Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, episode 67, The Titaning News.

The first of our two emperors lay dead, the third is Justinian II.

First time he returned from Cherson to claim his throne with the help of the Bulgos.

Contrary to his historical reputation for Bloody Revenge, the emperors' first political

actions upon resuming office were to try and mend fences.

The death of Abdel Malik that year was the perfect opportunity to try and make peace with

the Arabs.

The emperors set free several thousand prisoners of war and sent them to the new caliph Walid

in the hope that he might come to the negotiating table.

At the same time, Envoy's would have spatched to heal the rift with the Pope.

You may remember that Justinian's Quintersexte Council, the one which updated canon law,

had been dismissed by Pope Sergius.

That pontiff had since passed away as had a couple of his successes.

The new man, though, Constantine seemed ready to improve relations with Constantinople.

He accepted an invitation to the capital and was shown great respect upon arrival.

According to the papal histories, Justinian got down and kissed his slippered feet.

Whether he did or not, the two reached an agreement over the council.

The Pope accepted all the inoffensive canons while the emperor understood that the rest

would not be enforced in Italy.

Seemingly to seal this new friendly relationship, Justinian sent an expedition to Ravenna to

discipline the Archbishop there.

Ravenna's geographical isolation from Rome had led to tensions across the last few decades

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