Gregorius I (Fidem Pacis)

Flavius Gregorius was Exarch of Africa from 641-651, and afterwards Western Roman Emperor until his death in 674. A distant relative of the Heraclian dynasty, his religious fervour caused him to join the revolt of Isaac I against eastern rule, and he was rewarded with the exarchate after the death of its previous ruler. As the most senior Roman official in the African provinces, he possessed great power second only to the emperor himself, and his fleet proved instrumental in repelling an attempt by Constans II to retake the West.

In 651 Isaac I finally reached an accomodation with the East, agreeing to recognise Islam in return for independence. Naturally Pope Martin I was most displeased by this, as was Gregorius once the news arrived in Carthage. The two conspired to overthrow Isaac and restore Catholic Christianity as the state religion of the West, something that was achieved before the end of the year.