Emperor Heraclius of the Byzantine empire (575 - 641). For many historian across the world he was the first Crusader, recovering the True Cross from the Persians Sassanids and bring it back to Jerusalem. He was crowned at a most difficult period, since the empire was weak and all neighbouring nations were expanding their borders. With major economic help from the orthodox church he achieved to assembled his forces in Bithynia (Asia Minor), and, after he revived their broken morale with major personal exercise, to launched a new counter-offensive, which took on the character of a holy war against Persians.