 Demetrios Polemis, in his study on the Doukas family, reports that he was reappointed to the post by Alexios IV (), but as Varzos remarks, this is evidently an error by Polemis.In early 1201, for unknown reasons, Michael rose in revolt against the emperor.Alexios III campaigned against him in the summer 1201 and defeated him, forcing Michael to seek refuge at the court of the Seljuk Turk Sultan of Rûm, Süleymanshah II ().