Constantine I

Predecessor
 Died
 Spouse
 Constantius
 Claudia Constantina
 Constans
 Greek
 Gens

**Constantine I** (Latin: *Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus*; Greek: Κωνσταντῖνος, translit. *Kōnstantînos*; 27 February 1025 – 22 May 1090), also known as **Constantine the Victorious**, and **Constantine the Pious**, was a Roman emperor from 1072 until his death in 1090 AUC. Constantine was the first Christian Roman emperor, and his reign greatly hastened the spread of Christianity. Among his most significant actions were, the creation of the city of Constantinople, the holding of the First Council of Nicaea and institution of the Nicene Creed(which established Nicene Christianity), and the reconquest of Dacia.

He is venerated as a Christian saint in almost every Christian church and sect.

### Service under Constantius

Upon his father's ascension to the throne Constantine's life changed radically

### Succession crisis of 1059

*Main Article: Succession crisis of 1059*

Constantine was in Egypt when he heard of his father's death. Constantius' death was sudden, and his short reign meant that he had not yet selected an heir. As Constantius' son many thought the young and ambitious Constantine would move to assume the throne, by force if necessary. Bassianus however was the more popular candidate, especially in Italy, and he had the support of the Senate. Delaying his planned ventured south into Nubia, Constantine moved back to Alexandria (Some sources claim he had begun gathering military forces, while others say no such buildup occured). It seemed like a civil war was imminent. However, upon hearing word of the Bassianus' declaration as emperor by the Senate, Constantine made the noble decision to step aside. Over the next months Constantine returned to Italy, not at a head of an army, and met with Bassianus, who was only two years Constantine's senior. Bassianus, recognizing Constantine's skill, threat, and influence, agreed to make name him Caesar, presumptive heir of the empire. Bassianus also promised to work with and cooperate with Constantine, allowing him to have some input in the empire's governance.

### Caesar under Bassianus

In 1060 AUC Constantine led a campaign from Egypt, and successfully retook the region of Dodecaschoenus. After this he launched a punitive campaign into the Kingdom of Kush.

After completing his actions on the Nile Constantine returned to Rome for some time, overseeing the empire's administration. It is during this time that Constantine became enamored with Christianity. A few years later his wife Minervina passed away in childbirth and he subsequently wed Bassianus' youngest sister Bassiana after doing which he joined up with Bassianus, and briefly travelled with the emperor around the empire, serving as a close advisor and friend. Some claim that Constantine now was in all practicality co-emperor.

In 1071 Constantine was sent by Bassianus to Britain to deal with the Picts. After several victories Constantine returned to Rome where he was granted the title *Brittanicus Maximus*. In August of 1072 Constantine passed legislation through the Senate prohibiting the separation of the families of slaves, during a change in ownership.

In December of that year Bassianus fell to an infection, possibly anthrax, and Constantine smoothly transitioned to the role of Emperor.

## Emperor

### Reign

Upon Bassianus' death Constantine returned to Rome to fully oversee the smooth transition of power and to be formally coronated. This ceremony was made significantly more lavish by Constantine, a change that would stick over the years. While he departed to Rome his son, Crispus made made the commander on the Rhine, where the young boy proved himself a skilled general winning several impressive battles against the Franks. With this laurel on his sons head Constantine was able to help his son become consul in the year 1075, and Caesar the following year. While Constantine's relationship with his son was at this point good it would sour over the years.

In 1075 Constantine publicly declared his Christian faith, before this point he was known to at the very least harbor great Christian sympathies but it is unclear when he actually became Christian. While the emperor's conversion to Christianity was a major turning point in history, as it saw Christianity ushered into prominence, it also served as a turning point in Constantine's reign. While previously Constantine had enjoyed a large personal popularity in the Senate, the relationship with the Senate quickly became much stormier. While there remained a pro-Constantine faction, though reduced in size, and a growing number of Christian Senators, the rest of the Senate, in particular the anti-Christian faction led by Caeionius Apronianus (eldest son of the emperor Marcus Verus), became increasingly hostile with Constantine. This is because Constantine's dedication to Christianity was evident not only in his public declarations but also in the policies he enacted. Churches and Christian communities received imperial patronage and Christians were often favored over pagans, a policy vehemenently opposed by the majority of the Senate who constantly stymied many of Constantine's attempts to elevate Christians. In addition to this it precipitated a split with his still pagan son.

