Emperor Leo III
| Leo III the Isaurian | |
|---|---|
Leo III (left) and his son Constantine V
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| Emperor of the Byzantine Empire | |
| Reign | 25 March 717 – 18 June 741 |
| Predecessor | Theodosios III |
| Successor | Constantine V |
| Born | c. 685 |
| Died | 18 June 741 (aged 55 or 56) |
| Spouse | Maria |
| Issue |
Constantine V Anna Irene Kosmo |
| Dynasty | Isaurian dynasty |
| Isaurian or Syrian dynasty | |||
| Chronology | |||
| Leo III | 717–741 | ||
| with Constantine V as co-emperor, 720–751 | |||
| Constantine V | 741–775 | ||
| with Leo IV as co-emperor, 751–775 | |||
| Artabasdos' usurpation | 741–743 | ||
| Leo IV | 775–780 | ||
| with Constantine VI as co-emperor, 776–780 | |||
| Constantine VI | 780–797 | ||
| under Irene as regent, 780–790, and with her as co-regent, 792–797 | |||
| Irene as empress regnant | 797–802 | ||
| Succession | |||
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Preceded by Twenty Years' Anarchy |
Followed by Nikephorian dynasty |
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Leo III the Isaurian, also known as the Syrian (Greek: Λέων Γ΄ ὁ Ἴσαυρος, Leōn III ho Isauros, (c. 685 – 18 June 741), was Byzantine Emperor from 717 until his death in 741. He put an end to the Twenty Years' Anarchy, a period of great instability in the Byzantine Empire between 695 and 717, marked by the rapid succession of several emperors to the throne. He also successfully defended the Empire against the invading Umayyads and forbade the veneration of icons.
Leo, whose original name was Konon, was born in Germanikeia in the Syrian province of Commagene (modern Kahramanmaraş in Turkey). Some, including the Byzantine chronicler Theophanes, have claimed that Konon's family had been resettled in Thrace, where he entered the service of Emperor Justinian II, when the latter was advancing on Constantinople with an army of loyalist followers, and horsemen provided by Tervel of Bulgaria in 705.
After the victory of Justinian II, Konon was dispatched on a diplomatic mission to Alania and Lazica to organize an alliance against the Umayyad Caliphate under Al-Walid I. Konon was appointed commander (stratēgos) of the Anatolic theme by Emperor Anastasius II. On his deposition, Konon joined with his colleague Artabasdus, the stratēgos of the Armeniac theme, in conspiring to overthrow the new Emperor Theodosius III. Artabasdus was betrothed to Anna, daughter of Leo as part of the agreement.
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