Theodore Mangaphas Theodore Mangaphas or Mankaphas ( , fl . ca . 1188 – 1205 ) was a nobleman from Philadelphia who assumed the title of Byzantine emperor twice , first during the reign of Isaac II Angelos ( r . 1185 – 1195 and 1203 – 1204 ) , and secondly after the sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade . He was given the sobriquet " Morotheodoros " ( Μωροθεόδωρος ) meaning " Theodore the Fool " , by the Greek chroniclers after his repeated failed usurpations . First usurpation . In circa 1188 , Theodore , likely already the ruler of his native Philadelphia , secured the allegiance of the larger part of the city ' s inhabitants , but also of the surrounding areas of Lydia and the support of the Armenian communities in the Troad . He then proclaimed himself emperor in opposition to Isaac II Angelos ( r . 1185 – 1195 and 1203 – 1204 ) , and even minted his own silver coinage . As the revolt gained ground , its progress alarmed Isaac so much that the emperor marched against Theodore in person . After some initial skirmishes , Theodore was besieged in Philadelphia ( June 1189 ) , but then Isaac learned of the rapid approach of the Holy Roman Emperor , Frederick Barbarossa ( r . 1155 – 1190 ) who was on his way to take part in the Third Crusade . This made Isaac anxious to conclude the war against Theodore , and so he agreed to pardon Mangaphas , on the condition that the usurper submitted himself to Isaac and agreed to lay aside the imperial symbols and surrender hostages . He was then allowed to retain control of Philadelphia as its governor . In circa 1193 ( or possibly 1190 ) , however , Basil Vatatzes , the " doux " of the Thracesian theme and " megas domestikos " of the Byzantine army , forced him to flee to the court of the Seljuk Turks at Iconium . There , the Sultan Ghīyāth al - Dīn Kaykhusraw ( r . 1192 – 1196 and 1205 – 1211 ) allowed Theodore to enroll troops among the nomadic tribes , and with these bands he ravaged the frontier lands of the Byzantine Empire in 1195 – 1196 . In late 1196 , the new emperor , Alexios III Angelos ( r . 1195 – 1203 ) , bought Mangaphas from the sultan , on condition that his life was to be spared , and that he would not spend the rest of his life in prison . He remained in prison for an unknown period of time before he was released ( at any rate before 1204 ) and returned to Philadelphia . Second usurpation . In the chaos of the Fourth Crusade and the eventual fall of Constantinople in 1204 , a number of individuals took advantage of the situation to proclaim themselves independent or lay claim to the vacant imperial throne . Mangaphas may have returned to Philadelphia before or after the fall of the city , and quickly re - established his dominant position there , founding an independent state in the area . After securing Philadelphia , he decided to take on Henry of Flanders , one of the Crusader chieftains and future Latin Emperor ( r . 1206 – 1216 ) , who was encamped at Adramyttium and who was attempting to crush the remaining Byzantine resistance in Anatolia . Although he managed to take Henry by surprise , his forces were no match for the Latin heavy cavalry and were crushed at the Battle of Adramyttium on 19 March 1205 . Retreating back to Philadelphia , he remained there until his remaining territories were overrun by Theodore Laskaris of Nicaea in 1205 . Nothing more is heard of him , and it is presumed that he died in captivity in the Nicaean court . Surname . Theodore ' s surname , " Mangaphas " , is not Greek , and represents perhaps a Hellenized form of the Turkish " mankafa " meaning " fool , idiot " . It is hence possible that it was not his actual surname , but a translation into Turkish of his Greek sobriquet " Morotheodoros " , which then was adopted by the later Greek chroniclers . There is , however , also evidence for the existence of other members of the Mangaphas family in the 11th and 13th centuries independently of Theodore . In addition , a number of silver coins found in a hoard in Aphrodisias , and which is commonly attributed to Mangaphas , seems to include " M [ angaphas ] " as if it were his proper surname .