No More Learning

to Irene, daughter of the have no other company but that of her attendants.
khagan or khan of the Khazars ; a lady called A reconciliation took place some time afterwards,
Maria ; and Eudoxia Melissena. His successor but Irene finally contrived the ruin of her son.
was his eldest son, Leo IV. , whom he had by After succeeding in being recognized as the
Irene. During the reign of Constantine V. the lawful master of the empire, Constantine put him-
beautiful aqueduct of Constantinople, built by the self at the head of his army, and set out to meet
emperor Valens, which had been ruined by the the Bulgarians, who were plundering all Thrace.
barbarians in the time of the emperor Heraclius, He obtained some advantages over them, but lost
was restored by order of Constantine. (Theophan. a pitched battle, saw his army cut to pieces, and
p. 346, &c. , ed. Paris; Cedren. p. 549, &c. , ed. with difficulty escaped to Constantinople. There
Paris ; Nicephor. Gregoras, p. 38, &c. , ed. Paris ; he received intelligence that a conspiracy against
Glycas, p. 283, ed. Paris; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 105, his life, formed by his four uncles and supported
ed. Paris. )
(W. P. ] by the Armenian guard, was on the eve of
CONSTANTI'NUS VI. , FLA’VIUS, emperor breaking out. His measures were at once quick
of the East, A. D. 780-797, the son of Leo IV. and energetic : he seized the conspirators, dis-
Chazarus Isaurus and Irene, was born in 771, and armed the Armenians, whose commander, Alexis,
succeeded his father in 780, under the guardian- bad his eyes put out, and punished his uncles with
ship of his mother, a highly-gifted but ambitious equal severity: one of them was blinded, and the
and cruel woman, a native of Athens. The reign three others had their tongues cut off, and they
of Constantine VI. presents a hideous picture of were all forced to become ecclesiastics, in order to
wars, civil and religious troubles, and pitiless crimes. incapacitate them for reigning. They were after-
Elpidus, governor of the thema of Sicily, revolted wards banished, and died in obscurity.
in 781; and it seems that his intention was either The reconciliation which had taken place be-
to place himself or one of the four paternal uncles tween Constantine and his mother was a hollow
of the young emperor on the throne; but the one ; Irene could not forget that she had once
eunuch Theodore, an able general, defeated him in ruled, and during an expedition of her son against
several engagements in 782, and Elpidus filed with the Arabs she forned another conspiracy. On Con-
his treasures to the Arabs in Africa, by whom he stantine's return in 797, he was suddenly assailed
was treated till his death with the honours due to by assassins while he was sitting in the Hippo-
an emperor. The power of the Arabs grew every drome to look at the races. He escaped unhurt, tied
year more dangerous to the empire. In 781 they from the city, and directed his course to Phrygia.


## p. 840 (#860) ############################################

840
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
9
Before arriving there, he was joined by the empressphorus, the sons of Bardas Phocas ; the Chris
:
and a host of partisans. Relying on the promises tian princes of Iberin recognised the supremacy of
of Irene, he returned to Constantinople, but was the emperor ; alliances of the Greeks with the
surprised in his palace by a band of assassins hired Petchenegues or Patzinacitae in southern Russia
by Irene and her favourite, the general Stauracius. checked both the Russians and the Bulgarians in
His eyes were put out by their order with so their hostile designs against the empire; and Con-
much violence that he died on the same day. By stantine had the satisfaction of receiving in his
a singular coincidence of circumstances, he was palace ambassadors of the khalifs of Baghdúd and
murdered in the “ Porphyra," the name of the Africa, and of the Roman emperor Otho the Great.
apartment where the empresses were accustomed Luitprand, the emperor's ambassador, has left us a
to be confined, and where he was born. His
most interesting account of his mission to Constan-
only son, Leo, having died in his lifetime, he was tinople. (Annales Luitprandi. ) One of the most
succeeded by his mother Irene. Constantine VI. praiseworthy acts of Constantine was the restoration
was the last of the Isaurian dynasty. Zonaras to their lawſul proprietors of estates confiscated
and Cedrenus say, that he survived his excaeca- during rebellions, and held by robbers and swind-
tion for a considerable time; but their opinion lers without any titles, or under fraudulent ones.
seems to be untenable, although Le Beau believes Constantine's end was hastened by poison, ad-
it to be correct. (Theophan. p. 382, &c. , ed. Paris ; ministered to him by an ungrateful son, Romanus
Cedren. p. 469, &c. , ed. Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. (his successor), in consequence of which he died
93, &c. , ed. Paris ; Joel, p. 178, ed. Paris ; Gly- on the 15th of November, A. D. 959. His wife
cas, p. 285, ed. Paris.
