▁By z antine ▁meg as ▁dou x — and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁chief ▁inst ig ators ▁of ▁the ▁By z antine ▁civil ▁war ▁of ▁ 1 3 4 1 – 4 7 — Alex ios ▁Ap ok au k os , ▁from ▁his ▁first ▁marriage . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 3 4 3 , ▁after ▁the ▁citizens ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ' s ▁second ▁city , ▁Th ess al onica , ▁had ▁ris en ▁up ▁against ▁Alex ios ▁Ap ok au k os ' ▁rival , ▁John ▁VI ▁Kant ak ou zen os , ▁John ▁was ▁named ▁meg as ▁prim iker ios ▁and ▁appointed ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁but ▁actual ▁power ▁lay ▁rather ▁with ▁the ▁radical ▁Ze al ot ▁fa ction ▁who ▁had ▁st aged ▁the ▁anti - K ant ak ou zen ist ▁u pr ising . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 3 4 5 , ▁the ▁elder ▁Ap ok au k os ▁was ▁l yn ched ▁by ▁political ▁prisoners ▁in ▁Constantin ople . ▁John ▁immediately ▁declared ▁for ▁Kant ak ou zen os ▁and ▁tried ▁to ▁se ize ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁but ▁the ▁Ze al ots ▁pre va iled ▁and ▁restored ▁their ▁rule ▁before ▁Kant ak ou zen os ' ▁forces ▁could ▁react ▁and ▁aid ▁Ap ok au k os ▁and ▁his ▁supp or ters , ▁who ▁were ▁captured ▁and ▁executed . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁Category : 1 3 4 5 ▁death s ▁Category : 1 4 th - century ▁By z antine ▁people ▁Category : By z