Their son, Constantine, was born about 272. Constantine was in Helenopolis, planning a campaign against Persia when he fell ill. Christianity he encountered in court circles as well as in the cities of the East; and from 303, during the great persecution of the Christians that began at the court of Diocletian at Nicomedia and was enforced with particular intensity in the eastern parts of the empire, Christianity was a major issue of public policy. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was a revolutionary who helped establish the Republic of Turkey. When Maximian was rejected by his son, he joined Constantine in Gaul, only to betray Constantine and to be murdered or forced to commit suicide (310). Constantine I, byname Constantine the Great, Latin in full Flavius Valerius Constantinus, (born February 27, after 280 ce?, Naissus, Moesia [now Niš, Serbia]—died May 22, 337, Ancyrona, near Nicomedia, Bithynia [now İzmit, Turkey]), first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. Constantine was born probably in the later 280s ce. Constantine himself was sent to the court of Diocletian, the Eastern Roman emperor. He set out to return to Constantinople, but grew worse and was forced to halt his journey. After his stint as a rock star, John had been learning all he could of the occult and magical in Europe before traveling to New York City to learn under one of the greatest mages in the world - Nick Necro, who had himself studied under the great Giovanni Zatara and Baron Winters. Constantine I's father became the Western Roman emperor in 305. Not wanting questions about the divine nature of Christ to sow discord, Constantine summoned church officials to the Council of Nicaea in 325. In 293 ce his father was raised to the rank of Caesar, or deputy emperor (as Constantius I Chlorus), and was sent to serve under Augustus (emperor) Maximian in the West. He not only initiated the evolution of the empire into a Christian state but also provided the impulse for a distinctively Christian … A somewhat different version, offered by Eusebius, tells of a vision seen by Constantine during the campaign against Maxentius, in which the Christian sign appeared in the sky with the legend “In this sign, conquer.” Despite the emperor’s own authority for the account, given late in life to Eusebius, it is in general more problematic than the other, but a religious experience on the march from Gaul is suggested also by a pagan orator, who in a speech of 310 referred to a vision of Apollo received by Constantine at a shrine in Gaul. Alexander the Great served as king of Macedonia from 336 to 323 B.C. The latter were replaced by Galerius Valerius Maximinus in the East and Flavius Valerius Severus in the West, Constantine being passed over. He then confirmed an alliance that he had already entered into with Licinius (Galerius having died in 311): Constantine became Western emperor and Licinius shared the East with his rival Maximinus. He lured noblemen … He wasn’t baptized until right before his death in 337. His father became Caesar, the deputy emperor in the west, in 293 CE. After a further period of tension, Constantine attacked Licinius in 324, routing him at Adrianople and Chrysopolis (respectively, modern Edirne and Üsküdar, Turkey) and becoming sole emperor of East and West. His father, Flavius Valerius Constantius, was an officer in the Roman army. Rhoda (Constantine) Mills 1797 Dorchester, Westmorland, New Brunswick, Canada - 23 Dec 1884 managed by … He issued an edict that protected Christians in the empire and converted to Christianity on his deathbed in 337. Kamehameha the Great was the Hawaiian conqueror and king who united the Hawaiian Islands and founded the Kamehameha dynasty. Accounts of Constantine's life state that, following a vision, he had ordered a Christian symbol to be painted on his soldiers' shields. Emperor January 27, 945 – November 9, 959 Full name Constantine Porphyrogenitus. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. Some of his most spectacular commissions were installed in Constantinople, such as the Megale Ekklesia (“Great Church”), which was completed under his son and constructed on the site where the Hagia Sophia would later stand. He was the first Christian emperor and saw the empire begin to become a Christian state. This proclamation legalized Christianity and allowed for freedom of worship throughout the empire. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. She married Constantius Chlorus, and their son Constantine was born in 274. Corrections? Constantine’s adherence to Christianity was closely associated with his rise to power. With co-Emperor Licinius, he issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed tolerance of all religions throughout the empire. He made one of his largest contributions to the faith by summoning the Councils of Arles (314) and Nicaea (325), which guided church doctrine for centuries afterward. Dorothy was born … Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, was Prussia's king from 1740 to 1786. Synopsis Born in Bithynia, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), circa 248, St. Helena was married to Roman Emperor Constantius and had a son who … 2 There is good reason to think that Constantius and Helena lived in concubinage rather than in legally recognized marriage. Constantine was declared emperor by his troops. The Elizabethan era is named for her. Constantine's Mom: The First "Christian Archeologist"? Elizabeth I was a long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. Constantine, son of Áed (Medieval Gaelic: Causantín mac Áeda; Modern Gaelic: Còiseam mac Aoidh, known in most modern regnal lists as Constantine II; born no later than 879; died 952) was an early King of Scotland, known then by the Gaelic name Alba.The Kingdom of Alba, a name which first appears in Constantine's lifetime, was situated in modern-day Scotland. Constantine the Great (27 Feb c. 272/273 – 22 May 337) Constantine was Roman Emperor (A.D. 306-337). He was the founder of Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), which