Artabasdos
Encyclopedia
Artavasdos, Latinized as Artabasdos or Artabasdus ( or , from Armenian
: Արտավազդ, Artavazd, Ardavazt), was Byzantine Emperor of Armenian
descent from June 741 or 742 until November 743. His reign constitutes an usurpation against Constantine V
, who had retained control of several themes in Asia Minor
.
) of the Armeniac theme
(Θέμα Άρμενιάκων, Thema Armeniakōn, was the successor of the Army of Armenia. It occupied the old areas of the Pontus, Armenia Minor and northern Cappadocia, with its capital at Amasea) by Emperor Anastasius II
in c. 713. After Anastasius' fall, Artabasdus made an agreement with his colleague Leo
, the governor of the Anatolic theme
, to overthrow the new Emperor Theodosius III
. This agreement was sealed with the engagement of Leo's daughter Anna
to Artabasdos, and the marriage took place after Leo III ascended the throne in March 717.
Artabasdos was awarded the rank of kouropalates ("master of the palace") and became commander (count, komēs) of the Opsikion
theme, while retaining control of his original command. In June 741 or 742, after the accession of Leo's son Constantine V
on the throne, Artabasdus resolved to seize the throne and attacked his brother-in-law while the latter was traversing Asia Minor
to fight the Arab
s on the eastern frontier. While Constantine fled to Amorion
, Artabasdus seized Constantinople
amid popular support and was crowned emperor.
and restored Orthodoxy with some support, including that of Pope Zacharias. Soon after his accession, Artabasdus crowned his wife Anna
as Augusta
and his son Nikephoros as co-emperor, while putting his other son Niketas
in charge of the Armeniac theme. But while Artabasdus could rely also on the support of the themes of Thrace
and Opsikion, Constantine secured for himself the support of the Anatolic and Thracesian
themes.
The inevitable clash came in May 743, when Artabasdus led the offensive against Constantine but was defeated. Later the same year Constantine defeated Nicetas, and on November 2, 743 Artabasdus' reign came to an end as Constantine V entered Constantinople and apprehended his rival. Artabasdus and his sons were publicly blinded
and relegated to the monastery of Chora on the outskirts of Constantinople. The date of his death is unknown.
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
: Արտավազդ, Artavazd, Ardavazt), was Byzantine Emperor of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
descent from June 741 or 742 until November 743. His reign constitutes an usurpation against Constantine V
Constantine V
Constantine V was Byzantine emperor from 741 to 775; ); .-Early life:...
, who had retained control of several themes in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
.
Rise to power
The Armenian Artabasdus was appointed governor (stratēgosStrategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
) of the Armeniac theme
Armeniac Theme
The Armeniac Theme , more properly the Theme of the Armeniacs was a Byzantine theme located in northeastern Asia Minor .-History:...
(Θέμα Άρμενιάκων, Thema Armeniakōn, was the successor of the Army of Armenia. It occupied the old areas of the Pontus, Armenia Minor and northern Cappadocia, with its capital at Amasea) by Emperor Anastasius II
Anastasios II (emperor)
Artemius Anastasius , known in English as Anastasios II or Anastasius II, , was Byzantine emperor from 713 to 715....
in c. 713. After Anastasius' fall, Artabasdus made an agreement with his colleague Leo
Leo III the Isaurian
Leo III the Isaurian or the Syrian , was Byzantine emperor from 717 until his death in 741...
, the governor of the Anatolic theme
Anatolic Theme
The Anatolic Theme , more properly known as the Theme of the Anatolics was a Byzantine theme in central Asia Minor...
, to overthrow the new Emperor Theodosius III
Theodosios III
Theodosios III or Theodosius III , was Byzantine Emperor from 715 to March 25, 717.Theodosius was a financial officer and tax collector in the southern portion of the theme of Opsikion. According to one theory he was the son of the former Emperor Tiberius III. When the thematic troops rebelled...
