Valentinus (usurper)

Valentinus (Greek: Οὐαλεντῖνος, translit. Oualentĩnos or Greek: Βαλεντῖνος, translit. Balentĩnos; died 644 or 645),^[3] sometimes anglicized as Valentine,^[4] was a Byzantine usurper of probable Armenian extraction, who served under emperor Constans II from 641 until 644 or 645. He rose to prominence under Heraclius Constantine (Constantine III), who appointed him to secure the succession of his son Heraclius (the later Constans II) to the throne, at the cost of Heraclonas and Martina. Valentinus managed to successfully depose them, along with Heraclonas's brothers David Tiberius and Martinus; this left Constans as sole ruler. Valentinus became the boy's regent, becoming the most powerful man in the empire. Following a failed military campaign against the Arabs, ties between him and Constans became increasingly hostile, such that in 644 or 645, Valentinus attempted to become augustus (emperor) and depose Constans. This failed, and Valentinus was lynched along with his envoy Antoninus.