According to the Byzantine historian Niketas Choniates, Conrad benefited from the financial support of the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos and was prepared to send his captive to Constantinople as a hostage, but Manuel finally refused the suggestion.
ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə ðə bˈɪzɐntˌiːn hɪstˈoːɹiən nˈaɪktəz tʃˈoʊnɪˌeɪts, kˈɑːnɹæd bˈɛnɪfˌɪɾᵻd fɹʌmðə faɪnˈænʃəl səpˈoːɹt ʌvðɪ ˈɛmpɚɹɚ mænwˈɛl aɪ kəmnˈiːnoʊz ænd wʌz pɹɪpˈɛɹd tə sˈɛnd hɪz kˈæptɪv tə kˌɑːnstɐntɪnˈoʊpəl æz ɐ hˈɑːstɪdʒ, bˌʌt mænwˈɛl fˈaɪnəli ɹᵻfjˈuːzd ðə sədʒˈɛstʃən.