page_title: Constantine VI
section_title: Family
hierarchical_section_title: Constantine VI / Family
caption_attribution_description: English: Leo IV the Khazar, with Constantine VI. 775-780. AV Solidus (4.37 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 776-778. Crowned and draped facing busts of Leo IV, wearing short beard, and Constantine VI, beardless; pellet between; cross above; Q at end of inscription / Crowned facing busts of Leo III and Constantine V, each wearing short beard and loros; pellet between; cross above. DOC 1b; SB 1583. Near EF.
context_page_description: Constantine VI was Byzantine Emperor from 780 to 797. The only child of Emperor Leo IV, Constantine was named co-emperor with him at the age of five in 776 and succeeded him as sole Emperor in 780, aged nine. His mother Irene exercised control over him as regent until 790, assisted by her chief minister Staurakios, and eventually Constantine ruled himself, until his mother blinded and deposed him.
  Though the regency lost power when Constantine reached maturity in 790, Irene continued to attempt to exercise control, and retained the title of Empress. Constantine suffered military defeats and made unpopular decisions, such as marrying his mistress, Theodote. Irene had Constantine deposed, blinded and imprisoned in 797 and seized power for herself, becoming the first Empress regnant of the Empire. Constantine likely died shortly thereafter.
  Constantine VI was the final ruler to be universally recognized as Roman Emperor, being recognized as such by both the Empire which he ruled in the east, the papacy and the Western European powers over which the pope held suzerainty.
context_section_description: By his first wife Maria, Constantine VI had two daughters:
  Euphrosyne (790 –  after 836), who married Emperor Michael II
  Irene (789 –  after July 796), who became a nun
  By his mistress and then second wife Theodote, Constantine VI had two sons, both of whom died young:
  Leo (7 October 796 –  1 May 797)
  An unnamed son (posthumously 797/8 –  between 802 and 808)
caption: Obverse: Leo IV with his son and co-emperor Constantine (VI). Reverse: his grandfather Leo III and his father Constantine V.
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