Background
His father, Michael Shishman led aggressive policy in the Balkans, in an attempt to extend the size of Bulgaria to that during the reign of Ivan Asen II (1218–1241).
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Michael Shishman Shishman
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Career
In 1330 the Serbs defeated the Bulgarian army in battle of Velbazhd, in which the Bulgarian tsar perished. After the battle the two sides negotiated peace in the locality Mraka and it was decided that the eldest son of Michael Shishman – Ivan Stephen would succeed his father as emperor. Eight months later, in 1331, Ivan Stephen was overthrown in a palace coup by Ivan Alexander (1331–1371), son of Michael Shishman"s sister.
Shishman did not follow his family and fled to Constantinople.
He was immediately sent to the Byzantine regent and later emperor John VI Kantakouzenos, who acknowledged him as Emperor of Bulgaria. That act enfuriated Ivan Alexander who demanded that Shishman must be deported to Bulgaria and threatened with war.
John VI Kantakouzenos answered that in case of war the Byzantines would transport Shishman to Vidin with ships where the proximity with his family"s domains would eventually lead to a civil war. In 1331 Ivan Alexander launched a campaign, assembled his army at Sliven and marched to the south.
The Bulgarians and the Byzantines under Andronikos III Palaiologos and Shishman fought a battle near Adrianople which ended without a clear victor or in a minor Byzantine victory and a peace treaty was signed.
After that event Shishman is not mentioned in the historical sources.
