Heraclius (Herakleios) was emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 610 to 641 CE. He crushed the Persian empire and returned the looted True Cross to Jerusalem, but the second half of his reign was beset by intrigues and ecclesiastical controversies which split the Christian church; worst of all, he could do nothing to halt the relentless march of the armies of the Arab Caliphate. Heraclius' reign was one of “what might have been?” but at least he saved the empire when at its lowest ebb and founded a dynasty which provided some much-needed political stability in the 7th century CE.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 574Birth of Byzantine emperor Heraclius.
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610 - 641Reign of Byzantine emperor Heraclius.
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623The Byzantine emperor Heraclius attacks the Armenian capital of Dvin.
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626A coalition of Persians, Slavs, Avars and Bulgars unsuccessfully lays siege to Constantinople.
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627Byzantine emperor Heraclius wins a crushing victory over the Persian army at Nineveh.
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636A Byzantine army is crushed by an Arab force at the battle of Yarmuk.
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641Death of Byzantine emperor Heraclius.
