Constantine Angelos Doukas
Constantine Angelos Doukas | |
---|---|
Usurper of the Byzantine Empire | |
Reign | 1193 |
Predecessor | Isaac II Angelos |
Successor | Isaac II Angelos |
Born | c.1173 |
Died | Unknown |
Dynasty | Angelid dynasty |
Constantine Angelos Doukas, Latinized as Constantine Angelus Ducas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Άγγελος Δούκας, Kōnstantinos Angelos Doukas), was a usurper who attempted to overthrow Byzantine emperor Isaac II Angelos in 1193.
Career
Constantine Angelos Doukas was a son of Isaacos Angel Doukas, uncle of the emperor Isaac II Angelos (reigned 1185–1195 and 1203–1204).[1] As a cousin of the emperor Isaac II he was entrusted by the emperor with war against the Vlach–Bulgarian rebellion– (1185–1197) during its later stages. Although he was still a young man and quite impetuous, he quickly turned around a situation that had been growing steadily worse for the empire. Training his troops to obey him without question, his native aggression saw the Vlach insurgents fear his approaches.[2] His exuberance was at first kept in check by his military advisors,[1] but a string of battlefield successes over Peter IV of Bulgaria went to his head and he declared himself emperor over their objections.[1] He marched towards Adrianople but was imprisoned by his former comrades-in-arms who handed Constantine over to Isaac, perhaps after being bribed by the emperor.[2] Isaac II blinded him.
His attempted coup added more strains to the already declining imperial authority of Isaac.
References
Sources
- Niketas Choniatēs, Harry J. Magoulias, O city of Byzantium: annals of Niketas Choniatēs, 1984
- Canduci, Alexander (2010), Triumph & Tragedy: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Immortal Emperors, Pier 9, ISBN 978-1-74196-598-8
- Varzos, Konstantinos (1984). Η Γενεαλογία των Κομνηνών, Τόμος Β' [The Genealogy of the Komnenoi, Volume II] (PDF) (in Greek). Thessaloniki: Byzantine Research Centre. pp. 847-850 (no. 189)