Heraclius

* Young
* Middle Age
* Elderly

Heraclius of edesa (Ancestor)

Constantine III Heraclius ( Son)

Theodosios (Son, deaf, mute)

Heraklonos (Son)

Constans II (Grandson)

Constantine IV (Great Grandson)

Justinian II (Great-Great Grandson)

Tiberius IV (Great-Great-Great Grandson)

**Heraclius** (575 - February 11, 641) was emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire from 610 to 641. He is best known for his campaign against the Sassanid Empire in the Final Roman-Persian War. He was suceeded by Constantine III Heraclius and Heraklonas.

## **In "Unbiased History"**

### **"Byzantium III - Madness and Devils"**

Heraclius the Younger is first introduced as the son of Heraclius the Elder. After Priscus sent a letter to Heraclius the Elder, it would be honored, but Heraclius the Younger would be the one to take up arms, setting up the Age of Heraclius.

### **"Byzantium IV - The Great Byzantine-Sassanid War"**

The episode begins with a young Heraclius learning of Greco-Roman history and learning of a dream called Rome, a dream which he would not forget. Soon he is in adulthood and invades and deposes Phocas regime. He soon prepares to lead an army in the field something not seen since the reign of Theodosius I. Before this though his first wife Fabia dies of epilepsy given by Khosrow II and so he marries his niece Martina to become immune to Khosrow's attempts to make him sinful. With the advice of the Strategikon of Maurice and other books he goes on to defeat the Sassanids many times, When he approaches Ctesiphon after killing all hordes before him (with the aid of the Khazars) the Sassanids kill Khosrow II and install his son to Kavad II. Kavad then sues for peace and Heraclius returns to Constantinople with the True Cross, earlier stolen from Jerusalem. The episode ends on Dovahhatty saying history is a "fickle bitch" indicating that Heraclius' sucesses were not to last as a new enemy emerges from the deserts of arabia, one far greater than the persians.

## **Trivia**

* Through his first wife, his ancestor-in-law was Theodosius I, through his son Arcadius.
* He is the only Roman Emperor who was mentioned in length in the Quran, which prophesied his victory over the Sassanids.
* He is the first emperor of the Heraclian Dynasty.
* In his final years, he suffered from Aquaphobia along with senility.
* Heraclius' marriage to his niece Martina was treated with disgust by both the Patriarch and most of Constantinople's population, which was further exacerbated by the loss of Jerusalem and disabilities of his children with her.
	+ Furthermore, his reputation would be tarnished during the last years of his reign as the Rashidun Arabs conquered the Levant (including Jerusalem) and started invading Egypt, also the Slavs conquered huge portions of the Balkans along with his senility from his old age.
* In contrast to Unbiased History, his deaf-mute child--Theodosios--survived to adulthood and married off to either Shavaraz' daughter or Heraclius' cousin.
* Heraclius also had an illegitimate son named John Athalarichos, who was part of a failed plot to overthrow Heraclius but was captured and maimed as punishment, he was mentioned in the Byzantine Speedrun
* It was unknown if he really saved the "true cross" or a forgery made for propaganda.
* While Unbiased History says he was descended from Heraclius of Edessa, some historians have argued that he was descended from the Parthians and the Arsacids. however their is a possibly that Heraclius of Edessa was of Both Parthian and Roman decent as well so heraclius was still related to him.
* Heraclius was the first Emperor to make Greek as the official language of the empire, especially after the loss of the Latin-speaking regions of Levant and Egypt due to the Arab Invasion.