Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (Rome) Augustus I (272 - 337)

Born 27 Feb 0272 in Nis, Nisava, Moesia Superior, (modern Serbia)

Descendants

Died 22 May 0337 at age 65 in Nicomedia, Bithynia, Ancyrona, modern Turkey

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Paul Lee [send private message]

Biography

Name and Titles

Flavius Valerius Constantinus (27 Feb c.272 – 22 May 337)^{[1] [2]}

alias: Constantine the Great ^[1]

Parents

His father was Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus (57th emperor of Rome) and his mother was Julia Flavia Augusta.

Father: Flavius Constantius (Constantius Chlorus)

Mother: Helena^{[3][4] [5] [6]}

Siblings

• Julius
• Constantia

303 First Marriage to Minervina

Constantine married or otherwise began his relationship with Minervina in 303.

In 307 he set aside Minervina and married Fausta. ^[7]

Constantine's relationship with Minervina is uncertain. If theirs was a real marriage, a divorce would have been required before his second marriage, but no record exists of one. On the other hand, if the relationship had been illegitimate, Constantine is unlikely to have treated their son Crispus as well as he did. One suggestion is that Minervina might already have been dead by 308. ^[7]

306 Military

• 306: general (based in Britain)^{[8] [9]}

307 Second Marriage to Fausta

After setting Minerva aside in 307, he married Fausta (Maxima Fausta Augusta). ^[7]

In 326 Constantine had Fausta killed in an overheated bath. ^[1]

313 Edict of Milan

In February 313 the Edict of Milan was signed by Constantine and co-emperor Valerius Licinius. The Edict granted religious freedom for the Roman Empire. Posted in Nicomedia.^[10]

325 Council of Nicea

In 325, in a effort to restore religious peace, Constantine called the religious leaders of Christendom to meet at the First Council of Nicea and settle the controversy between the Christian theologians Arius and Athanasius, both of Alexandria, Egypt, primarily over the nature of God and Jesus.^[1]

337 Baptism

Constantine was baptized a Christian on his deathbed, 22 May 0337 in Constantinople by Eusebius of Nicomedia. ^[11]

Burial

He was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles, Constantinople ^[12]

Issue

Children by his first marriage to Minervina

1. Crispus ^{[13] [14]} Presumably born between Minervina's marriage in 303 and her dismissal in 307.

Between 15 May and 17 June 326, Constantine had Crispus seized and poisoned to death while he was in Croatia. ^[1]

Children by his second marriage to Fausta

1. Constantine II, reigned 337-340. ^[1]
2. Constantius II, married Faustina. Their daughter Constantia married Gratian, emperor 36t7-383. ^[1] Constantius killed his nephews Dalmatius and Hannibalianus to keep them from contending for the throne.
3. Constans ^[1]
4. Constantia ^[1]
5. Helena (d. 360) ^[15] She married Julian (Flavius Claudius Iulianus Augustus) who reigned as emperor 3260-363. ^[16]

Children Not Named Above

Julius

Research Notes

False Daughter

A bogus pedigree initiated by Henry of Huntingdon inserts St. Helen (Empress of Rome), as a daughter to make Coel the father of Constantius Chlorus ... The false pedigree was then passed on by Geoffrey of Monmouth:^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Wikipedia: Constantine the Great
2. ↑ Gibbon ]Sacred Texts
3. ↑ Roman Emperors Helena
4. ↑ Wikipedia: Helena (empress)(not to be confused with the mythical "St. Elen" (Helen ferch Coel Hen) of Welsh tradition)
5. ↑ Wikipedia: Saint Elen
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} LEGEND: Monmouth, G. (1842). History of the Kings of Britain: Book 5. Aaron Thompson & J. A. Giles (Ed). Wikisource. eBook;[1] Also see:
   • Wikipedia: Saint Elen
   • National CV of Britain;[2]
   • Schmuhl, A.F. (1929). The Royal Line.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Wikipedia: Minervina Accessed March 30, 3018 jhd
8. ↑ Galerius, created two Caesars: MAXIMIN, appointed over the east; and SEVERUS, Italy. After Constantius died, CONSTANTINE became emperor in Britain, and succeeded his father... while praetorian guards in Rome, declared MAXENTIUS, emperor.
9. ↑ Brevarium Tertullian
10. ↑ Wikipedia: Edict of Milan
11. ↑ Bregman, n.d. (note left on page from original upload - will find source)
12. ↑ New Advent Fathers
13. ↑ Wikipedia Crispus
14. ↑ Pohlsander, 1984
15. ↑ Wikipedia: Helena (wife of Julian)
16. ↑ Wikipedia: Julian (emperor)

See also:

• Bregman, J. (n.d.). Synesius of Cyrene: Philosopher-Bishop.

• "Constantine I Flavius Valerius Constantinus." Oxford National Dictionary (ONDB). oxforddnb.com.[3]

• Drijvers, J.W. (1996). "Helena Augusta (248/249-328/329 AD)." De Imperitoribus Romanis. Web.[4]

• Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History, X. II. tertullian.org. [5]

• Gibbon, E. (1781). Chapter XVI: Conduct Towards The Christians, From Nero To Constantine]. Part VII. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 2. sacred-texts.com.[6]

• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH). MAY 21: Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helena, Equal to the Apostles. archive.org.[7]

• New Advent.[8]

• Pohlsander, H. A. (1984). "Crispus: Brilliant career and tragic end." Historia, 33, pp. 79-106.

• Wikipedia: Constantine the Great; Wikipedia: Edict of Milan; Wikipedia: Crispus; Wikipedia: Helena (wife_of_Julian); Wikipedia: Julian (emperor)