[W. P. ] was Helena, by whom hie had the above-mentioned
CONSTANTI'NUS VII. FLAVIUS POR- son Romanus, a daughter Theodora, married to
PHY ROGE'NITUS (ó lopovpogévvntos ), em- Joannes Zimiscus, and other children.
peror of the East, A. D. 911-959, the only son Constantine Porphyrogenitus hoids a high rank
of the emperor Leo VI. Philosophus, of the in literature. His productions are no master-
Macedonian dynasty, and his fourth wife, Zoe, works in point of style and thought, but they treat
was born in a. D. 905; the name Topoupové ventos, of important and interesting subjects, and without
that is, “ born in the purple,” was given to him him our knowledge of his time would be reduced
because he was born in an apartment of the im- to a few vague notions; for he not only composed
perial palace called Trópoupa, in which the empresses works himself
, but caused others to be composed
awaited their confinement. The name Porphyro or compiled by the most able men among his
genitus is also given to Constantine VI. , but it is subjects. His own works are-
generally employed to distinguish the subject of Ι. Ιστορική διήγησις του βίου και πράξεων του
this article. Constantine succeeded his father in Βασιλείου του αοιδίμου βασιλέως (Viα Basili),
911, and reigned under the guardianship of his the life of Basilius I. Macedo, the grandfather of
paternal uncle, Alexander, who was already Augus- Constantine Porphyrogenitus, a work of great im-
tus, governed the empire as an absolute monarch, portance for the reign and character of that great
and died in the following year, 912. After his emperor, although it contains many things which
death the government was usurped by Romanus cannot be relied upon, as Constantine was rather
Lecapenus, who excluded Constantine from the credulous, and embellished the truth from motives
administration, leaving him nothing but an hono- of filial piety or vanity. Editions: 1. By Leo
rary retreat in the imperial palace, and who ruled Allatius in his Lúupektol, with a Latin translation,
as emperor till 944, when he was deposed and Cologne, 1653, 8vo. ; the text divided into 70
exiled by his sons Stephanus and Constantine, sections or chapters. 2. By Combefisius, in his
both Augusti, and who expected to be recognised “ Scriptores post Theophanem,” Paris, 1685, fol. ;
as emperors. (ROMANUS LECAPENUS. ] They divided into 101 sections or chapters; with a new
were deceived ; the people declared for the son of translation and notes of the editor.
Leo; Constantine left his solitude, and, supported II. Nepi Twv euatwv, “ De Thematibus. ” (The
by an enthusiastic population, seized upon the origin and signification of the word Séua as a new
usurpers, banished them, and ascended the throne. name for “ province," is given in the life of Con-
In the long period of his retirement Constantine STANTINUS IV. ) This work is divided into two
had become a model of learning and theoretical books; the first treats on the Eastern (Eastern and
wisdom ; but the energy of his character was sup- Southern) or Asiatic themas, and the second on
pressed ; instead of men he knew books, and when the Western (Western and Northern) or European
he took the reins of government into his hands, he themas. Editions: 1. The first book, with a
held them without strength, prudence, and resolu- Latin translation and notes, by B. Vulcanius,
tion. He would have been an excellent artist or Leyden, 1588, 8vo. 2. The second book, with a
professor, but was an incompetent emperor. Yet Latin translation and notes by T. Morellus, Paris,
the good qualities of his heart, his humanity, his 1609, 8vo. Both these editions, and consequently
love of justice, his sense of order, his passion for the complete work, were reprinted and edited with
the fine arts and literature, won him the affections some other works of Constantine, by Meursius,
of his subjects. His good nature often caused him | Leyden, 1617, 8vo. 3. The same in the sixth
to trust without discernment, and to confer the volume of “ J. Meursii Opera,” edited by Lami.
high ofices of the state upon fools or rogues ; but 4. The complete work, by Bandurius, in the first
he was not always deceived in his choice, and volume of his “
Imperiuni Orientale," with notes
many of his ministers and generals were able men, and a corrected version by the editor. 5. The
and equally devoted to their business and their same in the third volume of the Bonn edition or
The empire was thus governed much the works of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, a se
better than could have been expected. In a long vised reprint of the edition of Bandurius, but
and bloody war against the Arabs in Syria, the without the map of De l'Isle, edited by Immanuel
(ireek arms were victorious under Leo and Nice Bekker, Bonn, 1840.
master.