remained the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire until 1453. Flavius Valerius Constantinus, the future emperor Constantine, was born at Naissus in the province of Moesia Superior, the modern Nish in Serbia, on 27 February of 271, 272, or 273. The details regarding Constantine’s early life are obscure. Omissions? Constantine’s experience as a member of the imperial court—a Latin-speaking institution—in the Eastern provinces left a lasting imprint on him. Constantine left the empire to his three surviving sons upon his death in 337. Constantius divorced her in 294 in order to further his political ambitions by marrying a woman of noble rank. For a time, Constantine stood by as others ruled the Eastern Roman Empire. Emperor Constantine (ca A.D. 280– 337) reigned over a major transition in the Roman Empire—and much more. Constantine reigned during the 4th century CE and is known for attempting to Christianize the Roman Empire. Constantine set about expanding the territory of old Byzantium, dividing it into 14 sections and constructing a new outer wall. Educated to less than the highest literary standards of the day, he was always more at home in Latin than in Greek: later in life he had the habit of delivering edifying sermons, which he would compose in Latin and pronounce in Greek from professional translations. Constantine was born around the year 272 AD in the city Naissus. During a period of civil war, Constantine defended his position against different Roman factions, including Maxentius, Maximian's son. This was both the name of his maternal grandfather, Grand Duke Konstantin Rom… A multisided civil war ensued between Constantine and the several other factions vying for the throne. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Throughout his life, Constantine ascribed his success to his conversion to Christianity and the support of the Christian God. In 305 Constantine assisted his father, the newly appointed Western emperor, with a campaign in Britain. A typical product of the military governing class of the later 3rd century, he was the son of Flavius Valerius Constantius, an army officer, and his wife (or concubine) Helena. Constantine's father was elevated to deputy emperor under Maximian in 293. In 289, Constantine's father left Helena to marry the stepdaughter of Maximian, the Western Roman emperor. Little is known of Helena's life for more than 30 years after her son was born. In 326, Constantine put Crispus and Fausta to death—an episode that has attracted much speculation but few definitive answers. From its beginning, Christmas was a holiday (or holy day), gifts were exchanged, families and friends gathered to feast, and a birth was celebrated; just … He was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity and played a crucial role in the spread of the religion. He became the Western emperor in 312 and the sole Roman emperor in 324. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Constantine I, one of the most significant emperors of Rome, was born in 274 AD. Constantine now became the Western Roman emperor. Churches were erected at, among other places, Rome, Trier, Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey), Jerusalem, and Cirta (Constantine, Algeria) as either the direct or indirect result of Constantine’s patronage. His birth was met with an immense wave of enthusiasm: the new heir apparent to the throne was the first Greek-born member of the family. Constantine I was a Roman emperor who ruled early in the 4th century. In 312, Constantine fought in Italy, meeting Maxentius and his forces at the Milvian Bridge on the Tiber River. Commemorated on May 21 St. Helen was the mother of St. Constantine the Great, and was born at Drepanum (Helenopolis) in Asia Minor to parents of humble means. His mother, Helena, is of low social rank. Constantine Maroulis was born on September 17, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as Constantine James Maroulis. During his time of leadership, he united Greece, reestablished the Corinthian League and conquered the Persian Empire. After his father's death, Constantine fought to take power. Constantine brought Christian persecution to an end when he came to power. Constantine was seen as a youth by his future panegyrist, Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, passing with Diocletian through Palestine on the way to a war in Egypt. Constantine's mother, Helena, was from humble beginnings; it is unknown whether she was the wife or concubine of Constantius. While in power, Constantine issued reforms intended to strengthen his regime. Constantine I, byname Constantine the Great, Latin in full Flavius Valerius Constantinus, (born February 27, after 280 ce?, Naissus, Moesia [now Niš, Serbia]—died May 22, 337, Ancyrona, near Nicomedia, Bithynia [now İzmit, Turkey]), first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. The triumphal arch erected in his honour at Rome after the defeat of Maxentius ascribed the victory to the “inspiration of the Divinity” as well as to Constantine’s own genius. Updated August 10, 2018. 1 His father was a military officer named Constantius (later Constantius Chlorus or Constantius I), his mother a woman of humble background named Helena (later St. Helena). He likely also witnessed the persecution of Christians. By adopting Christianity as the religion of the vast Roman Empire, he elevated a once illegal cult to the law of the land. