Constantine Diogenes (pretender)

In 1095, he invaded the Byzantine Empire at the head of a Cuman host and advanced as far as Adrianople before being captured by a ruse and blinded by loyalist forces.

Seeking refuge among the Cumans, he soon gained their recognition as emperor and their support in his attempt to claim the throne, although, as Anna Komnene reports, this was more a pretext for raiding and plundering the Byzantine provinces.

[5][6] The Cumans swiftly occupied the province of Paristrion near the river, and Alexios moved out with his army to confront them, making Anchialos his base of operations.

[7] The emperor placed detachments to guard the passes over the Balkan Mountains, but using local Vlach guides the Cumans were able to bypass the Byzantine forces and descend onto the plains of Thrace.

[11] The pretender now persuaded the Cumans to push further south on Adrianople, whose governor, Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder, was a relative of Romanos IV and of whom he expected that he would open the gates of the city to him.

Calling upon his old friendship Romanos IV and his sufferings to prove his loyalty, he induced the pretender to enter the fortress of Poutza, which he proposed to surrender to him.

Anna Komnene denigrated him as base-born, wily and shameless man, prone to drink, but he nevertheless displayed extraordinary qualities: he was able to create a following within Constantinople itself, secure the support of the Cumans, and in his attempt to win over Bryennios, he displayed accurate knowledge of the dynastic ties uniting the various members of the Byzantine upper aristocracy.