Andronikos IV Palaiologos was a Byzantine prince born in 1348, the son of John VI Kantakouzenos and Empress Anna of Savoy. He became co-emperor with his father in 1352 but later rebelled against him, leading to a civil war. After his father's death, Andronikos ruled as the sole emperor from 1376 to 1379. His reign was marked by internal strife and external threats, particularly from the Ottoman Empire. Andronikos IV's rule ended when he was overthrown by his younger brother, Manuel II Palaiologos, in 1385. He spent his later years in relative obscurity until his death in 1407.