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"The form shows forth the place and manner whence you came. Being yourself temperate, you teach your dearest friends self control earning alone the glory that emanates from the palace, by taking sovereignty from the dying man, Oh most excellent one and you shall shortly prosper and rule." Niketas Choniates Histories verse 355

Alright now hear me out here. Yes most of us know the Angelli were the worst Byzantine dynasty and all of them were incompetents. But I agree with Treadgold, Liliee, Angold, and Ostrogorsky that Isaac II Angelus at least was an average emperor.

Essentially the POD is that the Vlach-Bulgarian rebellion does not happen. Isaac II decides that stable environment for the wedding is preferable to unrest in Bulgaria and accepts Peter and Asen's request and incorporates the Bulgarians into the Byzantine army and grant them their land nearby.

1185
Peter and Asen arrive at the court of the Emperor Isaac Angelus and after prostrating themselves before the emperor and flowing court protocol pleasing him and his advisers they are allowed to join the Byzantine army and given land in Haemus. Now why did the emperor agree so willingly to their request? Because he was in a rush to see his marriage to Bela's daughter Margaret so as to secure the Hungarian alliance of course. He could afford to give some insignificant land to the Asen brothers. Plus they had acted right and proper within his prescience.

Isaac and Maragat were married lavishly and Bela signed the treaty of Nis with the Romans whereby Nis and Barancs were given as dowry.

Feeling secure on the Western front with the Hungarian alliance Isaac returned to Constantinople and continued living a carefree lifestyle. It was then that in the summer of that year the Turks launched several vicious raids against the Byzantine cities in Asia minor. Something had to be done. The Normans were no longer a threat and so a Byzantine army of ten thousand strong was raised. After calling for aid from Bela some 5000 Hungarian soldiers joined the roman army and this combined force was put under the command of Alexius Branas the conqueror of the Normans.

Accompanying him were also Isaac's relatives Conrad of Montferrato and Alexius Angelos. Initially Branas who had been Andronikos staunch supporter was contemplating rebellion against Isaac, but due to the Hungarian contingent within his army it would be best to not revolt lest the Hungarians report back and he earns himself the ire of the powerful Hungarian king.

When Kilij learned of the Byzantine counteroffensive he quickly rounded up a force of 16000 strong and marched to meet the roman armies on the outskirts of Eskisher. Here a fierce battle was fought but in a striking turn of events Kilij was shot by an arrow and he died of infected wounds shortly thereafter. However the Byzantines also suffered thousands of casualties and unfortunately one such casualty was the young Alexius Angelos. But the Turkish army was beaten and by August Eskisher had fallen. Back in Constantinople celebrations broke out following Isaac's miraculous victory.

MeanwhileKilijes death plunged Iconium into civil war as his nine sons battled it out for the throne.

The Egyptians under Saladin who should have come to the Sultanates aide were unable to do so citing other matters. In reality Byzantines diplomats had bribed Saladin with many pounds of gold and treasure in return for not coming to the aide of his Rum allies and eager to strengthen is own forces to drive out the hated crusaders, and at the same time he was busy dealing with the bastard Reynauld of Chatlion who had the nerve to raid the holy cities of Islam and he readily agreed.

With no aid forthcoming form the Egyptions the romans successfully marched upon Ankara which after bitter fighting fell by December. Meanwhile another roman army from the south retook the southern coast that had been recently captured by the Turkish forces. Killij'es eldest son wwho came out the victor in the civil war sued for peace with he Romans returning to them the Black sea coastal province of Sinop as well as Eskisher, Ankara and the southern coast as well as paying an indemnity. Isaac who by this point heard of rumors the gathering of another crusading army in the west readily agreed to the truce in early 1186.

In reward for his services Alexius Branas was granted as his pronoia the former Seiuk province of Eskisher. Satisfied with the reward any thoughts Branas retained of rebellion dissipated. Meanwhile the victories against the Turks had won for Isaac the begrudging respect of those at the court.

Further still a Byzantine fleet in the Aegean had successfully destroyed an opposing Norman fleet trying to ambush it and this victory crippled Norman force projection in the Aegean.

Meanwhile relations between the Byzantines and HRE under Barbarossa were growing worse daily but in early 1187 using Bela as his mediator betrothed Irene to Philip Fredrick's son. though in Isaac's eyes such a marriage was made solely to keep the specter of the HRE away from his own lands and rather divert Frederick's attention back to Italy and Germany where he was quarelling with the Popes and the German Princes. Isac turned his attention back to Anatolia for unless he returned the estates lost to the turks back to the great families rebellions were prone to occur.

Yet the Byzantine state was in a terrible state of affairs. A declining economy, threat form west and east, potential rebels, and a lack of centralization and corruption at every level plagued the state. Not to mention the HRE, the Italians and the Pope were still to be dealt with. Isaac though would not change, he remained as before enamored to his eununchs, slaves, and corrupt advisers but at least he kept the system going regardless of how wretched it had become.
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