### Split with Crispus

When Constantine appointed his son Crispus as his heir, the initial relations between father and son appeared amicable. However, as time progressed, their bond began to fracture, and historians debate the origins of this rift. Some scholars argue that the seeds of discord were sown early on, suggesting that Constantine initially took pride in Crispus' achievements but later grew envious as his popularity soared. Others posit that the introduction of Anicia Bassiana as Crispus' stepmother might have played a role, speculating that she purposely fermented a rift in order to secure a more favorable position for her own children with Constantine. Although, this is contradicted by later accounts of Anicia attempting to mediate between the two. While whether the seeds were planted early on is debated it is very clear that a split did begin to form after Constantine's conversion to Christianity.

The historian Tatianus records that Constantine, in his pursuit of familial and religious unity, employed various strategies to sway Crispus toward Christianity. Private meetings with esteemed Christian scholars and theologians, grand religious ceremonies, and intellectual discussions were all part of Constantine's attempts to influence his son's beliefs. However, these efforts proved unsuccessful, leading to a growing divide between father and son. The strain between Constantine and Crispus became evident in public and private interactions, serving as a microcosm of the broader religious tensions within the Roman Empire.

The breaking point occurred in a heated argument a dinner within the imperial palace, where Crispus openly rejected his father's attempts to convert him. In the midst of a heated argument Crispus declared, "I won't sell my faith for your favor," before storming out of the dinner along with a couple other guests. This quote would serve as the basis for the name for the growing faction Christian Senators, called the Venditores, who were often accused of only converting to get ahead politically via favor with Constantine. The opposing non-Christian faction became known as the Contumaces after Constantine's alleged remark on Crispus being overly stubborn.

In 1080 Constantine's wife, Anicia attempted to reconcile him and Crispus, though this quickly broke down. Tatianus records that the two nearly came to blows. After this Constantine attempted to have him replaced as Caesar with his second son Constantius, however this action was soundly blocked by the Senate.

Faced with a son aligned against him and the Senate's resistance, Constantine made the consequential decision to depart from Rome, relocating to Constantinople. Tantianus further cites the Constantine was worried of the potential of a conspiracy against him. This marked the definitive end of Constantine's presence in Rome and severed his ties with Crispus, as he would never return to the city. For the last decade of Constantine's rule the empire was effectively split between two rival courts.

During this period there relationship continued to be strained. When Constantine held up the Nicene Creed as the new canon, Crispus, not caring to delve into Christian affairs allowed Arian bishops to foster. Tension between Crispus and Constantine further increased when civil war broke out in the Kingdom of Armenia in 1083. King Tiridates III of Armenia had converted to Christianity in 1054 and upon his death a civil war quickly broke out between his two sons, one pagan one Christian. While Constantine advocated intervention, Crispus and the Senate saw intervention pointless when both potential kings seemed to be loyal to Rome. Further the Senate asserted that supporting one candidate would lead the Sassanid's to put their support behind the other, potentially sparking a larger conflict. Constantine ignored the Senate and ordered an intervention regardless. In response the Senate subsidized the non-Christian claimant providing them funds and mercenaries. Despite this the Christian was able to prevail ending the conflict before it continued to escalate.

Tensions reaches their peak the following year when the Governor of Lower Moesia unexpectedly died. Constantine was currently campaigning north of the Danube near that area and the previous governor was decidedly in his powerbase. Crispus and the Senate seeked to give the position to someone in their faction and Constantine, worried that he was losing his grasp on power moved to get his own candidate installed. Fearing the potential for civil war, Anicia Bassiana urged Constantine and Crispus to find a compromise. She managed to have a summit in Salona arranged between the two to negotiate a solution that would satisfy the interests of both rulers. However, the discussions proved challenging, as neither Constantine nor Crispus was willing to yield on their vision for the empire's governance.

