Arch of Constantine: a symbol of the emperor's personal power
"Accompanying the king is like accompanying the tiger", the old Chinese saying fully embodies the ruthlessness and ruthlessness of the emperor in the era of despotism. From ancient times to the present, we have heard too many tragedies of father and son killing because of political opinions, beauty, and power, but none of them is as tragic as the story of Crispars. The eldest son, who had saved his father's life, had outstanding military merit and excellent character, and was finally cruelly killed by his father, failing to break the spell of "accompanying the king like a companion tiger".
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" >, the triple relationship between Crispus and Constantine</h1>
Constantine the Great and Fosta's three sons: Constantine the Younger, Constantius the Younger, and Constantines, were all "works" that made him proud. When people understand the history of the struggle for the throne between the younger Constantine and Constantius, they often forget the "dramatic life" of the eldest son, Chris Pas, who was once the most respected by the emperor and the most "deeply depressed".
A coin with the head of Constantius
People with a strong sense of responsibility, such as Constantine the Great, tended to have affection for their wives as they grew older. Crispars benefited from the Emperor's longing for his wife and was favored by the Emperor. From an early age, He grew up with Constantine, and his literary attainments were taken care of by Lactantius, and the military training was directly taken over by Constantine. At the age of 17, Crispars was given the title of "Caesar" by his father and gave him the authority to govern the gaulese provinces. Everyone understands that Crispass is undoubtedly the proud son of heaven with unlimited prospects.
Statue of Cris pass
Constantine's relationship with Crispars is not as simple as the love of father and son or the love of kings and subjects. When Licinius and Constantine were vying for control of the empire, the brave and warlike young general also saved Constantine from danger. Constantine fought with Licinius in syria, and Licinius's fleet remained firmly in control of the Hellespan Strait. Although Constantine had the intention of a decisive battle, the logistical supplies at sea were completely cut off by Licinius's army, which made the impatient Constantine powerless for a while.
At this critical juncture, it was Crispars himself who led his forces in a general offensive against Licinius's fleet. He cleverly offered benefits to the local nomads, asking them to retreat inland to graze and stop the grain trade with the Licinean fleet. As a result, Licinius's army was suddenly cut off from limited food supplies, and the fleet and land forces lost contact and gradually became unsupported. Crispars took advantage of the situation to launch a counterattack, and a brain opened the transportation channel of the strait, breaking the lifeblood of Licinius's defense. It can be said that if it were not for this great prince, Constantine the Great might not have had a future!
Licinius's fiasco sounded the horn for Constantine's unification
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > second, Constantine loves the prince more</h1>
This battle fully demonstrated The talents of Keshi. As the subjects of the Eastern Empire cheered on the new Emperor, they almost combined their love for Constantine with his son. People praise the wise father and son together, and rightfully regard Crispas as the natural heir of his father.
Although the king loved his son, he loved his own country even more. The people "loved" Crispars so much that they soon attracted the attention and attention of Constantine. According to the analysis of special psychological historians, Constantine's personality was "both passive and arrogant". Since the emperor had successfully seized the world, maintaining stability became the first priority. The people spread the word of Christophes for the unification of the empire, and some even worshipped his statue.
Constantine the Great
Crispars's straightforward personality, in turn, led him to rely too much on his military exploits and spend his days with the nobility, which seemed to be suspicious. In the face of his son's mighty situation, Constantine did not adjust his mentality reasonably, but blindly expected his son to come and show his repentance to him. Eventually, expectations turn into disappointment, and the only tenderness between father and son turns into violence and quarrels.
Crispars soon saw his brothers take over the administrative and military powers that belonged to him one by one, and even the title of "Caesar" was not exclusive to him. Later, in order to curry favor with the emperor, the eunuchs around Constantine did not hesitate to fabricate lies to frame the great prince, who had lost his power, saying that he was plotting against the abandoned Janissaries officers. Such rumors were rampant for a time, putting the Prince in danger.
Crispass is not an insidious person. Such a generous and generous prince usually disdained to curry favor with eunuchs and protégés, so he was hated by villains. What's more, the emperor did not find even the slightest evidence of his involvement in the rebellion. From October 324 AD, He was imprisoned in the imperial palace, deprived of both political and military powers. Dead hearted to loyalty to the father and emperor, but so jealous, no one can not fail to complain a word or two.
A generous and proud prince
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > three, the desperate prince who was framed to death</h1>
Most damningly, the more Constantine listened to the eldest son's complaints, the more he let his men supervise him. And this group of cunning subordinates understood the necessity of speculating on the holy will, so some people took the opportunity to guide the prince to say more rebellious words to the emperor. The crown prince was thus caught in a desperate vicious circle.
A full year passed, and the emperor became more and more suspicious of everyone around him. Constantine issued an edict to his subjects on October 1, 325, in which he made it clear that he had evidence of deliberate rebellion, but still invited the closest retinues and relatives of the conspirators to report and expose them. This is undoubtedly the release of a national "reward whistleblower" article.
The Emperor still ostensibly resorted to mild imprisonment against Crispars. He lied about giving the crown prince a chance to recuperate, and still called him "Caesar", and kept sending people to report to him on the government affairs and war in Gaul and other regions. The prince knew that he was like a caged bird and might never regain his freedom and power. But what he didn't understand was that his father was now greedily waiting to take his life.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Constantine's reign in Rome, the entire empire was immersed in a cheerful and cheerful atmosphere. The people had no idea that the emperor and his most beloved son had reached such a point, and a large number of citizens celebrated this national celebration by singing songs with their names. If people are unlucky, they will have their teeth plugged when they drink cold water. The prince, who was already in a desperate state, once again touched the old emperor's heart, and he was determined to kill the famous prince.
The nobles who were intoxicated with feasting
In May 326, a case revealing that Crispas had "committed adultery" with Empress Fosta caused a stir in the Empire. The trial was carried out in a very hasty manner, with the Crown Prince sentenced to death and Fosta sentenced to life imprisonment. There is also a theory that Fosta wanted to find a way out for his own son, so he hired eunuchs to frame the Grand Prince. After the Grand Prince was executed, Fosta's plot was exposed, and the Emperor gave her death.
In any case, the death of Crispars was undoubtedly a major regret in the history of the Roman Empire. He shows that Rome has moved from the chaotic era of military intervention to the era of absolute monarchy, the monarchy of the empire has once again overwhelmed the will of the people, and the death of the grand prince Crispas is a unique tragedy produced by the mutual delivery of power and kinship under this system.
Old, stubborn-looking Constantine
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Wen Shijun said</h1>
It is said that on the day of Crispars's execution, Constantine's favorite sister wept bitterly and begged him to open his face. Her speech in the Judgment Hall touched everyone, but not her brother. Constantine was able to let go of a father's affection for his son, but failed to maintain justice as a judge. We can see from this story that the greatest king in the eyes of The Europeans did not treat his own son as gently and kindly as he did with his subjects. This is enough to re-examine the importance of absolute checks and balances on absolute power in an authoritarian system. If the Grand Prince lived in the era of constitutional monarchy rather than the era of despotism, it is very likely that he will grow up to be a shrewd and capable heir!
< h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > resources</h1>
Shiono Seven Lives: The Story of the Romans, CITIC Publishing House, 2011.
Zhang Xiaoxiao: "The Roman Army and the Imperial Transshipment", Doctoral Thesis of Northeast Normal University, 2002.
(Author: Haoran Wenshi Porcelain Country Garbage Dump)
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