The sebastokrator Isaakios and his eldest son Ioannes (a fine warrior) had left Byzantium over a small quarrel and travelled round neighbouring courts, many (like that of Mas'ud of Ikonion) hostile to the empire. He plotted continually against his imperial brother. But Isaakios was impoverished and felt marginalised by the glory won by the campaigns of Ioannes II, which meant that foreigners now refused to support his plans for rebellion. So he and his son returned to Constantinople as part of Ioannes II's triumph, and were warmly received by him. Poems were written by Theodoros Prodromos to celebrate Isaakios' pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and commissioning of a picture of Ioannes for himself