Byzantine Emperor. He was born in AD 685 and is known as "The Isaurian", meaning the Syrian. Some ancient sources claim that his family had been resettled in Thrace and he was living there when he entered the service of the Emperor Justinian II during his advance on Constantinople in AD 705. Following Justinian's victory, he sent Leo on a diplomatic mission to negotiate an alliance with the Alans against the Umayyad Caliphate of Al Walid I. When Anastasius II was deposed he became involved in a plot to overthrow the new Emperor Theodosius III. Immediately on coming to power in AD 717 he had to repel an Arab Siege of Constantinople, finally achieving victory in AD 718. In the same year he put down a rebellion in Sicily and secured the borders of the Empire by encouraging Slavic settlers into depopulated areas and reforming the army. He also abolished the system of prepaying taxes and introduced social reforms including elevating the serfs into a class of free tenants and remodeling the legal system. He also passed laws on religious matters and in AD 726 forced the baptism of all Jews and Montanists in the Empire. In 726 he he banned the worship of idols, and he also suppressed a religious revolt in Greece. The Popes Gregory II and Gregory III had him excommunicated for his iconoclasm and he retaliated by transferring South Italy and Illyria to the Patriach of Constantinople. He died AD 741 and was succeeded as Emperor by Constantine V.
Byzantine Emperor. He was born in AD 685 and is known as "The Isaurian", meaning the Syrian. Some ancient sources claim that his family had been resettled in Thrace and he was living there when he entered the service of the Emperor Justinian II during his advance on Constantinople in AD 705. Following Justinian's victory, he sent Leo on a diplomatic mission to negotiate an alliance with the Alans against the Umayyad Caliphate of Al Walid I. When Anastasius II was deposed he became involved in a plot to overthrow the new Emperor Theodosius III. Immediately on coming to power in AD 717 he had to repel an Arab Siege of Constantinople, finally achieving victory in AD 718. In the same year he put down a rebellion in Sicily and secured the borders of the Empire by encouraging Slavic settlers into depopulated areas and reforming the army. He also abolished the system of prepaying taxes and introduced social reforms including elevating the serfs into a class of free tenants and remodeling the legal system. He also passed laws on religious matters and in AD 726 forced the baptism of all Jews and Montanists in the Empire. In 726 he he banned the worship of idols, and he also suppressed a religious revolt in Greece. The Popes Gregory II and Gregory III had him excommunicated for his iconoclasm and he retaliated by transferring South Italy and Illyria to the Patriach of Constantinople. He died AD 741 and was succeeded as Emperor by Constantine V.
Bio by: js
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