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It was Michael, whose fall in battle before the emperor the archbishop of Didymoteichon had foretold a long time before; and just as many others were captured. But Momtzilos, a short while later, after the army that had come to him had departed, 2.432 sending two of the captives, Apelmenes and Theodore Kaballarios, to the Empress Anna, asked for payment for the alliance and for the battle he had fought against the enemy. And she gladly received the request and appointed him Despot. Sending an embassy also to the emperor, he begged to receive forgiveness, having shown himself so ungrateful and having repaid his benefactor so badly; and he promised that he would no longer act ungratefully. But the emperor, seeing that it was impossible to take revenge and unprofitable to have Momtzilos as an enemy who was able to do harm, was reconciled and granted forgiveness, enduring what was fitting for the occasion. Having learned that he had also been made a Despot by the empress, he himself granted him the rank of *sebastokrator*, and he seemed to choose the emperor's honors rather than the empress's, and was content to be ranked under the emperor, supposedly for a short time. But when the time for which the barbarians had promised to be allies to the emperor had passed during these events, they were mindful of their return. And the emperor again attempted to persuade them to remain with him; but since they were not persuaded, he let them go, and they crossed over into Asia through the Hellespont. 71. And the young emperor Palaiologos fell sick at this time in Herakleia with a terrible illness, and the patriarch, taking him with some senators, returned to Byzantium. But Apokaukos the *megas doux* remained behind with the army 2.433 as general with full powers, and was preparing to attack the forces around Didymoteichon. For he had learned that the Persian force of the emperor Kantakouzenos had withdrawn; at the same time the king of the Mysians, having broken his treaties with the emperor, promised to be an ally, and not long after sent his allied force. But the emperor, being ignorant of none of the things that were happening, also prepared himself for the attack as best he could, and leaving his son Matthew in Chalcidice with as large an army as he thought would be sufficient if any should attack him, and having appointed his brother-in-law John Asan as governor over the small towns in Morra that had come over to him and having left garrisons, he himself returned to Didymoteichon with the remainder of his forces. The *megas doux*, having the entire Roman army, came from Herakleia to the fortress of Empythion, and encamping around it, he besieged it, and made assaults on the walls and brought up siege engines. In these assaults many of those fighting on the outside fell; for the fortress was very strong because of the construction of its walls. Seeing that it could not be taken by force, he gave up the siege. For the besieged were well-supplied with provisions. While these things were happening, Momtzilos again made war on the emperor and was harming the cities in Chalcidice as much as he could, having chosen the rank from the empress and calling himself Despot. But the *megas doux* sent Synadenos as an ambassador to the emperor, the same one who had previously been sent to him while he was staying in Berroia, 2.434 and reported that, although he seemed to be besieging and making assaults on the walls of the fortress of Empythion, he did not wish to take it, still preserving traces of his old goodwill; for if he wished, it would be very easily taken. But now he wished to meet with him and to discuss certain secret matters, for which it was not possible to use other messengers, if this should seem best to him also. Therefore, to meet with him just as he was, arrayed in imperial fashion, was not easy for him; on the other hand, to change into private dress, he did not think that he would be willing. Concerning which he indicated he should consider how each of these might be done. But the emperor, annoyed at such fabrications, sent back word that it was not necessary to use lies and deceptions against him any longer; for he had already had experience of him in many things, whence he completely distrusted him; but if he could rather take the fortress, he should not neglect to do so. For he would not be counseling profitably for the government if, when it was possible to harm the enemy, he willingly held back. But he did not think that those with him