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Portrait of John V Palaiologos

John V Palaiologos

Reign: 1341 – 1376; 1379 – 1390; 1390 – 1391
Life: 1332–1391

His long reign was marked by constant civil war, the spread of the Black Death and several military defeats to the Ottoman Turks, who rose as the dominant power of the region. John V became emperor at age eight, which resulted in a civil war between his regent John VI Kantakouzenos and a rival council led by his mother Anna of Savoy, who pawned the crown jewels to Venice in order to raise funds. Shortly after, another civil war erupted in 1352, with John V seeking help from Serbia against John VI son Matthew and his enlisted Ottoman Turks. The Turks used the ensuing chaos to gain their first European territory on former Byzantine soil.

During John V Palaiologos' reign, Edward III of England ruled England, Orhan ruled Ottoman Empire, and Ashikaga Takauji ruled Japan (Shogunate).

Want to learn more? Further reading

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

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Cover of SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

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SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Mary Beard

Beard's acclaimed introduction to Roman politics and emperors, readable and wide-ranging.

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