John VII (Byzantium)
. John VII Palaeologus ( medium Greek Ἰωάννης Ε'Παλαιολόγος . IOANNES VII Palaeologus , * 1370 , † 22. September 1408 ) was Byzantine emperor for six months in 1390 and again from 1399 to 1402. He was the son of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos IV Palaiologos and Keratsa of Bulgaria , a daughter of the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Alexander and his wife Theodora of Wallachia. He was the grandson of John V Palaiologos and can easily be confused with his cousin John VIII Palaiologos , a son of his uncle Manuel II Palaiologos .
After a failed revolt by his father, he was partially blinded just like him in 1373. When his father usurped the throne again in 1376 , he was appointed co-regent. But this rebellion also collapsed in 1379. While his father continued to retain the imperial title, it is unclear whether this John was revoked.
On April 14, 1390 he succeeded in taking the throne for five months; but he was driven out again by his uncle Manuel II . John VII fled to the Turkish sultan Bayezid I , who was married to his daughter in 1387.
When Manuel II campaigned for support against the Turks in Western Europe in 1399, John VII represented him as deputy until his return in 1402.
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Manuel II |
Emperor of Byzantium 1399–1402 |
Manuel II |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | John VII |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | John VII Palaiologos |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Emperor of Byzantium (1390, 1399–1402) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1370 |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 22, 1408 |