#constantine vi

[jbk405]

In honor of the Ides of March, a poll....

Who was the actual Last Roman Emperor?

Romulus August (The "Intro the History" answer)

Julius Nepos (The "I've read up on the Roman Empire" answer)

Constantine VI (The "I'm being clever" answer)

Constantine XI Palaiologos (The correct answer)

Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (The "I'm looking for an argument" answer)

Mehmed VI/Nicholas II/Wilhelm II/other (The "I want a LOUDER argument" answer)

Voting ended onMar 23, 2025

Romulus Augustus is, as I noted, the answer you're often given in basic history courses. The uncontested last de facto emperor of the Western Roman Empire, he was the last emperor whose administration had even a semblance of authority in the western territories. I say his "administration" instead of himself because he was a child during his one year of rule and his father, Orestes, had actual control. But his father gave him the title, and for about a year the title had meaning (Not a lot, but some). After he was deposed by Odoacer in 476, nobody else within the western lands had any authority except Odoacer and the other new states that were springing up.

Julius Nepos was the last de jure emperor in the west. He actually ruled before Romulus Augustus, until Orestes deposed him and put his son on the throne. But despite being deposed he lived, and for several years after the overthrow of Romulus Augustus he was offered symbolic obeisance by the people who had actual power. Odoacer, who at this point was 'King of Italy', claimed that Julius Nepos still ruled as emperor, and even minted coins using his image. Zeno, who was emperor in the Eastern Roman Empire, likewise recognized Julius Nepos as the emperor in the west. It wasn't until his death in 480 that Zeno formally dissolved the position of emperor in the west and claimed sole rulership of the entire empire.

Constantine VI gets on this poll mainly as a point of technicality, but technicalities often have merit. He is the last person who was universally acknowledged as the Roman Emperor. Both in the Eastern Roman Empire (Generally called the Byzantine Empire at this point) which he ruled directly, and also the polities in western Europe that were independent in practice but acknowledged the authority of the Roman Empire. After he was deposed by his mother Irene in 797 she successfully seized the throne for herself in the east, but the western states refused to acknowledge her authority. They declared that the position of Roman Emperor was vacant, and Pope Leo III declared a new emperor (Charlemagne, from which the later Holy Roman Emperors claimed descending authority).

Constantine XI Palaiologos was the last ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire), which had directly continued the institutions, law, and culture of the Roman Empire despite the collapse of its territories in the west. He died during the conquest of Constantinople itself in 1453, after which there was no remaining Roman Empire for anybody to claim authority over.

Francis II wasn't the last Roman Emperor, don't be a dick. We don't truck with the translatio imperii in this day and age.

Mehmed VI/Nicholas II/Wilhelm II/other weren't the last Roman Emperors, either. I SAID don't be a dick.

[burningdreambanana]

Interesting parallels between the boyfriends:

Shortly before his death, Silahtar recounts to Murad the story of Irene of Athens, a Byzantine Empress who initially served as regent for her young son, Constantine VI. When he came of age, the two entered into conflict over imperial authority. Although Constantine eventually accepted her as co-ruler, Irene later had him seized, blinded, and imprisoned. He likely died soon after, and in 797, she declared herself Empress regnant of the Byzantine Empire, the first woman in history to rule it in her own right.

Then in ep55, we have Yusuf telling Murad the story of Al-Khayzuran, a slave concubine who became the legal wife of Caliph Al-Mahdi. She held an extraordinary and unusual degree of power, especially for a woman, during her husband's reign. After he died, she continued to try to rule through her sons, but her eldest, Musa al-Hadi opposed it. She is rumored to have poisoned him so she could enthrone his brother, Harun-al Rashid, who was perfectly willing to accept her influence on the state.

Sidenote: Silahtar chooses a Christian reference, while Yusuf chooses an Islamic one, which speaks of their different cultural heritage.

[beardedmrbean]

[zanmor]

unpopular opinion: Irene was a pretty good emperor

if not for her being a woman then Constantine VI would have had to wait in line. we would interpret his calling for his birthright as trying to usurp the throne if it had been his father in charge

like there's some problems obviously in that the act of blinding/killing her son also de-stabalized her regime, but I'm doubtful there's another way to retain power for her. a male ruler would have gotten a more sympathetic look and we'd think of the son as an impudent upstart

otherwise her reign was fairly solid and one can only dream of what might have been if she hadn't damned the Isaurian line to end and had instead ruled as co-emperor with her son

[ancientcitylullaby]

Oh Irene... give your son a break will you?

[jens-holland]

I love making these hdgdjdhjf

[whencyclopedia]

PEOPLE OF THE ANCIENT WORLD: Constantine VI (Emperor of the Byzantine Empire) 

CONSTANTINE VI, also known as Constantine "the Blinded”, was emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 780 to 797 CE, although for most of his reign his mother, Irene the Athenian, ruled as regent. When Constantine did finally get a go at ruling in his own right, he was anything but successful. Deposed by his own mother, Constantine was infamously blinded by her in the royal palace and, as was the intention, he died from his injuries.

Constantine was the son of Leo IV (r. 775-780 CE) and when, in 780 CE, his father died of fever, aged just 30, Constantine became emperor Constantine VI. However, as the new emperor was still a minor at nine or ten years of age, his mother Empress Irene ruled as his regent, a role she performed until 790 CE. Irene had immediate problems and had to quash a rebellion led by the other sons of Constantine V (r. 741-775 CE) and half-brothers of Leo IV. Once that was dealt with, she ensured the loyalty of the palace entourage by dismissing any ministers and military commanders of questionable affiliation.

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[bettiwettiwoo]

[Byzantine Emperor] Constantine VI had become enamored of one of the Empress-mother's maid of honor, named Theodote, and Irene [the Empress-mother] had lent herself complaisantly to this passion. She even counseled her son to put away his wife in order to marry the girl — as she was well aware of the scandal which would follow. The Emperor lent a ready ear to this advice. In spite of the opposition of the Patriarch Tarasius, who courageously refused a demand to facilitate the divorce, he dismissed [his wife] Maria to a convent and married Theodote (September 795). There was a general outburst of indignation throughout the religious party at this adulterous connection. The monks, especially those of the Sakkudion [Monastery] with Plato and Theodore at their head, abounded in invective against the bigamous Emperor, the 'new Herod', and condemned the weakeness of the Patriarch in tolerating this abomination. Irene surreptitiously encouraged their resistance. In vain did Constantine VI flatter himself that, by courtesy and calmness, he could allay the excitement of his opponents, even going so far as to pay a visit in person to the monks of the Sakkudion (796) and coolly replying to their insults 'that he did not intend to make martyrs.' At last, however in the face of their uncompromising mood, he lost patience. He caused the monks of the Sakkudion to be arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and exiled. These severities only exasperated public opinion, which Irene turned to her own advantage. While the court was at the baths of Prusa, she worked up the plot which was to restore her to power. It burst forth 17 July 797. The Emperor was arrested and imprisoned at the Palace, in the Porphyry Chamber where he had been born, and by his mother's orders his eyes were put out. He was allowed, with his wife Theodote, to end his days in peaceful obscurity. Irene was Empress.

J.B. Bury (planner), Eastern Roman Empire (717-1453) (Cambridge Medieval History) Don't mess with Irene!