Constantine Angelos Doukas | |
---|---|
Usurper of the Byzantine Empire | |
Reign | 1193 |
Predecessor | Isaac II Angelos |
Successor | Isaac II Angelos |
Born | c.1173 |
Died | Unknown |
Dynasty | Angelid dynasty |
Constantine Angelos Doukas, Latinized as Constantine Angelus Ducas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Άγγελος Δούκας, Kōnstantinos Angelos Doukas), was a usurper who attempted to overthrow Byzantine emperor Isaac II Angelos in 1193.
Constantine Angelos Doukas was a son of Isaacos Angel Doukas, uncle of the emperor Isaac II Angelos (reigned 1185–1195 and 1203–1204). As a cousin of the emperor Isaac II he was entrusted by the emperor with war against the Vlach–Bulgarian rebellion– (1185–1197) during its later stages. Although he was still a young man and quite impetuous, he quickly turned around a situation that had been growing steadily worse for the empire. Training his troops to obey him without question, his native aggression saw the Vlach insurgents fear his approaches. His exuberance was at first kept in check by his military advisors, but a string of battlefield successes over Peter IV of Bulgaria went to his head and he declared himself emperor over their objections. He marched towards Adrianople but was imprisoned by his former comrades-in-arms who handed Constantine over to Isaac, perhaps after being bribed by the emperor. Isaac II blinded him.
His attempted coup added more strains to the already declining imperial authority of Isaac.