Alexius V

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Alexius V Ducas Murtzouphlos (d. 1205), Byzantine emperor, was proclaimed emperor on February 5, 1204, during the siege of Constantinople by the Latins (Fourth Crusade). His nickname "Murtzouphlos" referred to his extremely bushy eyebrows. He was related to the imperial Angelus family.

A Byzantine nobleman, he had risen to the court position of protovestarius by the time of the 4th Crusade. He had been married twice but was now the lover (according to some, the husband) of Eudocia Angelina, daughter of Alexius III Angelus.

By January of 1204, the Emperors Isaac II and Alexius IV had inspired little confidence among the people of Constantinople in their efforts to defend the city from the Latins. As a result of his position, Alexius Ducas had easy access to the Imperial residence, and when a revolution in the city arose with the intent of toppling the two Angeli Emperors, Alexius used that access to capture them. The young Alexius IV would be killed by the bowstring. The death of his father, Isaac II, shortly afterward, was possibly "artificially induced."

Upon his coronation, Alexius V began to strengthen the defenses of Constantinople and ended negotiations with the Latins. It was too late, however, for the new Emperor to make much of a difference. During the ensuing fight, he defended the city with courage and tenacity. The crusaders would prove to be too strong, and Alexius fled to Thrace on the night of April 12 1204, accompanied by Eudocia and her mother Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina. Constantinople fell the next day.

He later attempted to ally with his fellow ex-emperor Alexius III against the Latins, but Alexius III had him blinded and delivered into the hands of the crusaders, who put him to death by casting him from the top of the Pillar of Theodosius as the murderer of Alexius IV. He was the last Byzantine emperor before the establishment of the Latin Empire, which controlled Constantinople for the next 57 years.


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References

  • This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition{{#if:{{{article|}}}| article {{#if:{{{url|}}}|[{{{url|}}}}} "{{{article}}}"{{#if:{{{url|}}}|]}}{{#if:{{{author|}}}| by {{{author}}}}}}}, a publication now in the public domain.
  • John Julius Norwich, "A Short History of Byzantium", Vintage Books, 1999.de:Alexios V.

es:Alejo V Ducas fr:Alexis V Doukas Murzuphle it:Alessio V di Bisanzio hu:V. Alexiosz nl:Alexius V van Byzantium ja:アレクシオス5世ドゥーカス pl:Aleksy V Murzuflos pt:Alexius V fi:Aleksios V

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