<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire" id="mwLA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Byzantine Empire">Byzantine</a> Emperor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_(emperor)" id="mwLQ" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Maurice (emperor)">Maurice</a> is forced to watch as the usurper <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocas" id="mwLg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Phocas">Phocas</a> executes his five sons before Maurice is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapitation" id="mwLw" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Decapitation">beheaded</a> himself.