John IV Lascaris

John IV Lascaris was only a boy of 8 years when he was elevated as emperor of the Nicaean Empire[?] in 1258 on the death of his father Theodore II Lascaris. He was the last of the Lascaris emperors that had done much to restore the Byzantine Empire after the disaster of 1204. His regent was Michael Palaeologus, who later made himself co-emperor as Michael VIII Palaeologus. Upon Michael's conquest of Constantinople in 1261, John was ordered blinded, thus making him ineligible to serve as emperor, then imprisoned in a castle on the Sea of Mamora[?]. He is recorded as having acknowledged Andronicus II as emperor in 1290.

Preceded by: Theodore II

Byzantine emperors

Followed by: Michael VIII (restored in Constantinople)