Povilas Jakubėnas

Justinian II (Ιουστινιανός Β, Latin Iustinianus II). The nickname Rhinothmetos means "truncated". He lived in the years 669-711. The elder son of Emperor Constantine IV and his wife Anastasia. In the spring of 685 he was appointed co-capitulator by his father, but they ruled until September of the same year. He was in charge of the Empire in the years 685-695 and 705-711.

The first period of reign

Under his rule, a formal unification of the consul and the emperor's office was made, thus making the latter's head not only de facto but also de iure. He was unpopular in Constantinople, he introduced terrorism. He successfully fought Bulgarians and Slavs. Initially, he maintained a peaceful relationship with the Arabs, so he managed to regain Armenia, which he lost again. He led a large-scale colonization activity. In return for a favorable arrangement with the Saracens, he agreed to accept and settle in the Christian highlanders of the Mardaites, who had previously guerrilla warfare against the infidels in occupied Syria. After the victorious war with the Bulgarians and Slavs, he resettled several tens of thousands of the latter into Asia Minor. He brought many Cypriots from Cyprus to Kyzikos, which led to the break up of peace with the Arabs. The war that resulted from this fact ended with the failure of the empire as a result of the betrayal of a unit of Slavic expatriates. Exile

In 692, the emperor initiated the Council in Trullo, which introduced equivalence between the Bishop of Rome and the patriarch of Constantinople. These resolutions caused the resistance of the Bishop of Rome Sergei. Attempting to solve this problem forcefully led to the revolt of the garrison of Rome and Ravenna against the emperor. It was overthrown in 695, crippled by nose cutting and exiled to Chersonesos in Crimea. Out of fear for his life he escaped to the mansion of the Chazars and married his sister, who became the Greek name of Teodora (circa 702). However, influences, the second in turn, of the usurper on Constantinople, Tiberius Apsimaros, reached as far as the Chazars. The Chazian ruler was ready to give the emperor the price of good relations with the new ruler of the Romans. The guarded Justinian ran to the court of Bulgarian ruler Terwel. He received military assistance from him, which helped him to the capital. In the fall of 705, he stood under the walls of Constantinople, where he was accompanied by a handful of companions by the aqueduct. His unexpected appearance in the city caused widespread panic, which allowed him to take over again. The second period of reign The Emperor brought his wife and minor son to New Rome, who was given the name Tiberius and became his father's co-driver. The captain brutally took revenge on both usurpers (the first of them - Leoncius had previously been overthrown by Tiberius Apsimaros, devoid of nose and placed in a monastery). They were brought in chains on the hippodrome, where the emperor used them as a footstool during the chariot race. After this act of humiliation they were both executed. The Emperor also took revenge on Ravenna residents, who, in his view, did not quite act zealously on the imprisonment of Pope Sergius. The city was looted, its bishop blinded, and many residents were brought to the capital for execution there. The emperor also planned to avenge his injuries from the Chersonese people. The third criminal expedition sent to the city, however, rebelled against the legitimate ruler and joined the rebellion led by Armenian-born Philippikos Bardanes. When the fleet with usurper on board arrived in Constantinople, the inhabitants of the city opened the gates before him. The emperor, along with his entire family, was killed and his head was sent to Ravenna and Rome, where he was exposed to the public.

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