Andronikos V Palaiologos
Andronikos V Palaiologos or Andronicus V Palaeologus (Greek: Ανδρόνικος Παλαιολόγος; c. 1400–1407) was the Byzantine ruler of the city of Thessalonica and surrounding territories from 1403 to his death in 1407, alongside his father John VII Palaiologos. Though they did not control Constantinople, John and Andronikos ruled Thessalonica with the full Byzantine imperial title, recognized by the ruling senior emperor, John VII's uncle Manuel II Palaiologos.
| Andronikos V Palaiologos | |
|---|---|
| Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans | |
Andronikos V (center) and his parents, as depicted in an ivory pyxis from Thessalonica. The letters ANΔP are written above his head, standing for Ανδρ(όνικος) | |
| Byzantine co-emperor in Thessalonica | |
| Reign | c. 1403–1407 |
| Born | c. 1400 Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) |
| Died | c. 1407 (aged 7) Thessalonica (now Thessaloniki, Greece) |
| Dynasty | Palaiologos |
| Father | John VII Palaiologos |
| Mother | Irene Gattilusio |
Recognized as third-in-line to Constantinople, Andronikos' parents had high hopes for his future and regarded him as the future legitimate senior Byzantine emperor. These hopes were dashed when Andronikos died in 1407, just seven years old. On account of his ephemeral status and short life, Andronikos is a shadowy historical figure of whom little is known. He was not acknowledged by modern historians until 1967, who had previously believed John VII to be childless.