Leo IV the Khazar

**Leo IV the Khazar** (; 25 January 750 – 8 September 780) was Byzantine emperor from 775 to 780 AD. He was born to Emperor Constantine V and Empress Tzitzak in 750. He was became co-emperor in the next year, in 751. He married Irene of Athens in 769. When Constantine V died in September 775, while fighting against the Bulgars, Leo IV became senior emperor. In 778 Leo raided Abbasid Syria. They beat the Abbasid army outside of Germanikeia. Leo died on 8 September 780, of tuberculosis. His underage son Constantine VI became emperor; Leo IV's wife, Irene,  was regent.

## Biography

Leo IV was born on 25 January 750AD. His parents were Emperor Constantine V and Constantine's first wife, Empress Tzitzak (also called Eirene). Because his mother was a Khazar, Leo was given the epithet 'the Khazar'. Leo became co-emperor in 751, while still a baby. He became emperor on 14 September 775.  This was after Constantine V died while fighting against the Bulgarian Empire.

Leo's half-brothers, the _caesares_ Nikephoros and Christopher, wanted to be Emperor.  They thought because Leo had tuberculosis and because his son, Constantine VI was only a baby that they could become Emperors. In 776, Leo made Constantine to _caesar_ and made him his successor. Shortly after this, Nikephoros and Christopher were discovered planning against Leo. Many people wanted to execute them. Leo instead chose to pardon them. He did exile several other plotters to Cherson.

In 776–777, Khan Telerig of Bulgaria came to Constantinople.  He was baptized with Leo as a witness. He married a relative of the empress consort Irene of Athens. This show a close relationship between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgars during Leo's time as emperor. This was helped by his father Constantine V's successful battles against them between 760 and 775, which led to peace.

Leo continued with his father's resettlement plans.  He moved prisoners from cities on the Arab border (Germanikeia, Melitene and Theodosioupolis) to newly-made military camps or fortresses (_castra_) in Thrace.

### Fights against the Abbasid Caliphate

Caliph al-Mahdi () of the Abbasids started an invasion of the Byzantine Empire in 776. The Byzantines fought back in 778. They invaded Syria with a force made up of the armies of the multiple themes, including: the Opsikion Theme, led by Gregory; the Anatolic Theme, led by Artabasdos; the Armeniac Theme, led by Karisterotzes; the Bucellarian Theme, led by Tatzates; and the Thracesian Theme led by Michael Lachanodrakon. Lachanodrakon besieged Germanikeia for a time. He then stopped the siege (according to Theophanes the Confessor, he was paid to do so).  He began to raid the surrounding countryside. He sent many Jacobite Christians to Thrace. The Abbasids attacked Lachanodrakon while he was raiding. They were beat by several Byzantine armies. The Byzantine generals who led troops during this battle were given a triumphal entry when they returned to Constantinople. In 779, Leo successfully stopped an attack by the Abbasids against Asia Minor.

### Death and succession

Leo died of a bad fever, due to his tuberculosis, on 8 September 780. Nine-year-old Constantine became the new emperor with Irene as his regent.

## Infobox (royalty)

- **name**: Leo IV
- **image**: Gold Solidus of Leo IV.jpg
- **image size**: 250px
- **caption**: solidus (coin), _Solidus_ of Leo IV and his son Constantine VI
- **succession**: Byzantine emperor
- **reign**: 14 September 775 –
8 September 780
- **coronation**: 6 June 751 (as co-emperor)
- **cor-type**: Coronation of the Byzantine emperor, Coronation
- **issue**: Constantine VI
- **father**: Constantine V
- **mother**: Tzitzak
- **birth date**: 25 January 750
- **death date**: 8 September 780 (aged 30)
- **title**: List of Byzantine emperors, Emperor of the Romans