## p. 841 (#861) ############################################

CONSTANTINUS.
841
CONSTANTINUS.
III. “ De Administrando Imperio,” without a 1840, in the Bonn collection of the Byzantines, a
corresponding Greek title. This celebrated work revised reprint of the edition of Bandurius without
was written by the imperial author for the special the map of Guillaume de L'Isle. The commen-
purpose of inforning his son Romanus of the tary of Bayer cited above belongs likewise to this
political state of the empire, its various resources, work.
and the political principles which ought to be fol- 1V. Βιβλίον Τακτικόν, τάξιν περιέχον των κατά
lowed in its administration, as well as in its rela- Jádattav kal rñv uayouévwv, commonly called
tions to foreign nations. It contains abundance of “ Tactica," an essay on the art of warfare by sea
historical, geographical, ethnographical, and politi- and by land, a very interesting treatise. Edi-
cal facts of great importance, and without it our tions : 1 and 2. By Meursius, in “ Constantini
knowledge of the times of the author and the Opera," and in the sixth volume of “ Meursii
nations which were either his subjects or bis Opera," edited by Lami, both cited above. No. 1
neighbours would be little more than vagueness, gives only the text, but No. 2 has also a Latin
error, or complete darkness. The work is divided translation by Lami. Maffei, who translated a
into 53 chapters, preceded by a dedication to Cod. Veronensis of this work, attributes it to Con-
prince Romanus. In the first 13 chapters the stantinc, the son of the emperor Romanus Leca-
author gives an account of the state of several na- penus.
tions which lived towards the north of the Danube, V. Βιβλίον Στρατηγικών περί έθων διαφόρων
such as the Petchenegues or Patzinacitae, the è0vwv, &c. , commonly called “ Strategica,” an in-
Chazars, the Bulgarians, the Turks (by which he teresting treatise on the mode of warfare adopted
means the Majars or present Hungarians), and by different nations. Edition, by Meursius, in the
especially the Russians, who were then the most sixth volume of his works edited by Lami, with a
dangerous enemies of Constantinople. In the Latin translation of the editor.
14th and following chapters he speaks of Moham- VI. "Έκθεσις της Βασιλείου Τάξεως, « De Cere-
med, and gives a view of the rising power of the moniis Aulae Byzantinae. ” This work is divided
Arabs, which leads him to Spain and the conquest into three sections, viz. the first book, an appendix
of the West Gothic kingdom by the Arabs. (cc. to the first book, and the second book. It gives a
23 and 24. ) The relations of the Greeks to Italy detailed account of the ceremonies observed at the
and to the Frankish kingdoms are related in cc. imperial court of Constantinople. The appendix
26 to 28. In the eight following chapters (29 to to the first book treats of the ceremonies observed
36), which are all very long, be dwells on the in the imperial camp, and when the emperor sets
history and geography of those parts of the empire out from his palace for the purpose of leading his
which a few centuries before his time were, and army into the field, or returns from it to his
are still, occupied by Slavonian nations, viz. Dal- capital : it is dedicated to Romanus, the son of
matia, Servia, Croatia, &c. In c. 37 and following Constantine. The first book is divided into 97
he returns to the Patzinacitae, Chazars, and other chapters, the appendix into 16 sections, or heads,
nations in ancient Scythia-a most valuable and in which are not numbered, and the second book
teresting section, on which Bayer wrote the best into 56 chapters, the last chapter incomplete ; and
commentary which we have on the work : it refers it seems that there were originally some chapters
likewise to the corresponding part of the Themata more, which have not been discovered yet. "The
and is contained in the ninth volume of the “ Com- work is on the whole tedious and wearisome, as we
mentarii Academiae Petropolitanae. ” After illus- may presume from the nature of the subject and
trating that subject, Constantine proceeds to Iberia, the character of the emperor, who dwells with
Armenia, and some of the adjacent countries in delight on trifling forms and usages which
Asia. Chapter 52 contains some remarks on the scarcely anybody but a master of ceremonies would
thema of the Peloponnesus, a country of which find it worth while to write upon. The style,
the author speaks also occasionally in other chap however, is pure and elegant for the time; but the
