CONSTANTINE, emperor of the East in 1002, left the care of the empire to his wife Helena, who loaded the people with taxes, and sold all the offices in church and state to the highest bidders; while the emperor employed himself in reading, writing, and the fine arts, till he became as good an architect and painter as he was a bad prince; he wrote several biographical and geographical works, which would have done honour to his name, if he had not neglected his duty to compose them. He died in 959.
Constantine.
Constantinople.