Antihero of His Time: The Byzantine Emperor John VII Palaiologos

Introduction. This article reveals the political activities of John VII Palaiologos, who struggled against Manuel II Palaiologos (1391–1425) for the title of heir, and later on for power over the Byzantine Empire. John VII’s political portrait, created primarily by his competitor, presents John VII as the main culprit in inciting civil strife and involving the empire’s main enemies, the Ottomans, in its internal affairs. The purpose of the work is to raise and answer the question of how well John VII deserved this assessment. Methods and materials. The article has analysed the information provided by Byzantine historical and rhetorical works, Russian chronicles, and the accounts of Western writers. The said information has been researched within the context of the political events in Byzantium in the second half of the fourteenth and early-fifteenth centuries. Analysis. As a son of Andronikos IV, John VII had every reason for his dynastic claims, as he received the title of co-ruler as early as 1377. Additionally, he could lay claim to the throne by the right of primogeniture. He also won the sympathies of a part of the citizens of the imperial capital, who viewed him as an “Andronikos’ son,” the legitimate contender for the throne. However, when struggling for power, he relied on the Ottomans, who were interested in maintaining political instability in the empire. John VII and Manuel II tried to resolve the dynastic conflict several times, and only the early death of John VII finally ended the feud. Results. The conclusion is that John VII Palaiologos, who had reasons to become a hero of his time, finally became an anti-hero.