Surnamed: "The Great"
Parents: Sabbatius and Vigilantia, sister of Justin I, emperor of Constantinople
Born: circa 482
House: Justinian
Spouse(s): Theodora, daughter of Acacius and Theodora
Predecessor: Justin I
Reign: 527 – 565
Brief: Born into a Greek peasant family, Justinian rose to prominence when he was adopted as the heir of Emperor Justin, his uncle, in the 520s. As Justin's health declined, Justinian took control of the Roman government in Constantinople. He created a meritocracy rather than catering to family members, marrying his mistress, Theodora, in 525. Justinian reformed the judicial codes in the empire, forming the backbone of future judicial law across much of the east and, eventually, the west. During this time, the emperor set out on a campaign to rebuild the Roman Empire beginning in 530. He conquered North Africa from the Vandals, eliminating their entire empire; he intervened in Italy, deposing the Ostrogoths and reclaiming Rome itself for the Eastern Empire; and he waged constant warfare with the Sassanids of Persia in a bid to define borders between the two states. Regarding Christianity, Justinian directly oversaw the management of the Orthodox Church in Constantinople, while trying at the same time to work with the popes in Rome rather than against them. The emperor died in 565 leaving the empire to his nephew, Justin II. The Orthodox Church later canonized him, though this was not recognized in the west.
Brief: Born into a Greek peasant family, Justinian rose to prominence when he was adopted as the heir of Emperor Justin, his uncle, in the 520s. As Justin's health declined, Justinian took control of the Roman government in Constantinople. He created a meritocracy rather than catering to family members, marrying his mistress, Theodora, in 525. Justinian reformed the judicial codes in the empire, forming the backbone of future judicial law across much of the east and, eventually, the west. During this time, the emperor set out on a campaign to rebuild the Roman Empire beginning in 530. He conquered North Africa from the Vandals, eliminating their entire empire; he intervened in Italy, deposing the Ostrogoths and reclaiming Rome itself for the Eastern Empire; and he waged constant warfare with the Sassanids of Persia in a bid to define borders between the two states. Regarding Christianity, Justinian directly oversaw the management of the Orthodox Church in Constantinople, while trying at the same time to work with the popes in Rome rather than against them. The emperor died in 565 leaving the empire to his nephew, Justin II. The Orthodox Church later canonized him, though this was not recognized in the west.
Date of Death: 14 November 565
Successor: Justin II
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
Successor: Justin II
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Miguel, king of Portugal (1866)
- Guangxu, emperor of China (1908)
No comments:
Post a Comment