Constantine V Copronymus (718–775)

Byzantine emperor 740–18. He forced the Iconoclastic doctrines to be upheld throughout the Empire, and so caused a break with the papacy.

This rift was emphasized when he let Ravenna fall to the Lombards in 751, but transferred southern Italy and Illyricum from the Roman patriarchate to the Constantinopolitan. In the East, however, he took the offensive against the Arabs and had some success, while in 763 and 773 he won great victories over the Bulgarians.