The first ten years of Constantine VI's reign were dominated by his mother and regent: Irene. She launched various campaigns, made conquests in the Balkans and ended the first period of Iconoclasm before being overthrown by her son.

Chapters:
00:00 Instroduction
00:29 Consolidating Power
02:29 Irene and Charlemagne
04:19 War in the East
05:23 The Expedition into Greece
07:30 The Grand Tour
08:33 The Second Council of Nicaea
11:44 Reverses
12:54 The End of the Regency

Leo IV:
   • Leo IV: Leo The Khazar  

Constantine VI:
   • Constantine VI: The Blind and Foolish...  

Special thanks to Chrysa Sakel who created the pictures of Constantine V, Leo IV, Constantine V's Repair of the Aqueduct of Valens, Irene and the rough sketch of Constantine VI.

Bibliography:
Primary Sources
Acts of the Second Council of Nicaea, Translation by Richard Price.
Theophanes the Confessor, Chronographia, Translation by Cyril Mango and Roger Scott.

Scholarship
Brubaker, L. and Haldon J. (2011) Byzantium in the Iconoclast Era 680850, A History, Cambridge.
Fine, J. V. A. Jr. (1983) The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, (Michigan).
Herrin, J. (1987) The Formation of Christendom, London.
Treadgold, W. (1979) ‘The BrideShows of the Byzantine Emperors’ in Bruxelles 49, 395413.
Treadgold, W. (1988) The Byzantine Revival 780842, Stanford.

Email
[email protected]

Discord
  / discord  

If you would like to support Eastern Roman History, I have a Patreon:
  / easternromanhistory  

Music Credits:
'One Planet at a Time', 'Risk, Relief and Victory', 'Seraphim Unleashed', 'Rhiza's Offensive' and 'An Old Idea Made New' by Jeremy Soule from Supreme Commander by Gas Powered Games.

All images used are for educational purposes, if I have used a piece of art and you would like me to credit you, please contact me and I shall do so.