John Doukas (sebastokrator)

Despite his advanced age, he continued to be an active general in the 1180s and 1190s, and until shortly before his death aspired to the imperial throne.

[2] John Doukas is first attested in the sources in March 1166, participating alongside his brothers in a church synod called to adjudicate on the interpretation of the saying of Jesus Christ "the Father is greater than I".

[3][4] In 1176, along with his younger brother Andronikos, he participated as a regiment commander in the campaign against the Seljuk Sultanate of Iconium that led to the Byzantine defeat in the Battle of Myriokephalon.

[3][4] Like most of his noble relatives, John opposed the tyrannical regime of Andronikos I Komnenos (r. 1182–1185), and had been forced to sign written pledge of loyalty to the emperor.

[3][5] The rise of his nephew to the throne nevertheless brought John to the foremost ranks of Byzantine aristocracy, and he received the exalted title of sebastokrator.

Niketas Choniates notes him attending the emperor at the court at Cypsele during the campaign against the Italo-Norman invasion in 1185.

There John Doukas ordered Asen to be slapped on the face for the latter's insolent speech in front of the emperor and thus prompted the events leading to the Vlach-Bulgarian rebellion later the same year.

Despite his age, John Doukas apparently still hoped to rise on the throne, leading to quarrels with another of his nephews, Manuel Kamytzes, and the other imperial relatives.