. This agreement was sealed with the engagement of Leo's daughter Anna
Anna, wife of Artabasdos
Anna was the wife of Artabasdos, one of two rival Byzantine Emperors in a civil war which lasted from June, 741 to November, 743. The other Emperor was her brother, Constantine V.-Family:...
to Artabasdos, and the marriage took place after Leo III ascended the throne in March 717.
Artabasdos was awarded the rank of kouropalates ("master of the palace") and became commander (count, komēs) of the Opsikion
Opsikion
The Opsician Theme or simply Opsikion was a Byzantine theme located in northwestern Asia Minor . Created from the imperial retinue army, the Opsikion was the largest and most prestigious of the early themes, being located closest to Constantinople...
theme, while retaining control of his original command. In June 741 or 742, after the accession of Leo's son Constantine V
Constantine V
Constantine V was Byzantine emperor from 741 to 775; ); .-Early life:...
on the throne, Artabasdus resolved to seize the throne and attacked his brother-in-law while the latter was traversing Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
to fight the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s on the eastern frontier. While Constantine fled to Amorion
Amorium
Amorium was a city in Phrygia, Asia Minor which was founded in the Hellenistic period, flourished under the Byzantine Empire, and declined after the Arab sack of 838. Its ruins are located near the village of Hisarköy, Turkey....
, Artabasdus seized Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
amid popular support and was crowned emperor.
Reign and downfall
Artabasdos abandoned his predecessor's religious policy of IconoclasmIconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
and restored Orthodoxy with some support, including that of Pope Zacharias. Soon after his accession, Artabasdus crowned his wife Anna
Anna, wife of Artabasdos
Anna was the wife of Artabasdos, one of two rival Byzantine Emperors in a civil war which lasted from June, 741 to November, 743. The other Emperor was her brother, Constantine V.-Family:...
as Augusta
Augusta (honorific)
Augusta was the imperial honorific title of empresses. It was given to the women of the Roman and Byzantine imperial families. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum and Mater Patriae .The title implied the greatest prestige, with the Augustae able to...
and his son Nikephoros as co-emperor, while putting his other son Niketas
Niketas (son of Artabasdos)
Niketas was the eldest son of the Byzantine general and usurper Artabasdos . He served as a general during his father's usurpation against Constantine V .He was the eldest son of Artabasdos...
in charge of the Armeniac theme. But while Artabasdus could rely also on the support of the themes of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
and Opsikion, Constantine secured for himself the support of the Anatolic and Thracesian
Thracesian Theme
The Thracesian Theme , more properly known as the Theme of the Thracesians , was a Byzantine theme in western Asia Minor , comprising the ancient regions of Ionia, Lydia and parts of Phrygia and Caria....
themes.
The inevitable clash came in May 743, when Artabasdus led the offensive against Constantine but was defeated. Later the same year Constantine defeated Nicetas, and on November 2, 743 Artabasdus' reign came to an end as Constantine V entered Constantinople and apprehended his rival. Artabasdus and his sons were publicly blinded
Political mutilation in Byzantine culture
Mutilation in the Byzantine Empire was a common method of punishment for criminals of the era but it also had a role in the Empire's political life. The mutilation of political rivals by the Emperor was deemed an effective way of sidelining from the line of succession a person who was seen as a...
and relegated to the monastery of Chora on the outskirts of Constantinople. The date of his death is unknown.
Family
By his wife Anna, the daughter of Emperor Leo III, Artabasdos had nine children, including:- Nikephoros, who was co-emperor from 742 to 743.
- NiketasNiketas (son of Artabasdos)Niketas was the eldest son of the Byzantine general and usurper Artabasdos . He served as a general during his father's usurpation against Constantine V .He was the eldest son of Artabasdos...
, who was strategos of the Armeniac themeArmeniac ThemeThe Armeniac Theme , more properly the Theme of the Armeniacs was a Byzantine theme located in northeastern Asia Minor .-History:...
from 742 to 743.