27 February: Constantine the Great

Constantine the Great was born on this date around the year 280AD. Here are some facts about him:

1. He was born in Naissus (now Niš, Serbia), and given the name Flavius Valerius Constantinus.

2. His father, Constantius Chlorus, was a Roman general who served under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. His mother was Helena, a woman of humble birth and a Christian who later became a saint, credited with converting Constantine.

3. His conversion to Christianity is also credited to events at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. The battle was against his rival Maxentius. The story goes that Constantine saw a vision of a cross in the sky and heard a voice say “in hoc signo vinces” (“in this sign, you will conquer”). He interpreted this a sign from God and had his army paint crosses on their shields and banners.

4. For much of his early life, he was held hostage by the Emperor Diocletian in the East of the Empire. He managed to escape and crippled several Horses on his ride to his father who was in Britain, in York. His father died in 306 and his son Constantine was acclaimed “Augustus” or senior emperor of the Western Roman Empire by his soldiers.

5. In 313 AD, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which granted religious tolerance to Christians. They were now free to worship in public without being thrown to Lions!

6. Constantine presided over the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. He was the chair of the meeting discussing whether or not Jesus Christ was the Son of God. That meeting produced the Nicene Creed.

7. Constantine was not baptised as a Christian until the age of 65, just before he died.

8. His behaviour towards his wives wasn’t always very Christian. He divorced his first wife, Minervina, so he could marry Fausa. He had his son by her, Crispus, executed. His second marriage turned so sour in the end that he had Fausta executed as well. He didn’t marry again until just before he died.

9. He established a new capital of Rome in Turkey, in Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople which means "City of Constantine" in Greek. Today the city is known as Istanbul.

10. Constantine died on May 22, 337 AD, which happened to be Pentecost. He’d taken steps to secure the succession by appointing his three sons, Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans, as co-emperors ruling different regions of the empire. However, in spite of his best efforts, Constantine’s death led to power struggles and conflicts among his sons and other claimants to the throne. Charlemange, Henry VIII, Philip II of Spain, the House of Habsburg, the House of Stuart, all claimed they were descendants of Constantine.