Megas logothetes
Megas logothetes | |
---|---|
Appointer | Byzantine Emperor |
Precursor | logothetes ton sekreton |
First holder | Strategopoulos |
Final holder | George Sphrantzes (Byzantine Empire) George Amiroutzes (Empire of Trebizond) |
Abolished | 1453/1461 |
The megas logothetes (
History and functions
The post originated as the
The logothetes ton sekreton was not formally replaced by the designation megas logothetes until after
By the middle of the 13th century, however, its functions had evolved to become completely different from his antecedent: the megas logothetes assumed the conduct of foreign affairs and headed the
Since the publication of
In his Untersuchungen zur spätbyzantinischen Verfassungs- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, the German scholar
Originally, the title ranked twelfth in the overall hierarchy of the palace, between the
According to pseudo-Kodinos, the insignia of office were a rich silk kabbadion (a kaftan-like tunic), a golden-red brimmed hat (skiadion) decorated with embroideries in the klapoton style, without veil, or a domed skaranikon hat, again in red and gold and decorated with golden wire, with a portrait of the emperor standing in front, and another of him enthroned in the rear. Unlike most officials of the court, he bore no staff of office (dikanikion).[21]
Following the
List of known megaloi logothetai
Empire of Nicaea and Palaiologan period
Name | Tenure | Appointed by | Notes | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Strategopoulos | c. 1217 | Theodore I Laskaris | The sebastos and megas logothetes Strategopoulos (first name unknown) is attested as presiding over a court decision in a dispute between two communities in the area of Miletus. The tribunal was obviously the same as that presided over by the logothetes ton sekreton in 1196, proving the evolutionary link between the two offices. | [6] |
George Akropolites | 1255–1282 | Theodore II Laskaris Michael VIII Palaiologos |
A scholar and historian, Akropolites enjoyed a rapid ascent in the imperial bureaucracy, rising to logothetes tou genikou by 1246. As a protégé of Michael II of Epirus in 1257. He was released in 1260. Following the reconquest of Constantinople in 1261, he asked Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos to relieve him of his political functions so that he could dedicate himself to the revival of higher education in the imperial capital. Until his death in 1282, he served Michael VIII in a number of diplomatic missions.
|
[24][25][26] |
Theodore Mouzalon | 1282–1294 | Michael VIII Palaiologos Andronikos II Palaiologos |
A very well-educated man, Mouzalon was named megas logothetes after Akropolites' death, shortly before Michael VIII's own death. Mouzalon exercised great influence over the new emperor, Andronikos II. He not only served as the effective prime minister, but was even allowed to wear a gold-embroidered scarlet cap, similar to those borne by imperial princes. In 1291, Andronikos II elevated him to the rank of protovestiarios as well, and later married his son Constantine to Mouzalon's daughter. Following the onset of the illness that would lead to his death in March 1294, Mouzalon requested to be relieved of his administrative duties. On his advice, the emperor handed them over to Nikephoros Choumnos. | [27][28] |
Constantine Akropolites | c. 1305/06–1321 | Andronikos II Palaiologos | Eldest son of George Akropolites and a scholar himself, he was named logothetes tou genikou by 1282, which he kept at least until c. 1294. The exact date of his appointment as megas logothetes is uncertain. The title was mostly honorific, as conduct of affairs remained in the hands of the mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos, and then Theodore Metochites. | [29][30][31] |
Theodore Metochites | 1321–1328 | Andronikos II Palaiologos | A noted scholar, Metochites successively advanced from logothetes ton agelon (1290) to logothetes ton oikeiakon (1295/96), logothetes tou genikou (1305), and finally megas logothetes in 1321, although he had replaced Nikephoros Choumnos as the de facto prime minister (mesazon) since 1305. Following the deposition of Andronikos II in the civil war of 1321–1328, Metochites was dismissed and exiled, ending his days as a monk. | [32][33][34] |
John Gabalas | 1343–1344 | John V Palaiologos | Originally a partisan of John VI Kantakouzenos, the megas droungarios John Gabalas defected to the regency for John V during the civil war of 1341–1347. He was promoted to protosebastos and eventually megas logothetes, before falling out with the head of the regency, Alexios Apokaukos, and being imprisoned. | [35][36] |
John Palaiologos Raoul | 1344 | John V Palaiologos | Uncle of John V, attested as megas logothetes in two acts concerning the monasteries of Philotheou in October–November 1344. Guilland considers him identical to John Gabalas.
|
[35][37] |
Nikephoros Laskaris Metochites | c. 1355–1357 | John VI Kantakouzenos John V Palaiologos |
Son of Theodore Metochites, partisan of Andronikos III Palaiologos during the civil war of 1321–1328, and of John Kantakouzenos during the civil war of 1341–1347. He is attested as megas logothetes in 1355–1357, but was evidently appointed by John VI and retained by John V after Kantakouzenos' resignation in 1354. | [38][39] |
George Sphrantzes | 1451/52–1453 | Constantine XI Palaiologos | After a succession of civil and diplomatic functions under Manuel II Palaiologos and Constantine XI Palaiologos, including as governor of Patras, Mystras, and Selymbria, Sphrantzes was appointed as the last megas logothetes of the Byzantine Empire. During the Fall of Constantinople he was taken captive, but was ransomed and continued to travel in the Balkans and Italy. He wrote a chronicle, the Chronicon Minus, based on his diary, covering the events of 1413–1477. | [40][41][42] |
Empire of Trebizond
Name | Tenure | Appointed by | Notes | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
George Scholarios | c. 1363 | Alexios III Megas Komnenos
|
Attested in a treatise of George Gemistos Plethon .
