Ivanʻs mother was Marina Smilets, the daughter of tsar Smilets of Bulgaria, whilst Ivan's father was Aldimir,[1] a younger brother of Tsar George I Terter.

Marinaʻs sister was Teodora of Bulgaria, Queen of Serbia, the first wife of Stefan Uroš III Dečanski.

His widow Marina and his son Ivan Dragushin managed to escape to Kingdom of Serbia, where Marina's sister, Theodora, was married to the prince Stefan Dečanski.

Having become a Serbian subject, Ivan Dragushin was installed by his first cousin King Stephen Dušan as a local ruler in the region of Macedonia.

It is known Ivan and his wife Anna had a son, who is depicted with Marina in the church.