العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolDESPOTES
'Despot' (Greek: 'δεσπότης', ''despotēs'', feminine 'δέσποινα', ''despoina'', Bulgarian and Serbian 'деспот', ''despot'', feminine 'деспотица', ''despotitsa'', sometimes Anglicized ''despot''), is a Byzantine court title, also granted in the Latin Empire, Bulgaria, Serbia, and the Empire of Trebizond.
The original Greek term ''despotēs'' designated simply "lord" and was synonymous with ''kyrios''. As the Greek equivalent to the Latin dominus, ''despotēs'' became a way of reference to the Roman Emperor, occasionally used in formal settings, for example on coins.
The title ''despotēs'' was granted as the highest courtly dignity to members of the imperial house, starting with the future King Béla III of Hungary, as intended son-in-law and heir of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos in 1163. According to Gyula Moravcsik this title was a simple translation of Béla's Hungarian title 'úr', but other historians believe it comes from the old Roman title 'dominus'. The majority of ''despotēs'' were younger sons or sons-in-law of the Byzantine Emperors, who tended to crown their eldest sons co-emperor (''symbasileus''). The title ''despotēs'' was a strictly courtly dignity without specific military or administrative functions or powers, in spite of enjoying the highest position of honor below an emperor.
The title of ''despotēs'' spread to the Byzantine successor states after the Fourth Crusade and was awarded by any sovereign who held the imperial title, including the emperors of the Latin Empire, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Trebizond. The title ''despotēs'' could also be awarded by an emperor to a foreign magnate for kinship or services. In the Empire of Trebizond the title was granted to the intended heir to the throne, in marked contrast to practice elsewhere.
Only the last two hundred years or so has the concept of despot had a purely negative connotation.
The Byzantine ''despotēs'' dressed in a fashion reminiscent of the attire of the Byzantine Emperor, including:
★ a mural crown (with four crenelations for imperial sons, or one for imperial sons-in-law)
★ a red or purple tunic, usually decorated with imperial eagles
★ a pair of red and purple soft boots
The insignia was modified in Bulgaria and Serbia according to local preferences.
In the period after the Fourth Crusade, certain ''despotēs'' came to be associated with particular territories, such as Epirus, Morea (the Peloponnese), and Serbia. It is important to stress, however, that the derivative term "Despotate" employed for these territories is technically inaccurate, as the title of ''despotēs'' was neither hereditary, nor intrinsic to a particular territorial jurisdiction. Accordingly, proper usage would be "''despotēs'' 'in' Morea", rather than "''despotēs'' 'of' Morea". The virtually uninterrupted succession of ''despotēs'' in Morea, for example, is due to the fact that emperors consistently appointed their younger sons, already created ''despotēs'', as governors of that province. Rulers of Epirus and Serbia called ''despotēs'' technically bore that title not by hereditary right, but by grant from successive emperors.
With the death of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI on May 29, 1453, the creation of a ''despotēs'' became irregular. The title was granted by Pope Paul II to Andrew Palaiologos, heir to the Byzantine throne in 1465, and by the king of Hungary to his dependent ruler of Serbia in Vojvodina at the Ottoman frontier.
★ ''Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', Oxford University Press, 1991.
★ B. Ferjančić, ''Despoti u Vizantiji i južnoslovenskim zemljama'', Belgrade 1960.
★ I.A. Biljarski, ''Instituciite na srednovekovna Bălgarija. Vtoro bălgarsko carstvo (XII-XIV v.)'', Sofia, 1998.
| Contents |
| Origin and Distribution |
| Insignia |
| "Despotates" |
| References |
Origin and Distribution
The original Greek term ''despotēs'' designated simply "lord" and was synonymous with ''kyrios''. As the Greek equivalent to the Latin dominus, ''despotēs'' became a way of reference to the Roman Emperor, occasionally used in formal settings, for example on coins.
The title ''despotēs'' was granted as the highest courtly dignity to members of the imperial house, starting with the future King Béla III of Hungary, as intended son-in-law and heir of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos in 1163. According to Gyula Moravcsik this title was a simple translation of Béla's Hungarian title 'úr', but other historians believe it comes from the old Roman title 'dominus'. The majority of ''despotēs'' were younger sons or sons-in-law of the Byzantine Emperors, who tended to crown their eldest sons co-emperor (''symbasileus''). The title ''despotēs'' was a strictly courtly dignity without specific military or administrative functions or powers, in spite of enjoying the highest position of honor below an emperor.
The title of ''despotēs'' spread to the Byzantine successor states after the Fourth Crusade and was awarded by any sovereign who held the imperial title, including the emperors of the Latin Empire, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Trebizond. The title ''despotēs'' could also be awarded by an emperor to a foreign magnate for kinship or services. In the Empire of Trebizond the title was granted to the intended heir to the throne, in marked contrast to practice elsewhere.
Only the last two hundred years or so has the concept of despot had a purely negative connotation.
Insignia
The Byzantine ''despotēs'' dressed in a fashion reminiscent of the attire of the Byzantine Emperor, including:
★ a mural crown (with four crenelations for imperial sons, or one for imperial sons-in-law)
★ a red or purple tunic, usually decorated with imperial eagles
★ a pair of red and purple soft boots
The insignia was modified in Bulgaria and Serbia according to local preferences.
"Despotates"
In the period after the Fourth Crusade, certain ''despotēs'' came to be associated with particular territories, such as Epirus, Morea (the Peloponnese), and Serbia. It is important to stress, however, that the derivative term "Despotate" employed for these territories is technically inaccurate, as the title of ''despotēs'' was neither hereditary, nor intrinsic to a particular territorial jurisdiction. Accordingly, proper usage would be "''despotēs'' 'in' Morea", rather than "''despotēs'' 'of' Morea". The virtually uninterrupted succession of ''despotēs'' in Morea, for example, is due to the fact that emperors consistently appointed their younger sons, already created ''despotēs'', as governors of that province. Rulers of Epirus and Serbia called ''despotēs'' technically bore that title not by hereditary right, but by grant from successive emperors.
With the death of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI on May 29, 1453, the creation of a ''despotēs'' became irregular. The title was granted by Pope Paul II to Andrew Palaiologos, heir to the Byzantine throne in 1465, and by the king of Hungary to his dependent ruler of Serbia in Vojvodina at the Ottoman frontier.
References
★ ''Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', Oxford University Press, 1991.
★ B. Ferjančić, ''Despoti u Vizantiji i južnoslovenskim zemljama'', Belgrade 1960.
★ I.A. Biljarski, ''Instituciite na srednovekovna Bălgarija. Vtoro bălgarsko carstvo (XII-XIV v.)'', Sofia, 1998.
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
