Fausta

Fausta (; c. 630 – after 668) was the Byzantine empress as the wife of Constans II, when they married in 642. Family Fausta was a daughter of Valentinus, a general of Armenian origins, reputedly a descendant of the Arsacids. Valentinus enters historical record as an adjutant of Philagrius, the sakellarios (treasurer) of Heraclius. Heraclius died on 11 February 641. His will left the throne to two of his sons, as co-rulers to each other. The first son was Constantine III, his only known son by his first wife Eudokia. The second son was Heraklonas, eldest son of Heraclius by his niece and second wife Martina. Martina was to remain Augusta and thus maintain influence at court. Constantine was the only one of the two co-emperors to be old enough to rule by himself. He was about twenty-nine years old at the time but already suffered from tuberculosis. Chances were that he would not survive long and Heraklonas would remain as sole emperor. However Constantine set about to secure the loyalty of the Byzantine army for himself. His father had entrusted Patriarch Pyrrhus I of Constantinople with the administration of a treasury fund for Martina. Constantine confiscated the fund and used it for the spring military payroll and substantial donations to the army, estimated to about two millions coins.