Ioannes II had long ago made his eldest son, Alexios, his co-emperor, and planned to bequeath the empire to him. But he became aware that there were many premonitions in favour of the youngest, Manuel (I), who also had personal qualities of an imperial type. When he heard of the revolt of Raymond of Antioch, he thought of an alternative arrangement, to make Antioch, Cilicia, Attaleia and Cyprus into a southern "portion" for Manuel