 He was named heir to his uncle Antonio I of Athens, but on his uncle's death in 1435, he had to fight his uncle's widow Maria Melissene and the Chalkokondyles for the ducal throne.While George Chalkokondyles, the father of the Laonikos Chalkokondyles was pressing her suit before Murad II, the Ottoman sultan, the leading men of Athens tricked Maria into leaving the Acropolis then handed the title to Nerio.Maria and George Chalkokondyles' family were banished from Athens.