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Taking advantage of the peace in the east, Justinian recovered the possession of the Balkans from the Slavic tribes, With a major campaign in 688-689 he defeated the Bulgars and took Thessalonica, the empire’s second most important city in Europe. Justinian then returned to the offensive in the east, but after initial successes, the Arabs conquered Armenia by 695,
Within the empire, Justinian attempted to suppress the [Heresy|heretic]] Manichaeans and non-Orthodox traditions. These actions, however, increased religious tensions. In 692, Justinian convened the [[Quinisext Council]] in Constantinople to ratify 102 disciplinary [[canon]]s from the Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils that had not been acted upon before the earlier councils were adjourned. As Pope Sergius I of Rome refused to sign the canons, as “lacking authority”, Justinian ordered him arrested. The arrest was not carried out as the emperor’s army forces in [[Ravenna (Italy)|Ravenna]] supported Sergius and compromised Justinian’s relations with the West.
Discontent with Justinian’s rule arose as he and his supporters Stephanus and Theodotus extorted the populous to gratify his extravagant tastes and mania for expensive buildings. Under the leadership of Leontius, who assumed the throne, they rebelled in 695 and captured Justinian. After cutting off Justinian’s nose, whence his surname, he was exiled to Cherson in the Crimea. After a reign of three years, [[Leontius]] was dethroned and replaced by [[Tiberius]] Apsimarus.