|
[43] |
George Amiroutzes | c. 1458–1461 | David Megas Komnenos
|
A noted philosopher and theologian, he served as the last prime minister of the Empire of Trebizond, with the titles of megas logothetes and protovestiarios. Considered pro-Turkish by contemporaries, he is accused of persuading Emperor David to surrender to the Ottomans during the Siege of Trebizond (1461). He spent the rest of his life as philosophy tutor of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II. | [44][45] |
Footnotes
References
- ^ a b ODB, "Logothetes" (A. Kazhdan), p. 1247.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 75–76.
- ^ Guilland 1971, p. 78.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 83–84.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 78–79.
- ^ a b Guilland 1971, p. 104.
- ^ a b c Oikonomidès 1985, p. 169.
- ^ Loenertz 1960, pp. 291–292.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 101–102.
- ^ Guilland 1971, p. 102.
- ^ a b Beck 1955, p. 316.
- ^ Loenertz 1960, pp. 275–300.
- ^ Beck 1955, pp. 311–320.
- ^ Verpeaux 1955, pp. 270–296.
- ^ Verpeaux 1966, p. 174.
- ^ Raybaud 1968, pp. 203–204.
- ^ Beck 1955, p. 315.
- ^ Raybaud 1968, p. 204.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 103, 112.
- ^ Verpeaux 1966, p. 137.
- ^ Verpeaux 1966, p. 154.
- Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică "Iorgu Iordan", Editura Univers Enciclopedic. 1988.
- ^ "Offikion - Archon Titles". Order of St. Andrew the Apostle: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 104–106.
- ^ ODB, "Akropolites, George" (R. J. Macrides), p. 49.
- ^ PLP, 518. Ἀκροπολίτης Γεώργιος.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 106–108.
- ^ PLP, 19439. Mουζάλων, Θεόδωρος Βοΐλας.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 108–110.
- ^ ODB, "Akropolites, Constantine" (A.-M. Talbot), p. 49.
- ^ PLP, 520. Ἀκροπολίτης Κωνσταντῖνος.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 110–113.
- ^ ODB, "Metochites, Theodore" (A.-M. Talbot), pp. 1357–1358.
- ^ PLP, 17982. Μετοχίτης Θεόδωρος.
- ^ a b Guilland 1971, pp. 113–114.
- ^ PLP, 93286. Γαβαλᾶς Ἰωάννης.
- ^ PLP, 24126. Ῥαούλ, Ἰωάννης Παλαιολόγος.
- ^ Guilland 1971, p. 114.
- ^ PLP, 17986. Μετοχίτης, Νικηφόρος Λάσκαρις.
- ^ Guilland 1971, pp. 114–115.
- ^ PLP, 27278. Σφραντζῆς, Γεώργιος [Φιαλίτης].
- ^ ODB, "Sphrantzes, George" (A.-M. Talbot), p. 1937.
- ^ PLP, 27303. Σχολάριος Γεώργιος.
- ^ PLP, 784. Ἀμιρούτζης Γεώργιος.
- ^ ODB, "Amiroutzes, George" (A.-M. Talbot), pp. 77–78.
Sources
- Beck, Hans-Georg (1955). "Der byzantinische 'Ministerpräsident'" [The Byzantine 'Prime Minister']. Byzantinische Zeitschrift (in German). 48 (2): 309–338. S2CID 191483710.
- .
- ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- Loenertz, Raymond-Joseph (1960). "Le chancelier impérial à Byzance au XIVe et au XIIIe siècle" [The imperial chancellor in Byzantium in the 14th and 15th century]. Orientalia Christiana Periodica (in French). 26: 275–300.
- .
- Raybaud, Léon-Pierre (1968). Le gouvernement et l'administration centrale de l'empire byzantin sous les premiers Paléologues (1258-1354) [The government and central administration of the Byzantine Empire under the first Palaiologoi (1258-1354)] (in French). Éditions Sirey.
- Trapp, Erich; Beyer, Hans-Veit; Walther, Rainer; Sturm-Schnabl, Katja; Kislinger, Ewald; Leontiadis, Ioannis; Kaplaneres, Sokrates (1976–1996). ISBN 3-7001-3003-1.
- Verpeaux, Jean (1955). "Contribution a l'étude de l'administration byzantine: ὁ μεσάζων" [Contribution to the study of Byzantine administration: ὁ μεσάζων]. Byzantinoslavica (in French). 16: 270–296.
- Verpeaux, Jean, ed. (1966). Pseudo-Kodinos, Traité des Offices (in French). Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.