He also marries his lover, previously Anthimos III's wife, Dara. He also names his foster brother, Mavros his Sevastos. Throughout the book, Krispos has to deal with raids by an evil priest named Harvas Black-robe, an internal rebellion led by his predecessor's uncle, theological/political problems with the patriarchs of the empire, and the issue of the identity of his son's father. Krispos struggles to overcome all these problems but manages to retain his crown and his head. Mavros dies fighting Harvas, leading Krispos to name Iakovitzes,a man who had his tongue cut out by Harvas, Sevastos.