Ioannes orphanotrophos wished to become patriarch of Constantinople and befriended a number of important churchmen, persuading them to support him. These included the metropolitans of Ankara, Kyzikos, Nikomedia and Side. They attacked the current patriarch, Alexios I, because he had been appointed by Basileios II rather than elected canonically. Alexios replied that if he were to step down because of his alleged irregular appointment, then those metropolitans he ordained during his eleven and a half years at the helm of the Church should be deposed, and the three emperors he crowned should be anathematised. This retort shamed his attackers and encouraged their opponents and the orphanotrophos' plan failed.