Shishman (son of Michael Shishman)

He quickly divorced Shishman's mother Ana to marry the Byzantine princess Theodora Palaiologina, the widow of the earlier Bulgarian emperor Theodore Svetoslav, in 1324.

The victor, Ana's brother Stefan Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia, came to terms with the Bulgarian nobles, and made her eldest surviving son Ivan Stephen emperor of Bulgaria (1330–1331).

[3] Opposition to the new regime led to a palace coup in March 1331, which brought Ivan Alexander (1331–1371), the son of Michael Asen III's sister, to the throne.

[6] Hearing of this, Ivan Alexander sent envoys to Constantinople, demanding that the Byzantine government extradite Shishman, whom he described as "his greatest enemy," citing existing treaty obligations and threatening war.

At a subsequent meeting of the senate, the Bulgarian envoys behaved insolently, and the empress Anna of Savoy instructed John Kantakouzenos to respond.