Constantine Doukas (usurper)

Constantine Doukas
Emperor Leo calls Constantine Doukas (middle) as a witness, from the Madrid Skylitzes.
Died9 June 913
Constantinople
(modern-day Istanbul, Turkey)
AllegianceByzantine Empire
RankDomestic of the Schools
RelationsAndronikos Doukas (father)

Constantine Doukas (or Doux) (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Δούκας/Δούξ; died 913) was a prominent Byzantine general. In 904, he stopped the influential eunuch court official Samonas from defecting to the Arabs. In return, Samonas manipulated his father, Andronikos Doukas, into rebelling and fleeing to the Abbasid court in 906/7. Constantine followed his father to Baghdad, but soon escaped and returned to Byzantium, where he was restored by Leo VI the Wise to favour and entrusted with high military offices. Upon the death of the Emperor Alexander, Constantine with the support of several aristocrats unsuccessfully tried to usurp the throne from the young Constantine VII, but was killed in a clash with supporters of the legitimate emperor.