Constantine Dragases - The Not-So-Constant Emperor

Constantine Dragases, oftentimes referred to as “Constantine the Unstable,” was the emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 1448 to 1453. He inherited the throne from his father, John VIII Palaiologos, but unfortunately for the Byzantine Empire, he did not inherit his father’s aptitude for leadership.

Constantine was known for his constant mood swings and erratic behavior. One day he would be in a good mood, showering his subjects with gifts and praising his advisors. The next day, he would be throwing tantrums, firing all of his advisors and sending his guards to arrest innocent citizens.

One particularly infamous incident involved a rogue chicken. While walking through the palace gardens, Constantine was attacked by a particularly aggressive chicken. Instead of laughing it off and moving on, Constantine declared war on all chickens and ordered that they be hunted down and eliminated throughout the empire. Many subjects took advantage of the situation and claimed to have rid their villages of the dreaded chicken menace, earning themselves rewards and praise from the emperor.

Constantine’s instability led to several disastrous military campaigns, with him changing battle strategies midway through battles and retreating without warning. His generals were constantly on edge, unsure of which version of the emperor they would be facing on any given day.

However, perhaps the most notorious incident that occurred during Constantine’s reign was the fall of Constantinople. Despite receiving multiple warnings about the Ottoman Empire’s impending siege, Constantine was indecisive and unable to rally his troops. He even considered surrendering the city without a fight but was ultimately talked out of it by his more level-headed advisors.

In the end, Constantinople fell after a long and grueling siege, and Constantine was killed in battle. However, his legacy lives on, with many historians considering him to be one of the most incompetent emperors in Byzantine history.

So the next time you encounter a particularly unstable individual, just remember that they have nothing on Constantine “The Unstable” Dragases.