Valentinus Turns Traitor

He was trusted by Emperor Heraclius to support the emperor's son, Constans II, and he did, even going so far as to eliminate the young emperor's rivals. A few years later, however, Valentinus decided that the power he had used to be "king-maker" could be used to be "king" himself.

Valentinus started as an administrative officer in the army. Heraclius had sent him over two million gold solidi to pay to the army to ensure their loyalty. The attempted takeover after Heraclius' death by his step-mother and step-brother did not last long, and Constans became emperor at a young age.

His age required him to be guided by a regency council. Valentinus was the most prominent member of that council, and became the most powerful man in the empire by 642. Valentinus had titles, and contemporary sources say he was allowed to wear imperial purple.

In a further sign of his connection to the emperor, Constans married Valentinus' daughter, Fausta, in 642. Then the first signs of greater ambition appeared in Valentinus. He suggested that the pre-teen Constans needed an adult to rule along with him, and suggested that Valentinus be made co-emperor.

The general population was against this, and Valentinus was named (possibly as a consolation prize) commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army.

A couple years later, however, in 644, Valentinus again attempted to be made emperor. He had soldiers loyal to him who followed him to Constantinople (the illustration is a what it ight have looked like at the time) where he demanded to be made emperor. Not only the general population but also leading authorities like the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople opposed this idea.

His demand led to a revolt. Contemporary sources make clear that the mob simply set upon him and killed him. His betrayal did not affect his daughter's standing, and she and Constans had children that continued the Heraclian Dynasty, of which I'll say more tomorrow.