ters; and in the 53rd and last chapter, which is work abounds with Arabic and other terms strange
of considerable length, he gives interesting infor- to the Greek language, which are, however, ex-
mation respecting the city of Cherson, the Cherso- plained by the commentators. It is impossible to
nitae, and other adjacent nations. The style of read it through ; but if used as a book of reference
the work is generally clear and simple, but the it answers well, and it contains, besides, a nuniber
logical order of the subjects is in some instances of important facts, and little stories or anecdotes
broken. Editions : 1 and 2. By Meursius, 1610, referring to the life of former emperors. Editions :
8vo. and 1617, 8vo. , in his “ Opera Const. Porph. ,' | 1. By Leich and Reiske, the first volume contain-
with a Latin translation. 3. By the same, in the ing the first book and the appendix, Leipzig, 1751,
sixth volume of " Meursii Opera," edited by Lami, fol. ; the second volume containing the second
in which, however, only the translation of Meursius book, ibid. 1754, fol. , with a Latin translation,
is contained, the editor having likewise given the an excellent Commentary to the first book by
more perfect text and translation of Bandurius. Reiske, and Notes and a “Commentatio de Vita
4. By Bandurius, in his “ Imperium Orientale," et Rebus Gestis Constantini” by Leich. 2. BF
the best edition, partly on account of a map of the Niebuhr, vol. i. , Bonn, 1829, 8vo. ; vol. ii. , ibid.
Eastern empire by Guillaume de L'Isle, which be- 1830. This is a carefully revised reprint of the
longs both to this work and to that on the Themas. editio princeps; it contains the remaining part of
Bandurius added a new translation and an exten- Reiske's commentary (to the appendix and the
sive commentary. Having perused better MSS. second book), first edited by Niebuhr. The prin-
than Meursius, Bandurius was enabled to add the cipal laws issued by Constantine (Novellae Con-
text with a translation of the 23rd and 24th chap- stitutiones) have been published by Leunclavius,
ters (“ De Iberia" and " De Hispania"), of which in his “Jus Graeco-Romanum," and by Labbe,
Meursius had only fragments, so that he could not Paris, 1606, 8vo. Constantine wrote besides several
translate them. 5. By Immanuel Bekker, Bonn, smaller treatises on religious and other matters.


## p. 842 (#862) ############################################

842
CONSTANTINUS.
CONSTANTINUS.
Besides his own writings, we owe to Constan- | donian dynasty. His successor was Romanus
tine's love of literature the preservation of soine Argyrus, the husband of his daughter Zoe, whom
works from destruction or oblivion, and the compila- he had by his wife Helena Augusta. [Basilius II. )
tion of others at his order. Such are: 1. “Collectanea CONSTANTINUS X. MONOMA'CHUS
et Excerpta llistorico-Politica et Moralia," an ex- (ó Movouá xos), ciperor of the East, A. D. 1042–
tensive compilation, of which but the 27th book, 1054. His surname was given him on account of
Thepl perbelwv, “ De Legationibus," and the 50th, his personal courage in war. In 1042 the go-
Tepl’Apetris kai Karias, “ De Virtutc et Vitio,” | vernment of the empire was in the hands or two
have been preserved. A further account of this imperial sisters, Zoe, the widow of the emperor Ro-
work is given in the life of PRISCUS. 11. 'ITIQ- mamus Argyrus, and afterwards of Michael IV. the
Tpirá, “ De Medicina Veterinaria,” compiled from Paphlagonian, and Theodora, a spinster, who were
the works of a number of writers, a lisi of whom placed on the throne by the inhabitants of Con-
is given by Fabricius ; it is divided into two stantinople, after they had deposed the emperor
books. Editions : 1. A Latin translation by J. Michael V. Calaphates, the adopted son of Zoe.
Ruellius, Paris, 1530, fol. 2. The Greek text, by The two sisters being afraid of their position, Zoe
Simon Grynaeus, Basel, 1537, 4to. 3. By Valesius, proposed to Constantine Monomachus that he
together with the “ Collectanea,” &c. , Paris, 1634, should marry her; and as she was rather advanced
4to. An Italian translation of it was published in age, being then upwards of sixty, she allowed
at Venice, 1543, 8vo. , and a French one at Paris, the gallant warrior to bring his beautiful mistress,
1563, 4to. III. Tewnoviká, “ De Re Rustica,” | Sclerena, with him to the imperial palace, where
which is generally attributed to Bassus Cassianus. the two ladies lived together on the best terms.
