[6] Ivanko served in Bulgarian ruler and his cousin Ivan Asen's court.
[8][9][10] The murder occurred when Asen angrily summoned Ivanko to discipline him for having an affair with his wife's sister.
[1] His grandfather-in-law, Byzantine emperor Alexios III Angelos, gave the command of Philippopolis to him to deal with Bulgarian raids.
[13][18] Ivanko recruited and trained an army of his fellow Vlachs to deal with the raiders, but ended up rebelling against the Byzantines.
[22][23] Byzantine historian Niketas Choniates described him as "far worse than earlier rebels, and driven to such cruelty that most barbarians deem to be manliness.