Michael VIII had frequently harassed Epirus after restoring the empire in Constantinople in 1261, and in 1265 had forced Nikephoros, the son of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, to marry his niece Anna Palaiologina Kantakouzene.

Michael considered Epirus a vassal state, although Michael II and Nikephoros continued to ally with the Princes of Achaea and the Dukes of Athens.

Corcyra and much of Epirus had been taken in 1267 by Charles of Anjou, and Michael II had died in 1267/68.

Michael VIII had not attempted to annex Epirus directly, and had allowed Nikephoros I to succeed his father and deal with Charles, who had captured Dyrrhachium in 1271.

Nikephoros had allied with Charles against Michael VIII in 1279, agreeing to become Charles' vassal.

With Charles' defeat soon after, Nikephoros lost Albania to the Empire.

Under Andronikos II Palaiologos, son of Michael VIII, Nikephoros had renewed the alliance with Constantinople.

Nikephoros, however, had been persuaded to ally with Charles II of Naples in 1292, although Charles had been defeated by Andronikos's fleet.

Nikephoros has married his daughter to Charles's son Philip I of Taranto and sold much of his territory to him.

After Nikephoros's death in about 1297, Constantinople’s influence grows under his widow Anna, Andronikos's cousin, who rules as regent for her young son Thomas I Komnenos Doukas.