Difference between revisions of "Constantine XVIII Comnenus"
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The teenager's first action was to distance himself from his unpopular father by appointing his uncle, one of his father's political enemies, [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine Comnenus]] as co-emperor. The first year of his reign consisted of a power struggle between the two Constantines on one side and [[Demetrius VII Comnenus|Demetrius]] on the other. Although [[Demetrius VII Comnenus|Demetrius]] was a cunning politician, with a hostile Church and population, short of bringing [[Pantocratoria]] to civil war, there was nothing he could do immediately to wrest power from the hands of his son and brother-in-law. Instead he started laying waste to his enemies in the Church, until the two Constantines were compelled into action by popular demand. It is generally accepted by historians that Constantine XVIII arranged his father's poisoning in 1601. | The teenager's first action was to distance himself from his unpopular father by appointing his uncle, one of his father's political enemies, [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine Comnenus]] as co-emperor. The first year of his reign consisted of a power struggle between the two Constantines on one side and [[Demetrius VII Comnenus|Demetrius]] on the other. Although [[Demetrius VII Comnenus|Demetrius]] was a cunning politician, with a hostile Church and population, short of bringing [[Pantocratoria]] to civil war, there was nothing he could do immediately to wrest power from the hands of his son and brother-in-law. Instead he started laying waste to his enemies in the Church, until the two Constantines were compelled into action by popular demand. It is generally accepted by historians that Constantine XVIII arranged his father's poisoning in 1601. | ||
| − | Now free from his father's influence, some claim that the impetuous teenager began to resent his uncle's power. There is not yet a consensus in the historical community on this point, but there is some evidence of a rift developing between the two Constantines. Proponents of this theory generally believe that Constantine XVIII arranged the poisoning of his uncle and co-ruler [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine XIX]] in 1602 after a year of strained relations (evidenced by conflicting writs issued by each emperor). Constantine XVIII's defenders point to the fact that after the death of [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine XIX]], the young emperor appointed the murdered emperor's son as his chief minister, which seems an unlikely course of action | + | Now free from his father's influence, some claim that the impetuous teenager began to resent his uncle's power. There is not yet a consensus in the historical community on this point, but there is some evidence of a rift developing between the two Constantines. Proponents of this theory generally believe that Constantine XVIII arranged the poisoning of his uncle and co-ruler [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine XIX]] in 1602 after a year of strained relations (evidenced by conflicting writs issued by each emperor). Constantine XVIII's defenders point to the fact that after the death of [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine XIX]], the young emperor appointed the murdered emperor's son as his chief minister, which seems an unlikely course of action to take if he murdered the co-emperor. Nevertheless, after [[Constantine XIX Comnenus|Constantine XIX]]'s death by poisoning in 1602, Constantine XVIII ruled more or less without further interference from co-emperors, the co-emperor [[Constantine XVII Angelus]] being isolated in [[New Constantinople]]. |
Constantine had two children, [[Constantine XX Comnenus|Constantine]] and [[John IX Comnenus|John]], born in 1604 and 1605 respectively. After John's difficult birth, Constantine's wife the Empress Helena never again conceived. He spent most of his reign managing the transition to the Latin rite started by his father with a good deal more finesse than the unpopular [[Demetrius VII Comnenus|Demetrius]] ever had. Although it remained unpopular, after Constantine's reign it would never again be the rallying call for open rebellion. | Constantine had two children, [[Constantine XX Comnenus|Constantine]] and [[John IX Comnenus|John]], born in 1604 and 1605 respectively. After John's difficult birth, Constantine's wife the Empress Helena never again conceived. He spent most of his reign managing the transition to the Latin rite started by his father with a good deal more finesse than the unpopular [[Demetrius VII Comnenus|Demetrius]] ever had. Although it remained unpopular, after Constantine's reign it would never again be the rallying call for open rebellion. | ||
Revision as of 12:22, 27 December 2004
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Emperor Constantine XVIII
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Constantine XVIII was the son of the junior Emperor Demetrius VII. When the previous senior emperor, Constantine XVI, died in 1600, Constantine's father was the closest relative and heir presumptive. However, Demetrius had been excommunicated, and couldn't find a bishop in Pantocratoria to crown him as the senior emperor. As a result he was compelled to yield his claim to Constantine, who was duly crowned as Emperor Augustus Constantine XVIII Comnenus (in a dual ceremony which also saw him married to Helena Nicephorus), in the hopes of ruling through him. Constantine, however, would be ruled by nobody.
The teenager's first action was to distance himself from his unpopular father by appointing his uncle, one of his father's political enemies, Constantine Comnenus as co-emperor. The first year of his reign consisted of a power struggle between the two Constantines on one side and Demetrius on the other. Although Demetrius was a cunning politician, with a hostile Church and population, short of bringing Pantocratoria to civil war, there was nothing he could do immediately to wrest power from the hands of his son and brother-in-law. Instead he started laying waste to his enemies in the Church, until the two Constantines were compelled into action by popular demand. It is generally accepted by historians that Constantine XVIII arranged his father's poisoning in 1601.
Now free from his father's influence, some claim that the impetuous teenager began to resent his uncle's power. There is not yet a consensus in the historical community on this point, but there is some evidence of a rift developing between the two Constantines. Proponents of this theory generally believe that Constantine XVIII arranged the poisoning of his uncle and co-ruler Constantine XIX in 1602 after a year of strained relations (evidenced by conflicting writs issued by each emperor). Constantine XVIII's defenders point to the fact that after the death of Constantine XIX, the young emperor appointed the murdered emperor's son as his chief minister, which seems an unlikely course of action to take if he murdered the co-emperor. Nevertheless, after Constantine XIX's death by poisoning in 1602, Constantine XVIII ruled more or less without further interference from co-emperors, the co-emperor Constantine XVII Angelus being isolated in New Constantinople.
Constantine had two children, Constantine and John, born in 1604 and 1605 respectively. After John's difficult birth, Constantine's wife the Empress Helena never again conceived. He spent most of his reign managing the transition to the Latin rite started by his father with a good deal more finesse than the unpopular Demetrius ever had. Although it remained unpopular, after Constantine's reign it would never again be the rallying call for open rebellion.
Emperor Constantine XVIII died, apparently from poison, at the age of 38 in 1623. On his death bed, he declared that he should be succeeded not by his eldest son Constantine, but by his younger son, John, making him the only emperor to have done so. It seems probable that the dying Constantine XVIII suspected his eldest son of poisoning him, hence this unusual decision, but no conclusive evidence has survived which would support the theory that Constantine XVIII was poisoned by his son just as he had poisoned his own father.
| Preceded by: | Emperor of Pantocratoria 1600-1623 |
Succeeded by: |
| Co-Emperors Emperor Constantine XIX Comnenus Emperor Constantine XVII Angelus Emperor Demetrius VII Comnenus |
