Official who served as foreign minister of the Byzantine Empire
The
megas logothetes
(
Greek
:
μ?γα? λογοθ?τη?
,
lit.
'Grand
Logothete
'
[a]
) was an official who served as effective
foreign minister
of the
Byzantine Empire
, in the period from
c.
1250
to
c.
1350
, after which it continued as an honorific dignity. The office evolved from the
Komnenian-era
logothetes ton sekreton
, and was established during the
Empire of Nicaea
. Its holders were frequently distinguished scholars, who played a prominent role in the civil and military affairs of their time; three of its holders also served in tandem as the head of the civil administration and effective prime minister (
mesazon
) of the Empire. The title was also used in the
Empire of Trebizond
. After the
fall of Constantinople
, it was adopted in the
Danubian Principalities
as an honorific title for laymen in the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
.
History and functions
[
edit
]
The post originated as the
logothetes ton sekreton
, established by Emperor
Alexios I Komnenos
(
r.
1081?1118
) in an attempt to improve the coordination of the various fiscal departments (
sekreta
).
[2]
In the late 12th century, the
logothetes ton sekreton
had risen to a pre-eminent position among the civil administrators, and was increasingly called the
megas logothetes
to indicate this.
[3]
The all-powerful
logothetes ton sekreton
Theodore Kastamonites
, maternal uncle and
de facto
regent of the Empire during the early reign of
Isaac II Angelos
(
r.
1185?1195, 1203?1204
), was the first to be officially called
megas logothetes
in a
chrysobull
of 1192, although as a honorific rather than an actual new title.
[4]
The
logothetes ton sekreton
was not formally replaced by the designation
megas logothetes
until after
1204
, in the
Empire of Nicaea
(1204?1261) and under the revived
Byzantine Empire under the Palaiologos dynasty
(1261?1453).
[5]
As seen in the case of the first known
megas logothetes
, Strategopoulos, in
c.
1217
, the post apparently retained its previous role: Strategopoulos is mentioned as president of the imperial tribunal, apparently the same body attested in 1196 under the presidency of the
logothetes ton sekreton
.
[6]
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
chancery
involved with diplomatic correspondence, previously the purview of the
logothetes tou dromou
.
[9]
The
megas logothetes
was thus unique among the
logothetes
in retaining both its exalted position and an active function during the early Palaiologan period: the
Book of Offices
of
pseudo-Kodinos
, one of the main sources for the late Byzantine court and administration, records the
logothetes tou genikou
,
logothetes tou dromou
,
logothetes tou stratiotikou
, and
logothetes ton agelon
as purely honorific titles without a function. Pseudo-Kodinos wrote shortly after the middle of the 14th century, but the situation he records is likely of even earlier date.
[10]
Since the publication of
Charles Diehl
's study on the
logothetes ton sekreton
in 1933, a generation of scholars considered the
megas logothetes
as the
de facto
chief minister of the Palaiologan-era Byzantine Empire.
This view, however, has been proven as mistaken by later studies: numerous sources show that the position of chief minister during that time was designated by the title of
mesazon
, an office that supervised the imperial chancery and was in charge of state administration and justice.
Indeed, Pseudo-Kodinos explicitly points out that the "proper function" of the
megas logothetes
was to supervise "the
prostagmata
and
chrysoboulla
sent by the emperor to all kings,
sultans
and
toparchs
", while the
mesastikion
(the function of a
mesazon
) "is carried out by whoever the emperor commands".
Only three
megaloi logothetai
are known to have held the
mesastikion
?
Theodore Mouzalon
,
Theodore Metochites
, and
John Gabalas
?and indeed appear to have been appointed as
mesazon
before being promoted to
megas logothetes
, thereby demonstrating the distinct nature of the two titles.
Already during pseudo-Kodinos's time, however, the purview of foreign affairs had been transferred to the
mesazon
, and the
megas logothetes
was thereafter reduced to a mostly honorific position; the early 15th-century writer
Mazaris
describes it as a 'prize' (
γ?ρα?
) without particular attributes.
In his
Untersuchungen zur spatbyzantinischen Verfassungs- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte
, the German scholar
Ernst Stein
proposed that in the early 14th century, the
megas logothetes
also exercised the functions of the former
Eparch of Constantinople
in overseeing the administration of the imperial capital, until
Andronikos III Palaiologos
(
r.
1328?1341
), seeking to secure his throne after winning the
civil war of 1321?1328
, assigned them to the
protostrator
. Stein's assumption relies on reading the
mesastikion
in the passage of Pseudo-Kodinos as a compound denoting the
Mese
boulevard (which Stein considered as the centre of the capital's administration) and the rest of the city, rather than relating it with the office of
mesazon
; Stein's interpretation has been disproved by scholars such as Hans-Georg Beck and Leon-Pierre Raybaud.