The situation reached a critical juncture when rumors spread of military mobilizations in the western provinces, as Crispus considered using force to secure the appointment of his preferred successor. Recognizing the dangerous precipice they stood upon, senior statesmen, religious leaders, and influential figures intervened to broker a last-minute compromise.

In the end, a dual-governorship arrangement was established, with each ruler's candidate holding joint authority in the western provinces. While this compromise averted immediate conflict, but it left unresolved the deeper issues that had driven Constantine and Crispus to the edge of war. After the summit Constantine never layed eyes on his eldest son again.

### Foundation of Constantinople

Constantine seems to have been floating the idea of a new great city of the Empire since his time as Caesar under Bassianus. During his time as Caesar he lacked a definitive seat, the emperor, as chief sovereign, had the capital of Rome, but Constantine foresaw the need for another seat for the Caesar. He wanted this city to sit near the volatile border of the Danube and be easily accessible by land and sea. Various options were considered for this alternative seat of power, reflecting the geopolitical and cultural considerations of the time. Among the contenders were Nicomedia and Thessalonica. However, Constantine ultimately set his sights on Byzantium, a Greek city that had been extensively rebuilt on Roman urban patterns during the preceding century by Septimius Severus and Caracalla. Its strategic importance, coupled with its proximity to the Danube and its position for monitoring shipping between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, made Byzantium an ideal choice.

In 1077, Constantine laid the foundations for his revamping of Byzantium. Centuries later, a tale emerged recounting a divine vision that guided Constantine to the very location. According to the narrative, an unseen angel escorted him on a circuit around the recently constructed walls, a celestial guide visible only to him. Despite originally intending the city as a seat for Crispus when tension between Constantine and the Senate and aforementioned heir began to peak Constantine decided to himself relocate east, abandoning the hostile Senate and Crispus in Rome. Perhaps out of spite when dedicating his reconstructed byzantium on May 11, 1083, he renamed it Nova Roma, meaning " New Rome". Representing the emperors symbolic break with the political center of the empire.

Constantinople was protected by sacred relics, including the True Cross and the Rod of Moses, highlighting the intersection of Christianity with Constantine's power. The construction of the Church of the Holy Apostles on the site of a former temple to Aphrodite signaled the transformation of religious landscapes. Constantine's decision to build upon existing Roman patterns of urbanism in Byzantium underscored the city's role as a continuation of the Roman legacy. The figures of old gods were either replaced or assimilated into a framework of Christian symbolism, a reflection of Constantine's commitment to his newly declared Christian faith. This transformation was not only architectural but also ideological. Constantinople was envisioned as the "New Rome," and the emperor's role as the defender of Christianity was deeply intertwined with the city's identity.

However, the first inhabitants of this burgeoning city were primarily the destitute and those seeking favor with the emperor, sparking mockery from the broader empire. The influx of nobles abandoning old Roman gods and values for personal gain drew disdain from traditionalists.

In jest, Crispus mocked his father's grand project, suggesting it was not a "New Rome" but merely "Constantine's Rome." This playful remark led to the nickname Constantinopolis (Constantine's City), eventually adopted as the official name of the city during the reign of Agricola.

### Gothic war

In 1081 conflict began to spark up with the Goths and Sarmatians on the Danube. Constantine personally located to oversee the region, wanting to create a lasting peace in the region, and moved his headquarters to Constantinople. Though some claim this move occurred to distance himself from Rome and his son. The Emperor received titles such as Sarmaticus Maximus for his successes. Construction of defensive structures, including the Brazda lui Novac, paralleling the north bank of the Danube, aimed to protect the newly "reconquered" territories. Notably, Constantine's achievements led to the creation of the province of Gothica.