Constantine I

Constantine I was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity and to promote its spread throughout the empire. He was born in Naissus, Moesia, to a Roman army officer and a Greek woman. He rose through the ranks of the military and became the emperor of the western part of the empire in 306 CE, after the death of his father. He fought several civil wars against his rivals, such as Maxentius and Licinius, and eventually became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire by 324 CE. He is famous for his vision of a cross in the sky before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE, which he interpreted as a sign from God to support Christianity. He issued the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, which granted religious freedom to all people in the empire. He also convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, which established the basic doctrines of Christianity and condemned the heresy of Arianism. He also founded a new capital city, named after himself, Constantinople, on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium. He died in 337 CE, after being baptized on his deathbed. He is regarded as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. He is also known as Constantine the Great, for his achievements and legacy in both secular and religious history.