In the late 1290s, he recruited the Byzantine general Alexios Philanthropenos to fight the Turks in western Asia Minor. The expedition was a complete success and the Turkish emirs were completely defeated. However, Alexios soon rebelled and had himself declared emperor. He was defeated and blinded, and not long afterwards, the Turks re-entered and began to renew their conquests. WI: Alexios had remained loyal to Andronicus and continued to fight the Turks? Can Asia Minor have been saved?