Михаил Палеолог
Under Vatatzes, Alexios was raised to the rank of "protovestiarios", and was given command of troops in Macedonia. In 1242, he accompanied the emperor in his campaign against the ruler of Thessalonica, John Komnenos Doukas (r. 1237–1244). He appears again in 1252, during Vatatzes's wars against the Despot of Epirus Michael II Komnenos Doukas (r. 1230–1268). After the conclusion of a peace treaty, Alexios apparently remained in Europe along with the future emperor Michael Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282) at Vodena, guarding the approaches to Thessalonica.