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their own sins, but the orthodox and ancestral faith, and the sacred habit of the monks, the training ground of philosophy according to God. But many of those who blasphemed these things were Christians in appearance only, but in truth Paulicians, who, being unable to manifest their own abominable doctrines, under this pretext adulterated the unlearned, calling Constantine the Jew-minded blessed as a prophet and victor, and embracing his evil doctrine for the overthrow of the incarnate economy of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the 22nd of the month of June, Christians and Bulgarians drew up for battle not far from Adrianople, and the Christians stumbled very terribly in the war, and the enemy prevailed in the battle so much that most of the Christians, not even having witnessed the first engagement, took to utter flight; so that Krum, being astonished, thought that what was happening was some kind of ambush, and for a short time held back his men from pursuit. But when he saw them fleeing uncontrollably, he pursued and killed many multitudes, capturing also the baggage train and 502 having plundered it. And the emperor, fleeing towards the city, returned cursing both the multitudes and their leaders, and furthermore swearing to lay aside the imperial office; among whom he also communicated to Leo, patrikios and strategos of the Anatolics, as to one who was pious and most brave and in all things made to hold the imperial office. But when he did not yield at all, having allowed him to command the themes, he himself reached the queen of cities on the 24th of the month of June, wishing to lay aside the power and appoint another, but not being permitted by his wife and those in power. And Nikephoros, the most holy patriarch, consented to this, that both he and his children would be saved, if someone were thus appointed. But the generals and the multitudes, learning that the emperor had fled to the city, despairing of being ruled by him any longer and having deliberated among themselves, were beseeching Leo, the patrikios and strategos of the Anatolics, to help the commonwealth and take charge of the Christian state. But for a time he strongly refused, considering the difficulty of the moment and the unbearableness of the barbarian invasion, and keeping himself upright and without treacherous intent towards the rulers. But when he saw the enemy hurrying against the city, he wrote to Nikephoros the patriarch, affirming the things concerning his own orthodoxy, asking to take hold of the power with his blessing and assent. And having occupied the tribunal before the city together with the generals and the troops, he is proclaimed the most lawful emperor of the Romans. And at midday he enters Constantinople through the Gate of Charisius, occupying the palace. And Michael, hearing of his proclamation, ran to the oratory of the Pharos with Procopia and their children, and having shorn their hair they put on monastic habits on the 11th of the month of July, of the 2nd indiction, on the 2nd day. And on the next day, having been crowned by Patriarch Nikephoros on the ambo of the great church, he orders the city to be guarded, 503 patrolling the walls night and day himself in person and rousing everyone and exhorting them to be hopeful, as God would quickly work wonders through the intercessions of the all-pure Theotokos and all the saints, and not allow us to be utterly put to shame on account of the multitude of our sins. But the new Sennacherib, Krum, lifted up by the victory, leaving his own brother with his own force to besiege Adrianople, two days after Leo's accession, having come with forces and horses to the queen of cities, he went around before the walls from Blachernae to the Golden Gate, displaying the force around him, and having performed foul and demonic

