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The Despotate was founded in by Michael Ducas, cousin of the Byzantine emperors Isaac II Angelus and Alexius III. At first Michael allied with Boniface of Montferrat, but then went to Epirus, where he considered himself the Byzantine governor of the old province of Nicopolis and revolted against Boniface. Epirus soon became the new home of many Greek refugees from Constantinople, Thessaly, and the Peloponnese, and Michael was described as a second NoahNoah or Noach ("Rest", Standard Hebrew Noa Tiberian Hebrew No Arabic Nu is a character from the Bible story that describes him building the ark to save the people and animals from the Deluge, the universal flood. Noah was the son of Lamech and the grandso, rescuing men from the Latin flood. John CamaterusJohn X Camaterus was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 1198 to 1206. He fled to Thrace with the deposed emperor Alexius V after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. In 1206 Theodore I Lascaris invited him to Nicaea where The, the Patriarch of ConstantinopleThe Patriarch of Constantinople is the Ecumenical Patriarch the " first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Communion. In this capacity he serves as spiritual leader and primary spokesperson for the Communion (hence "first"), but has no official authori, did not consider him a legitimate successor and instead accompanied Theodore I LascarisTheodore Lascaris (d. 1222), emperor of Nicaea, was born of a noble Byzantine family. He became the son-in-law of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius III and distinguished himself during the sieges of Constantinople by the Latins ( 1203- 1204). After the captur to NicaeaNicaea is also the ancient name of the French city Nice. Nicaea (now #x130;znik is a city in Anatolia (now part of Turkey) which is known primarily as the site of two major meetings (or Ecumenical councils) in the early history of the Christian church.; Michael instead recognized the authority of Pope Innocent IIIInnocent III ne Lotario de Conti ca. 1161 June 16, 1216), was Pope from January 8, 1198 until his death. He was the son of Count Trasimund of Segni and nephew of Pope Clement III, born at Anagni, Italy. His father was a member of the famous house of Conti over Epirus, cutting ties to the Orthodox ChurchEastern Orthodox Christianity (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) is the modern name primarily applied to the Christian church that claims to be the original historical church started by Christ Jesus and his Apostles 2000 years ago. They claim unbroken apo.
Henry of FlandersHenry (c. 1174- 1216), was the second emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He was a younger son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut (later Baldwin VIII, count of Flanders), and Margaret, sister of Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders. Having joined th demanded that Michael submit to the Latin Empire, which he did, at least nominally, by allowing his daughter to marry Henry's brother Eustace in 1209. Michael did not honour this alliance, assuming that mountainous Epirus would be mostly impenetrable by any Latins with whom he made and broke alliances. Meanwhile Boniface's relatives from Montferrat made claims to Epirus as well, and in 1210 Michael allied with the Venetians and attacked Boniface's Kingdom of Thessalonica. Michael was excessively cruel to his prisoners, in some cases crucifying Latin priests. Innocent excommunicated him in response. Henry relieved the city later that year and forced Michael into a renewed nominal alliance.Michael however turned his attention to capturing other strategically important Latin-held towns, Larissa, Dyrrhachium and Ohrid in particular, and ensuring he had control of the Via Egnatia, the main route to Constantinople. He also took control of the ports on the Gulf of Corinth. In 1214 he captured Corcyra from Venice, but was assassinated later that year and was succeeded by his half-brother Theodore.