Editing Constans II (section)

==Origins and early career==
Constans was born on 7 November 630 in [[Constantinople]], the Byzantine capital, to [[Gregoria]] and [[Constantine III (Byzantine emperor)|Constantine III]].{{sfn|Grierson|1968|p=402}} Constantine was a son of Emperor [[Heraclius]], while his mother Gregoria was a daughter of [[Nicetas (cousin of Heraclius)|Nicetas]], a first cousin of Heraclius.{{sfn|Bury|1889|p=vi}}

Heraclius died in February 641 and was succeeded by Constantine III and [[Heraclonas]], his younger half-brother through Heraclius' second marriage to [[Martina (empress)|Martina]]. Constans was most likely elevated to [[Caesar (title)|''caesar'']] by his father to ease his succession to the throne against Martina and her sons.<ref>Zuckerman, Constantin (2010): "[http://www.academia.edu/2481312/ On the title and the office of the Byzantine basileus]." ''Travaux et Mémoires du Centre de recherche d'Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance'' '''16''': pp. 869–874. Retrieved 11 June 2022.</ref> Constantine died suddenly after three months of rule, leaving the 15-year old Heraclonas as senior emperor.

In September 641, the 10-year old Constans II was crowned co-emperor due to rumors that Heraclonas and Martina poisoned Constantine III. Later that same year, on or around 5 November, Heraclonas was deposed by [[Valentinus (usurper)|Valentinus]], one of Heraclius’ most trusted generals, and Constans II was left as sole emperor.{{efn|Some sources, such as the [[Prosopography of the Byzantine World|PBW]], date the deposition of Heraclonas on 9 November.{{sfn|PmbZ|loc=[https://www.degruyter.com/database/PMBZ/entry/PMBZ14839/html Konstans II. (#3691/corr.)]}} The date is unsourced and unexplained, but it's probably a mistake for 5 November.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Treadgold |first=Warren |date=1990 |title=A Note on Byzantium's Year of the Four Emperors (641)|journal=[[Byzantinische Zeitschrift]] |volume=83 |issue=2 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/byzs.1990.83.2.431/html |pages=431–433|doi=10.1515/byzs.1990.83.2.431 |s2cid=194092611 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>}} Constans owed his rise to the throne to a popular reaction against his uncle and to the protection of the soldiers led by Valentinus. Although the precocious emperor addressed the senate with a speech blaming Heraclonas and Martina for eliminating his father, he reigned under a [[regency]] of senators led by Patriarch [[Paul II of Constantinople]]. In 644, Valentinus attempted to seize power for himself, but failed.