Constans II
Constans II was the Byzantine emperor from 641 to 668, one of the most important rulers of the seventh century, who held the empire together during the devastating Arab conquests. Coming to the throne as an eleven-year-old, he governed for twenty-seven years with extraordinary energy and determination despite the catastrophic strategic losses his reign witnessed. Constans organized the theme system - military districts where the commanding general also held civil authority - which restructured the Byzantine state on a war footing and proved the organizational foundation of Byzantine survival for centuries. He made the extraordinary decision to move his court to Syracuse in Sicily in 662, campaigned in Italy, and visited Rome. He was assassinated in his bath at Syracuse in 668, reportedly killed by a servant wielding a soap dish.
- Lived: 630 CE – 668 CE
- Nationality: byzantine
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state, military_leader
