probably revived broken morale launched new counter offensive took character holy war image christ carried military standard roman army proceeded armenia inflicted defeat army led persian allied arab chief won victory stay campaign years march left constantinople wife children celebrated easter april campaigned winning series victories armenia generals year succeeded capital western byzantine province resulting loss minor provinces conquered armies supported persian army commanded besieged constantinople siege ended failure victory attributed icons virgin led procession walls city second persian army suffered crushing defeat hands brother persian war effort able bring western invaded exploited divisions keeping persian general neutral convincing grown jealous ordered execution late launched winter offensive despite turkish allies defeated battle continuing south sacked great palace prevented attacking destruction bridges canal series disasters overthrown killed coup led son sued peace agreeing withdraw occupied territories restored jerusalem majestic ceremony took ancient persian title king kings victory persia later starting styled greek word sovereign title years reason chose title previous roman terms attributed scholars relating armenian origins defeat ended war going intermittently years led instability died months assuming throne persia years turmoil civil war ally daughters succeeded throne months grandson succeeded throne stability empire severely severely weakened years war civil strife succession throne byzantine victory ultimately devastating impact war left byzantines weakened state years overwhelmed onslaught arabs newly united islam ultimately leading muslim conquest persia fall dynasty war arabs recently succeeded nomadic tribes tribes previously divided pose military challenge byzantines unified animated new conversion islam comprised powerful states region conflict byzantines muslims september small muslim force attacked province response ambassador murder hands roman governor repulsed engagement byzantine victory apparent reason changes military configuration region byzantines little preceding battlefield experience arabs soldiers united prophet manual war praised variety enemies covers mention warfare arabs length following year muslims launched offensive south lake taking raids penetrated reaching far resulted crushing defeat larger byzantine army years levant lost time death constantinople february egypt fallen legacy looking reign scholars credited accomplishments enlarged empire reorganization government military great successes attempts religious harmony failed succeeded returning christian relics jerusalem accomplishments territorial gains produced defeat lost advance muslims ranks great roman emperors reforms government reduced corruption taken hold reign reorganized military great success ultimately reformed imperial army halted muslims asia minor held years saving core empire strength rebuilt recovery eastern areas raised problem religious unity understanding true nature christ inhabitants provinces rejected tried promote compromise doctrine called philosophy rejected sides dispute reason viewed bad ruler later religious writers provinces finally lost muslims lost eventually abandoned important changing official language empire latin greek serbs initiated diplomatic relations serbs briefly lived macedonia baptized request request pope sent christian teachers missionaries practiced slavic created office treasury 20th century credited establishing thematic system modern scholarship points work history decline fall roman empire wrote characters conspicuous history extraordinary inconsistent years long reign emperor appears slave pleasure spectator public morning evening separated sun palace arose camp honor rome retrieved exploits trophies adventurous campaigns days enterprise attempted achieved empire recovery long remembered favourably western church reputed feat recovering captured approached capital fled favourite residence near baghdad offering resistance persian freed eldest son imprisoned proclaimed king night february mortally ill anxious protect infant son goodwill gesture sent peace sue peace tour empire returned cross march christians emperor appeared sanctuary saint popular especially france italian peninsula holy roman empire story included golden legend famous 13th century shown art history true cross sequence painted similar sequence small frankfurt scenes constantine mother traditionally responsible excavation cross scene usually shown carrying cross according golden legend insisted entered jerusalem advice patriarch horseback shown burden heavy removed crown light barred city gate opened accord probably eastern roman emperors widely known west considered depict opposing view returned fake scholars disagree narrative professor going far suggest actually lost wood contained allegedly sealed brought jerusalem fake analysis hoax designed serve political purposes foe recently turned ally father law persian general soon king islamic view refers roman wars follows romans defeated nearest land defeat overcome years belongs command day believers victory gives victory islamic arab histories roman emperor discussed length owing role roman emperor time islam emerged remembered arabic literature islamic epic poem composed shore present day kenya depicting wars muslims byzantines point view known book work portrayed declining prophet command renounce false belief christianity defeated muslim forces muslim tradition seen ruler great direct contact emerging islamic forces 14th century scholar went stating men deep kings ruled romans great leadership historians note islamic histories far claiming recognized islam true faith muhammad prophet comparing islam christianity islamic historians cite letter claim wrote muhammad received letter ambassador testify messenger god found new testament jesus son mary announced according muslim sources reported tried convert ruling class empire resisted strongly reversed course claimed testing faith christianity notes accounts add little historical knowledge emperor important islamic attempting legitimate muhammad status prophet scholarly historians view traditions profoundly enormous difficulties exist sources actual history furthermore sent muhammad received imperial audience recognition outside islamic sources evidence suggest heard islam possible advisors actually viewed muslims special sect jews family married twice daughter niece children children children disabled seen punishment marriage paralyzed neck deaf mute married daughter persian general daughter cousin children emperor constantine son son illegitimate son plot cousin armenian noble discovered plot nose hands cut exiled princes islands treatment sent possibly modern day additional instructions cut leg years life evident struggle taking place trying position son line throne died empire rule jointly empress family tree
Heraclius