[Bassus CASSIANUS. ] Both the Hippiatrica and Constantine was saluted as emperor, and conferred
the Geoponica were held in high esteem in the the dignity of Augusta upon Sclerena. Soon after
middle ages as well as in after times, and they the accession of Constantine, Georgius Maniaces, a
were both used for practical purposes, as we may brother of Sclerena, who was renowned for his
see from the numerous editions and translations, victories over the Arabs, and who then held the
especially of the Geoponica. The first eight books command in Italy, raised a rebellion. At the head
of this work, which treat on the cure of beasts, of a chosen body of troops he crossed the Adriatic,
and form a kind of domestic veterinary hand landed in Epeirus, joined an auxiliary army of
book, were separately published in a Latin trans- Bulgarians, and marched upon Constantinople. Au
lation by Andreas a Lacuna, Cologne, 1543, 8vo. assassin delivered the emperor from his fears :
An Italian translation of the complete work ap- Maniaces was murdered by an unknown hand in
peared at Venice, 1542; French ones at Poitiers, the midst of his camp.
1545, Lyon, 1557; and a German, by Michael A still greater danger arose in 1043 from an
Herr, in 1551, 3rd edition, edited by Ludwig invasion of the Russians, who appeared with a
Rabus, Strassburg, 1566, 8vo.
powerful fleet in the Bosporus, while a land force
The Annals of Theophanes were continued by penetrated as far as Varna : but the fleet was dio
Constantine’s order [THEOPHANES), and he also persed or taken in a bloody engagement, and the
induced Josephus Genesius to write his Annals, Russian army was routed by Catacalo.
which contain the period from Leo Armenus to In 1047, while absent on an expedition against
Basilius Macedo. (Genesius. ) An account of the Arabs, Constantine received news of another
Constantine's laws is given in the life of the empe- rebellion having broken out, headed by Tornicius,
ror LEO Philosophus. (Cedren. pp. 607, &c. , 631, a relative of the emperor, who assumed the imperial
&c. , ed. Paris ; Leo Diaconus, pp. 487, &c. , 507, title, and laid siege to Constantinople. The em-
&c. , ed. Paris ; Zonar. vol. ii. pp. 182, &c. , 192, &c. , peror hastened to the defence of his capital, broke
ed. Paris; Joel, pp. 180, 181, ed. Paris ; Glycas, the forces of the rebel in a decisive battle, and
pp. 302, 303, ed. Paris; Hanckius, De Script. Tornicius, having fallen into the hands of his pur-
Byzant. pp. 461-478; Hamberger, Zuverlässige suers, was blinded and confined to a monastery.
Nachrichten, &c. , vol. iii. p. 686, &c. ; Fabric. Bibl. Constantine was not less fortunate in a war with
Graec. vol. viii. p. 1. &c. ; Leich, Commentatio de Vita Cacicus, the vassal king of Armenia and Iberia,
et Rebus Gestis Const. Porphyr. , Leipzig, 1746, 4to. , who tried to make himself independent; but, un-
and also in his and Reiske's edition of Constan- able to take the field against the imperial armies,
tine's works, as well as in the Bonn edition of he was at last compelled to throw himself at the
" De Cerem. Aulae Byzant. ") [W. P. ] feet of the emperor and implore his clemency. His
CONSTANTI'NUS VIII. , emperor of the crown was taken from him, but he was allowed to
East, reigned, together with his brother Stephanus, enjoy both life and liberty, and spent the rest of
after the deposition of their father, Romanus Leca- his days in Cappadocia, where his generous victor
penus, but was soon compelled to cede the throne had given him extensive estates. Iberia and Ar
to the lawful sovereign, Constantine Porphyroge menia were reunited under the immediate autho.
nitus. (a. D. 945. ) (CONSTANTINUS VII. ) rity of the Greeks.
CONSTANTINUS IX. , emperor of the East, While the frontiers of the empire were thus ex-
A. D. 976--1028, the son of the emperor Roma- tended in the East, Thrace and Macedonia suffered
nus II. , was born in A. D. 961, and began to reign, dreadfully from an invasion of the Petchenegues,
together with his elder brother, Basil II. , in 976; who were so superior to the Greeks in martial
but, addicted to idleness and luxury, he took no qualities, that they would have conquered all those
part in the administration of the empire. After provinces which they had hitherto only plundered,
the death of Basil in 1025, he became sole empe- but for the timely interference of the emperor's
ror; but, fortunately for his subjects, who suffered body-guards, composed of Waregians or Normans,
much from the Arabians during his miserable ad- who drove the enemy back beyond the Danube,
ministration, he died three years afterwards, in and compelled them to beg for peace. (A. D. 1053. )
1028. Constantine IX. was the last of the Mace | At the same time the Normans made great progress


## p. 843 (#863) ############################################

CONSTANTINUS.
