1376-1379

More ambitious and even less worthy than his father, Andronicus IV rebelled against same for sheer thirst for power. Power, for what, would be a good question to ask since there was precious little of that commodity. Throughout his three years as rebel emperor, John V occupied and controlled Constantinople so he would serve as little more than everyone else's puppet whenever a need came to attack Constantinople. In this way he served as their pretext for warfare but so far as personal achievement is concerned he had nothing going for himself asides from the possessions which his various masters accorded to him for appearances. He did elevate his own son John VII to co-emperor status thus recalling the same situation the Roman emperor Jovinus found himself in some 900 years before.

No coin photos available.