Heraclius
Heraclius
(Byzantine and Christian
Museum, Athens)
Dates:
- c.575: birth
- 5 October 610: recognized as emperor
- 11 January 641: natural death
Successor of: Phocas
Relatives:
- father: Heraclius, exarch of Carthage
- second wife: Martina
- son from first marriage: Constantine III, father of Constans II Pogonatus
- son from second marriage: Heraclonas
Byzantine icon of the emperor
Heraclius defeating Khusrau II.
(Louvre, Paris)
- 608: Revolts against Phocas
- 610: Overthrows Phocas, inherits wars against the Sasanian Empire and the Avars
- 614: the Sasanian king Khusrau II captures Jerusalem and takes away the Holy Cross
- 614: Monetary reform
- Army reforms; the army is reorganized into smaller, self-suppicient units
- 626: Constantinople besieged by the Avars?
- Successful war against the Persians
- 628: Peace with Persia; the Holy Cross is returned
- 634: First encounters with the Muslim armies
- 641: Natural death
Succeeded by: Constantine III and Heraclonas (joint emperors in 641); and Constans II Pogonatus (641-668)
This brief article has been written to offer
background information
to the real articles on
Livius.Org. One day, this webpage will
be
improved. A list of completed articles can be found
here