843
CONSTANTINUS.
in Italy, where they finally succeeded in conquer- | the capital of them, was taken shortly before the
ing all the dominions of the Greek emperors.
In death of the emperor, which happened in a. D.
the following year, 1054, the great schism began, | 1067. Constantine had many good qualities,
which resulted in the complete separation of the though they were overshadowed by petty and
Greek and Roman churches, and put an end to strange passions. Love of justice induced him to
the authority of the popes in the East. Constan- recall immediately on his accession all those who
tine did not live to see the completion of the schism, were exiled for political crimes, and to undertake a
for he died in the course of the same year, 1054. great number of lawsuits, which, accustomed as he
Constantine was a man of generous character, who, was to follow his sophistical genius, he believed to
when cmperor, would not revenge many insults he be just, while they proved to be mere chicaneries.
had received while he was but an ofhcer in the When it became known that his love of war had
army. He managed, however, the financial de turned into love of legal intrigues, many officers of
partment in an unprincipled manner, spending his army abandoned the profession of arms, and
large sums upon the embellishment of Constantino- became advocates for the purpose of rising to
ple and other luxuries, and shewing himself a honours and making their fortunes. Constantine
miser where he ought to have spared no money. conferred the title of Augustus upon his three sons,
Thus, for economy's sake, he paid off his Iberian Michael, Andronicus, and Constantine, who were
troops, 50,000 in number, who were the bulwark all under age, and whom he destined to succeed
of Greece, and who were no sooner disbanded than him and to reign conjointly under the regency of
the frontier provinces of the empire were inun- his widow Eudoxia. But she was unable to keep
dated by Arabs and Petchenegues, so that, although the throne alone, and married Romanus Diogenes
he augmented the extent of his dominions by the for the sake of protection and support, and this
addition of Iberia and Armenia, he contributed distinguished general, who was created emperor,
much to the rapid decline of Greek power under his must be considered as the real successor of Con-
successor. The successor of Constantine X. was stantine XI. (Scylitzes, 813, &c. , ed. Paris ;
the empress Theodora mentioned above. (Cedren. Psellus in Zonar. vol. i. p. 272, &c. , ed. Paris;
p. 754, &c. , ed. Paris; Psellus in Zonar. vol. ii. Glycas, p. 324, &c. , ed. Paris; Nicephorus Bryenn.
p. 247, &c. ed. Paris; Glycas, p. 319, &c. , ed. p. 19, &c. , ed. Paris. )
[W. P. ]
Paris ; Joel, p. 183, &c. , ed. Paris. ) (W. P. ] CONSTANTI'NÚS XII. DUCAS, emperor
CONSTANTINUS XI. DUĆAS (• Aoûxas), of the East, the youngest son of the preceding,
emperor of the East, A. D. 1059—1067, was succeeded his father Constantine XI. in 1067, to
chosen by the emperor Isaac I. Comnenus, who gether with his brothers Michael and Andronicus,
abdicated in 1059, as his successor, in preference under the regency of their mother Eudoxia, who
to his own children, because he thought him to be married Romanus III. Diogenes and made him
the most worthy of his subjects. It proved, how- omperor. After the capture of Romanus by the
ever, that, although Constantine was undoubtedly Turks in 1071, Constantine and his brothers were
one of the best subjects of Isaac, he still was not proclaimed emperors, but Michael, the eldest, was
fit to rule in those troublous times. Previously to the real ruler. Constantine was confined in a
his election, Constantine had been very active in monastery by the emperor Nicepborus III. Bota-
putting Michael VI. Stratioticus on the throne niates about 1078. His final fate is not well
(A. D. 1056), but he deserted him in the following known. He died either in the same year in con-
year and espoused the party of Isaac Comnenus, sequence of cruel tortures to which he had been
who succeeded in seizing the government. Thence exposed, or as late as 1082, in a battle between
their friendship arose. When he ascended the the emperor Alexis I. and Robert Guiscard. Anna
throne, the people expected that he would take Comnena calls bim Constantius (p.