Michael II Komnenos Doukas

Michael II Komnenos Doukas (c. 1206–1268), illegitimate son of Michael I, ruled the Despotate of Epirus from 1230. Exiled after his father's murder in 1215, he returned after his uncle Theodore's defeat by Bulgaria at Klokotnitsa and married Theodora Petraliphaina, later Saint Theodora. He took Corfu by 1236, occupied Thessaly after Manuel's death in 1241 and in 1249 received the despot title from John III Vatatzes.

In 1259 his alliance with Manfred of Sicily and Achaea was routed at Pelagonia after his bastard John deserted. He recovered Epirus and accepted Michael VIII's suzerainty in 1264; on his death Epirus went to Nikephoros and Thessaly to John.