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ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὀρθόδοξον καὶ πατροπαράδοτον πίστιν, καὶ τὸ τῶν μοναστῶν ἱερὸν σχῆμα, τὸ τῆς κατὰ θεὸν φιλοσοφίας γυμνάσιον. οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ τῶν ταῦτα βλασφημούντων σχήματι μόνον ἦσαν Χριστιανοί, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ Παυλικιάνοι, οἵ τινες μὴ δυνάμενοι τὰ ἑαυτῶν μυσαρὰ δόγματα παρεμφαίνειν τῇ τοιαύτῃ προφάσει τοὺς ἀμαθεῖς παρενόθευον, Κωνσταντῖνον τὸν Ἰουδαιόφρονα μακαρίζοντες ὡς προφήτην καὶ νικητὴν καὶ τὴν κακοδοξίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπ' ἀνατροπῇ τῆς ἐνσάρκου οἰκονομίας τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀσπαζόμενοι. τῇ δὲ κβʹ τοῦ Ἰουνίου μηνὸς παραταξάμενοι Χριστιανοί τε καὶ Βούλγαροι οὐ μακρὰν Ἀδριανουπόλεως, πταίουσι μὲν Χριστιανοὶ σφόδρα δεινῶς περὶ τὸν πόλεμον, κρατοῦσι δὲ τῆς μάχης οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοσοῦτον, ὥστε τοὺς πλείστους Χριστιανοὺς μήτε τὴν πρώτην συμβολὴν θεασαμένους ἄκρᾳ φυγῇ χρήσασθαι· ὥστε τὸν Κροῦμμον καταπλαγέντα νομίσαι λοχισμοῦ τινος τρόπον εἶναι τὸ γινόμενον, καὶ μικρὸν ἐπισχεῖν τοὺς αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν δίωξιν. ἐπεὶ δὲ εἶδεν αὐτοὺς ἀκρατῶς φεύγοντας, καταδιώξας ἀνεῖλε πλήθη πολλά, καταλαβόντες καὶ τὸ τοῦλδον καὶ 502 τοῦτο λαφυραγωγήσαντες. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν φεύγων ἐπανήρχετο τά τε πλήθη καὶ τοὺς τούτων ἄρχοντας ἐπαρώμενος, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας τὴν ἀπόθεσιν ἐξομνύμενος· ἐν οἷς καὶ Λέοντι, πατρικίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ τῶν ἀνατολικῶν, ὡς εὐσεβεῖ καὶ ἀνδρειοτάτῳ καὶ κατὰ πάντα πεποιημένῳ περὶ τοῦ κρατῆσαι τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκοινώσατο. τοῦ δὲ μηδ' ὅλως εἴξαντος, ἐάσας αὐτὸν προΐστασθαι τῶν θεμάτων αὐτὸς τὴν βασιλίδα κατέλαβε τῇ κδʹ τοῦ Ἰουνίου μηνός, θέλων μὲν ἀποθέσθαι τὸ κράτος καὶ ἄλλον προχειρίσασθαι, μὴ συγχωρούμενος δὲ παρά τε τῆς γαμετῆς καὶ τῶν παραδυναστευόντων. Νικηφόρος δέ, ὁ ἁγιώτατος πατριάρχης, εἰς τοῦτο συνῄνει, ὡς καὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν τέκνων αὐτοῦ περισωθησομένων, εἰ οὕτω προχειρισθείη τις. οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ καὶ τὰ πλήθη μαθόντες τὸν βασιλέα ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν πεφευγέναι, ἀπογνόντες τὸ βασιλεύεσθαι παρ' αὐτοῦ τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ βουλευσάμενοι καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐδυσώπουν Λέοντα, τὸν πατρίκιον καὶ στρατηγὸν τῶν ἀνατολικῶν, βοηθῆσαι τῷ κοινῷ καὶ τῆς Χριστιανῶν πολιτείας ἀνθέξασθαι. ὁ δὲ μέχρι μέν τινος σφοδρῶς ἀνεβάλλετο, τοῦ καιροῦ στοχαζόμενος τὸ δυσάντητον καὶ τῆς τῶν βαρβάρων ἐπιδρομῆς τὸ ἀνύποιστον, καὶ ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τοὺς βασιλεύοντας φυλάττων ὀρθὸν καὶ ἀνεπίβουλον. ἐπεὶ δὲ κατὰ τῆς πόλεως ἐπειγόμενον τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἐθεάσατο, γράφει μὲν Νικηφόρῳ τῷ πατριάρχῃ τὰ περὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ὀρθοδοξίας διαβεβαιούμενος, αἰτῶν μετὰ τῆς εὐχῆς καὶ ἐπινεύσεως αὐτοῦ τοῦ κράτους ἐπιλαβέσθαι. καὶ καταλαβὼν τὸ πρὸ τῆς πόλεως τριβουνάλιον ἅμα τοῖς στρατηγοῖς καὶ τοῖς στρατεύμασιν ἐννομώτατος βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαίων ἀναδείκνυται. καὶ μεσούσης ἡμέρας ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει διὰ τῆς Χαρσίου πόρτης εἰσέρχεται καταλαβὼν τὰ βασίλεια. Μιχαὴλ δὲ ἀκούσας τὴν τούτου ἀναγόρευσιν ἐν τῷ εὐκτηρίῳ τοῦ Φάρου προσδραμὼν σὺν Προκοπίᾳ καὶ τοῖς αὐτῶν τέκνοις, ἀποκειράμενοι τὰς τρίχας μοναχικὰ περιεβάλοντο τῇ ιαʹ τοῦ Ἰουλίου μηνὸς τῆς ʹ ἰνδικτιῶνος, ἡμέρᾳ βʹ. τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον στεφθεὶς ὑπὸ Νικηφόρου πατριάρχου ἐν τῷ ἄμβωνι τῆς μεγάλης ἐκκλησίας τὰ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν προστάττει φρουρηθῆναι, 503 τὰ τείχη νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας αὐτὸς δι' ἑαυτοῦ περιπολεύων καὶ πάντας διεγείρων εὐέλπιδάς τε παραινῶν εἶναι, ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παραδοξοποιήσαντος τάχιστα διὰ τῶν πρεσβειῶν τῆς παναχράντου θεοτόκου καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ μὴ πάντη καταισχυνθῆναι παραχωροῦντος διὰ πλῆθος πταισμάτων ἡμῶν. ὁ δὲ νέος Σενναχερὶμ Κροῦμμος ἀρθεὶς τῇ νίκῃ, καταλιπὼν τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας δυνάμεως πολιορκεῖν τὴν Ἀδριανούπολιν, μετὰ ʹ ἡμέρας τῆς αὐτοκρατορίας Λέοντος ἐπελθὼν ἐν δυνάμεσι καὶ ἵπποις τῇ βασιλίδι πόλει περιῄει πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἀπὸ Βλαχερνῶν ἕως τῆς Χρυσῆς πόρτης ἐπιδεικνύμενος τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν δύναμιν, καὶ ἐπιτελέσας μιαρὰς καὶ δαιμονιώδεις