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Constantine continued to proclaim his adherence to Christianity, and his reign established influence over religious conflicts within the church. Akbar the Great, Muslim emperor of India, established a sprawling kingdom through military conquests but is known for his policy of religious tolerance. Out of this came the Nicene Creed, which affirmed that Jesus was a divine being. There is no historical indication that Constantine was converted. To make the designation official, he began to fight for power. Constantine was sent east, where he rose through the ranks to become a military tribune under the … Some have argued that Constantine’s conversion to Christianity was politically motivated. (Born of the Purple Room) Born September 2, 905 Birthplace Constantinople Died November 9, 959 (aged 54) Place of death Constantinople Predecessor Alexander Successor Romanos II Wife Helena Lekapene Offspring Romanos II. Constantine was born Gus Efstratiou in Reading, Pennsylvania, the son of Andromache (née Fotiadou) and Theoharis Ioannides Efstratiou (a steel worker), both immigrants from Greece. After this triumph, Constantine founded the city of Constantinople on the site of Byzantium. Jane Doe Professor HIST 101 20 October 2020 Constantine the Great Born into a divided Roman Empire, Constantine I (born Gaius Flavis Valerius Constantinus) was the son of Flavia Julia Helena—a woman born outside the confines of the nobility class— and Roman Co-Emperor Constantius. He is well known in the history of Rome for making Christianity the official religion of the whole Roman Empire. In 324, Constantine defeated Licinius and took control of a reunited empire. He fought the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in the name of the Christian God, having received instructions in a dream to paint the Christian monogram () on his troops’ shields. He soon used his power to address the status of Christians, issuing the Edict of Milan in 313. The city was in the Roman province of Moesia which is in the present day country of Serbia. Helena, the daughter of an innkeeper and Constantius's wife, gave birth to Constantine around A.D. 280 in Naissus, just south of the Danube. Constantine was born in AD 272 in the Roman province of Upper Moesia, in modern Serbia. 1 Biography 1.1 Magisterium 1.2 Vessel 2 Personality 3 Physical description 4 Trivia 5 References Constantine Madden was a mage who was eventually discovered to be capable of accessing the void and performing chaos magic, making him one of the … Constantine was instrumental in the rise of Christianity in Europe. Constantine funded church-building projects throughout his reign as a way to encourage Christianity’s growth. He would direct largely successful campaigns for the rest of his reign, and he died in 337 while preparing for a campaign against the Persians. Under this emblem, Constantine was successful in battle and entered Rome. In 305, following Maximian's abdication, Constantine's father became Emperor Constantius I. Constantine then joined his father on a military campaign and fought alongside him in Britain. Constantius achieved higher and higher rank first … Having previously attained … A statue set up at the same time showed Constantine himself holding aloft a cross and the legend “By this saving sign I have delivered your city from the tyrant and restored liberty to the Senate and people of Rome.” After his victory over Licinius in 324, Constantine wrote that he had come from the farthest shores of Britain as God’s chosen instrument for the suppression of impiety, and in a letter to the Persian king Shāpūr II he proclaimed that, aided by the divine power of God, he had come to bring peace and prosperity to all lands. Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, served as empress of Russia for more than three decades in the late 18th century after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. Constantius I, original name Flavius Valerius Constantius or Flavius Julius Constantius, byname Chlorus, (born c. 250, Dacia Ripensis—died July 25, 306, Eboracum, Britain [now York, North Yorkshire, England]), Roman emperor and father of Constantine I the Great. The next year, Constantius died at Eboracum (now York). His acceptance of Christianity and his … It's also not known whether Helena and Constantius had other children. At least openly, Constantine ascribed much of his political success to the grace of a Christian God, even claiming to have won a battle because of a divinely sourced vision he had received beforehand. He had delayed his baptism — a common practice at the time — but now underwent the rite. When he was 21 years old, his father Constantius, a successful administrator and general, was made Caesar in the Tetrarchy of Diocletian. Constantine was the first Roman … This is the account given by the Christian apologist Lactantius. Koraës Professor Emeritus of Byzantine and Modern Greek History, Language, and Literature, King's College, University of London. In 316, Licinius, who had been sharing power with Maximinus, became the only Eastern emperor. Mary (Constantine) Ingleby bef 01 Jan 1767 Linton in Craven, Yorkshire, England - 17 Jun 1855 managed by Brad Cunningham last edited 30 Jul 2020. Constantine is born Flavius Valerius Constantinus in the city of Naissus around February 27, 272. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The civil war itself fostered religious competition, each side enlisting its divine support, and it would be thought in no way unusual that Constantine should have sought divine help for his claim for power and divine justification for his acquisition of it. Immediately acclaimed emperor by the army, Constantine then threw himself into a complex series of civil wars in which Maxentius, the son of Maximian, rebelled at Rome; with his father’s help, Maxentius suppressed Severus, who had been proclaimed Western emperor by Galerius and who was then replaced by Licinius. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Constantine Madden was a powerful Makar, a former Magisterium apprentice and enemy of the Assembly of Mages known as the Enemy of Death. Constantius requested his son’s presence from Galerius, and Constantine made his way through the territories of the hostile Severus to join his father at Gesoriacum (modern Boulogne, France). Flavius Valerius Constantinus, who would become Roman emperor Constantine I, was born on February 27, circa 280 (sources range from 272 to 284), in Naissus, Moesia (now Niš, Serbia). Their army proclaimed Constantine emperor after his father’s death the next year. 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