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CONSTANTINE V

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Originally appearing in Volume V06, Page 991 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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CONSTANTINE V . Copronymus (Gr. Koapos), son of See also:Leo III. the iconoclast, was See also:emperor 740—775. Immediately after his See also:accession, while he was engaged in a See also:campaign against the See also:Arabs, his See also:brother-in-See also:law, an Armenian named Artavasdus, a supporter of the See also:image-worshippers, had been proclaimed emperor, andit was not till the end of 743 that Constantine re-entered See also:Constantinople. When he See also:felt his position secure, he determined to See also:settle the religious controversy once for all. In 754 he assembled at the See also:palace of Hiereion 338 bishops, by whom the See also:worship of images was forbidden as opposed to all See also:Christian See also:doctrine and a curse pronounced upon all those who upheld it. But in spite of the severity with which the See also:resolution was en-forced, the resistance to iconoclasm continued, chiefly owing to the attitude of the monks, who exercised See also:great See also:influence over the See also:common See also:people. A vigorous campaign against See also:monasticism took See also:place; the monasteries were closed, and many of them pulled down or converted into See also:barracks; monks and nuns were compelled to marry, and exiled in large See also:numbers to See also:Cyprus; the See also:literary and See also:artistic treasures were sold for the benefit of the imperial See also:treasury. One of the most important results of the struggle was the defection of the See also:pope, who sought and obtained See also:protection from See also:Pippin, See also:king of the See also:Franks. All attempts to induce Pippin to throw over his new protege failed, and from this See also:time onward the nominal dependence of See also:Rome and the papacy on emperors at Constantinople ceased. Constantine has been described by the orthodox historians of his time as a See also:monster of iniquity; but, in spite of the harshness and occasional See also:cruelty with which he treated his religious opponents, for which an excuse may be found in the obstinate fanaticism of the monks, 'it is now generally admitted that he was one of the most capable rulers who ever occupied the See also:Byzantine See also:throne. He restored the See also:aqueduct built by See also:Valens and destroyed by the barbarians in the reign of See also:Heraclius, re-peopled Constantinople (after it had been devastated by a great See also:plague) and some of the cities of See also:Thrace, revived commercial prosperity, and carried on a number of See also:wars, in which, on the whole, he was successful, against the Arabs, Slays and Bulgarians.

In the See also:

year of his See also:death he set out on an expedition against the last-named, but a violent attack of See also:fever obliged him to discontinue his See also:journey. He died on See also:board his See also:fleet on his way See also:home.

End of Article: CONSTANTINE V

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