Constantine

Constantine (February 27, 272 - May 22, 337), also known as Constantine the Great or Constantine I, was a Roman Emperor who reigned from July 25, 306, to May 22, 337. He is renowned for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity and for founding the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul), which would become the new capital of the Roman Empire.

Constantine the Great, born Flavius Valerius Constantinus in Naissus, present-day Serbia, is one of the most pivotal figures in Roman and Christian history. His reign began in 306 following the death of his father Constantius Chlorus, marking a turning point for the Roman Empire and Christianity. In 313, he enacted the Edict of Milan with Licinius, granting religious freedom to Christians, thus helping to transform Christianity into a major religion of the Empire. Constantine is also famed for convening the First Council of Nicaea in 325, a critical moment in Christian history aimed at unifying Christian beliefs. He died in 337 after a reign of over thirty years, leaving a lasting impact on European history.