Originally, the title ranked twelfth in the overall hierarchy of the palace, between the
megas konostaulos
and the
protosebastos
, but in March/April 1321 Emperor
Andronikos II Palaiologos
(
r.
1282?1328
), wishing to exalt his favourite Theodore Metochites, promoted him from
logothetes tou genikou
and raised the rank further to ninth place, above the
megas stratopedarches
and below the
protostrator
. It appears that the rank retained this high position for the remainder of the Byzantine Empire's existence.
[19]
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
).
Following the
Fall of Constantinople
in 1453, the title was used in the
Danubian principalities
of
Moldavia
and
Wallachia
. In the former, the Great Logothete (
mare logof?t
) was the chief minister of the prince and head of the
chancellery
, while in Wallachia, he was the second-most senior member of the prince's council, after the
ban
.
[22]
To this day, the leading rank among the
lay
archons
of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
bears the title of "Grand Logothete".
[23]
List of known
megaloi logothetai
[
edit
]
Empire of Nicaea and Palaiologan period
[
edit
]
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 protege of
Theodore II Laskaris
, he was promoted to
megas logothetes
in 1255. In that capacity he played a major role in political and military affairs, until his capture during a campaign against
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]
|
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]
|
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]
|
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]
|
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]
|
John Palaiologos Raoul
|
1344
|
John V Palaiologos
|
Uncle of John V, attested as
megas logothetes
in two acts concerning the monasteries of
Zographou
and
Philotheou
in October?November 1344. Guilland considers him identical to John Gabalas.
|
[35]
|
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]
|
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]
|
Empire of Trebizond
[
edit
]
- ^
Logothetes
means "one who accounts, calculates or ratiocinates", literally "one who sets the word". Originally designating junior officials, mostly charged with fiscal duties, it became applied to the heads of the fiscal departments of the central government in the 7th century.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
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.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, pp. 101?102.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, p. 102.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, pp. 103, 112.
- ^
"logof?t"
.
Dic?ionarul explicativ al limbii romane
(in Romanian).
Academia Roman?
, Institutul de Lingvistic? "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.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, pp. 106?108.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, pp. 108?110.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, pp. 110?113.
- ^
a
b
Guilland 1971
, pp. 113?114.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, p. 114.
- ^
Guilland 1971
, pp. 114?115.
Sources
[
edit
]
- Beck, Hans-Georg (1955). "Der byzantinische 'Ministerprasident'
" [The Byzantine 'Prime Minister'].
Byzantinische Zeitschrift
(in German).
48
(2): 309?338.
doi
:
10.1515/byzs.1955.48.2.309
.
S2CID
191483710
.
- Guilland, Rodolphe
(1971).
"Les Logothetes: Etudes sur l'histoire administrative de l'Empire byzantin"
[The Logothetes: Studies on the Administrative History of the Byzantine Empire].
Revue des etudes byzantines
(in French).
29
: 5?115.
doi
:
10.3406/rebyz.1971.1441
.
- Kazhdan, Alexander
, ed. (1991).
The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
ISBN
0-19-504652-8
.
- Loenertz, Raymond-Joseph (1960). "Le chancelier imperial a Byzance au XIVe et au XIIIe siecle" [The imperial chancellor in Byzantium in the 14th and 15th century].
Orientalia Christiana Periodica
(in French).
26
: 275?300.
- Oikonomides, Nicolas
(1985).
"La chancellerie imperiale de Byzance du 13e au 15e siecle"
[The imperial chancery of Byzantium from the 13th to the 15th centuries].
Revue des etudes byzantines
(in French).
43
: 167?195.
doi
:
10.3406/rebyz.1985.2171
.
- Raybaud, Leon-Pierre (1968).
Le gouvernement et l'administration centrale de l'empire byzantin sous les premiers Paleologues (1258-1354)
[
The government and central administration of the Byzantine Empire under the first Palaiologoi (1258-1354)
] (in French). Editions Sirey.
- Trapp, Erich; Beyer, Hans-Veit; Walther, Rainer; Sturm-Schnabl, Katja; Kislinger, Ewald; Leontiadis, Ioannis; Kaplaneres, Sokrates (1976?1996).
Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit
(in German). Vienna: Verlag der Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
ISBN
3-7001-3003-1
.
- Verpeaux, Jean (1955). "Contribution a l'etude de l'administration byzantine: ? μεσ?ζων" [Contribution to the study of Byzantine administration: ? μεσ?ζων].
Byzantinoslavica
(in French).
16
: 270?296.
- Verpeaux, Jean, ed. (1966).
Pseudo-Kodinos, Traite des Offices
(in French). Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.
|
---|
|
---|
Preceding
| |
---|
Early
(330–717)
| |
---|
Middle
(717–1204)
| |
---|
Late
(1204–1453)
| |
---|
By modern region
or territory
| |
---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|