Heraclius was the Exarch? of Carthage and had been one of East Roman Emperor Maurice's? key generals in the 590 AD war with Persia. He overthrew his predecessor Phocas? and had him chopped up to be fit for hounds. On Monday 5th October 610 Heraclius was married and then crowned in the Chapel of St Stephen within the Great Palace.
When Heraclius took power, the Empire was in a dire situation and he considered moving the capital from Constantinople to Carthage. He developed the idea of granting land to individuals in return for hereditary military service. The land so granted was organised into thema?, a Greek word to describe a division of troops, and each theme was placed under the command of a strategos or military governor. This arrangement ensured the continuance of the Empire for hundreds of years and enabled Heraclius to reconquer lands taken by the Persians, ravaging Persia along the way.
It was during the reign of Heraclius in 622 that Mohammed had escaped to Medina? and inaugurated the Muslim era.
Heraclius acquired the assistance of Khazarian and Turkic troops in his war against Persia during the 620s. At the Battle of Nineveh in 627, the joint Khazar-Byzantine force was able to destroy the Sassanid Persian state.
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