Ivan V Aleksejevič Romanov was born on September 6, 1666, in Moscow as the twelfth child of Tsar Alexei I and his first wife, Maria Miloslavskaya. He belonged to the prominent Romanov dynasty and was part of a royal family that included his elder brother, Fyodor III, and half-brother, Peter I, known as Peter the Great. Ivan's health was compromised from a young age, suffering from severe conditions including poor eyesight, scrofula, and possible epileptic seizures, rendering him incapable of ruling independently. After the death of his elder brother, Tsar Fyodor III, in 1682, a power struggle ensued between the supporters of Ivan and those backed by Peter. To avert a civil conflict, it was decided that both Ivan and Peter would be proclaimed as co-rulers of Russia, with Ivan being styled as the elder tsar. On June 25, 1682, Ivan V and Peter I were jointly crowned in Moscow. Their joint rule was marked by the significant influence of Peter, especially as Ivan's health continued to deteriorate, leading to the gradual overshadowing of Ivan's role in governance. Ultimately, Ivan V died young, leaving a complex legacy tied to the early days of the Romanov dynasty and the unfolding reforms that Peter the Great would later implement. His brief reign highlighted the challenges of governance in the face of health issues and the dynamics of co-regency within royal families, setting the stage for a transformed Russia under Peter's eventual sole leadership.