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==External links==
*[[w:Constans II]]
*[http://emumagic.com/constans/history.html History of Name Constans]
*[http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/type-of-faith-constans-ii.asp Type of Faith of Constans II]
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==Life==
Constans II was born on [[November 7]], 630, the son of Constantine III (also Heraclius Constantine) and Gregoria and the grandson of [[Heraclius ]] I. He was baptized Flavius Heraclius and ruled as Constantine, but Byzantine writers called him Constans. He married Fausta, by whom he had three sons: [[Constantine the New|Constantine IV]], Heraclius, and Tiberius. The Heraclian dynasty were supporters of Monothelitism.
After the death of his father, Constans' uncle Heraklonas became emperor and, in response to public and political pressure surrounding the death of his father, crowned Constans co-emperor in September 641. In late 641 or early 642, Heraklonas was deposed, leaving Constans as the sole emperor, at the age of eleven. Constans was then under the regency of senators including [[Patriarch]] [[Paul II of Constantinople|Paul II]]. At the time he came to the throne, the Arab Caliphate came to power in the eastern part of the empire and began overrunning major parts of it.
While having leanings to Monothelitism, Constans attempted to keep to a middle ground in the dispute between Orthodoxy and Monothelitism. The Monothelite controversy arose during the reign of Heraclius I and continued to cause strife in the empire. Monothelitism was backed in Syria and Palestine, but was rejected in Africa and the West.
St. [[Maximus the Confessor]], an advocate of the Orthodox position, strongly criticized the imperial policies as heresy. His criticism led to the convening of a number of local councils in the [[exarchate]] of Carthage. In a decree, the ''Typos'', issued in 648 through the Patriarch Paul, he refused to persecute either side and prohibited discussion of the natures of Christ. The Typos, as well as Heraclius' ''[[Ecthesis]]'', were condemned at a [[Lateran Council of 649|Lateran council]] attended by St. Maximus, Pope St. [[Martin the Confessor|Martin]], and other [[bishop]]s. Affronted by the action of the council, Constans ordered Olympius, exarch of Ravenna, to arrest Pope Martin and force the bishops at the council to accept and sign the ''Typos''. Instead, Olympius, expecting the support of Martin and the other bishops declared himself emperor. However, the revolt fell apart when Olympius died in 652.
A new exarch arrived in Ravenna in June 653 and arrested St. Martin who was tried before the Senate in Constantinople. He was found guilty and condemned to death. Constans commuted the sentence to exile in Cherson. St. Maximus the Confessor was also arrested and tried. After being found guilty, he was mutilated and exiled to Schemarion in the Caucasus where he died in 662.
Constans' body was returned to Constantinople by Constantine IV and buried in the [[Church of the Holy Apostles (Constantinople)|Church of the Holy Apostles]].
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==External links==
*[[w:Constans II]]
*[http://emumagic.com/constans/history.html History of Name Constans]
*[http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/type-of-faith-constans-ii.asp Type of Faith of Constans II]
[[Category:Rulers]]
[[Category:Roman Emperors]]
[[Category:Heretics]]
[[ro:Constans al II-lea]]
