John IV Lascaris.

Had he come to the throne as an adult, could he have prevented the rise of Michael VIII? If he does manage to eliminate him, how would his reign have been? Could he have prevented the rapid decline of Byzantine fortunes in western Asia Minor after 1261?
 
Had he come to the throne as an adult, could he have prevented the rise of Michael VIII? If he does manage to eliminate him, how would his reign have been? Could he have prevented the rapid decline of Byzantine fortunes in western Asia Minor after 1261?

It's sort of hard to guess how a reign would pan on based on a child Emperor, but I do think it's likely that the Empire would continue to hold firm in Anatolia, a region the Laskarids had great attachment to.
 
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