who converted to christianity after winning a decisive battle
Constantine
title: Christianization text: by "elders of Rome" according to Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his annals (r. 913–959). In 733, Leo III attaches Illyricum to Patriarch Anastasius of Constantinople. The establishment of Christianity as state religion dates to the time of Eastern Orthodox missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius during Basil I (r. 867–886), who baptised the Serbs sometime before sending imperial admiral Nikita Orifas to Knez Mutimir for aid in the war against the Saracens in 869, after acknowledging the suzerainty of the Byzantine Empire. The fleets and land forces of Zahumlje, Travunia and Konavli ("Serbian Pomorje") were sent to fight the Saracens who attacked title: Edict of Serdica text: Edict of Serdica The Edict of Serdica, also called Edict of Toleration by Galerius, was issued in 311 in Serdica (today Sofia, Bulgaria) by the Roman emperor Galerius, officially ending the Diocletianic persecution of Christianity in the East. The Edict implicitly granted Christianity the status of "religio licita", a worship recognized and accepted by the Roman Empire. It was the first edict legalizing Christianity, preceding the Edict of Milan by two years. On February 23, 303, on the Terminalia feast, Emperor Diocletian, by proposal of Galerius, issued a persecutory edict. The edict prescribed: At that time, Galerius held the position title: Battle of the Milvian Bridge text: were disbanded. Constantine is thought to have replaced the former imperial guards with a number of cavalry units termed the "Scholae Palatinae". Paul K. Davis writes, "Constantine’s victory gave him total control of the Western Roman Empire paving the way for Christianity to become the dominant religion for the Roman Empire and ultimately for Europe." The following year, 313, Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, which made Christianity an officially recognised and tolerated religion in the Roman Empire. The most important ancient sources for the battle are Lactantius, "De mortibus persecutorum" 44; Eusebius of Caesarea, "Ecclesiastical History" ix, title: Deathbed conversion text: conversion, saying “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise". Perhaps the most momentous conversion in Western history was that of Constantine I, Roman Emperor and later proclaimed a Christian Saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church. While his belief in Christianity occurred long before his death, it was only on his deathbed that he was baptised, in 337. While traditional sources disagree as to why this happened so late, modern historiography concludes that Constantine chose religious tolerance as an instrument to bolster his reign. Charles II of England reigned in a Protestant nation at a time of strong religious conflict. title: Christianity in the 4th century text: it the Greek words "" ("by this, conquer!", often rendered in the Latin ""in hoc signo vinces""); Constantine commanded his troops to adorn their shields with a Christian symbol (the Chi-Ro), and thereafter they were victorious. How much Christianity Constantine adopted at this point is difficult to discern; most influential people in the empire, especially high military officials, were still pagan, and Constantine's rule exhibited at least a willingness to appease these factions. The accession of Constantine was a turning point for the Christian Church. After his victory, Constantine supported the Church financially, built various basilicas, granted privileges (e.g., exemption