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32-450: The title of the grand domestic is first mentioned in the 9th century, and most likely derives from the older office of domestikos tōn scholōn (" Domestic of the Schools "), with the epithet megas added to connote the supreme authority of its holder, following contemporary practice evident in other offices as well. Both titles appear to have co-existed for a time, with the grand domestic being

64-539: A gold-brocaded hat ( skiadion ), a plain silk kabbadion tunic and a silver staff ( dikanikion ) with a knob on top and another in the middle. For ceremonies and festivities, he bore the domed skaranikon , of lemon-yellow silk and decorated with gold wire embroidery, and with a portrait of the emperor seated on a throne in front and another with the emperor on horseback on the rear. Grand Domestic The title of Grand domestic ( Greek : μέγας δομέστικος , romanized :  mégas doméstikos )

96-524: A more exalted variant of the plain titles of the domestics of the East and of the West, until the late 11th century, when it became a distinct office and replaced the ordinary domestics as commander-in-chief . Nevertheless, the office was still sometimes referred to in the sources as the "Grand Domestic of the Schools" or "of the army", creating some confusion as to which of the two posts is meant. For most of its existence,

128-417: A time, with the grand domestic being a more exalted variant of the plain titles of the domestics of the East and of the West, until the late 11th century, when it became a distinct office and replaced the ordinary domestics as commander-in-chief . Nevertheless, the office was still sometimes referred to in the sources as the "Grand Domestic of the Schools" or "of the army", creating some confusion as to which of

160-456: The Komnenian emperors , it came immediately after the "imperial" titles of Caesar , sebastokratōr and despotēs . In the 13th century, it rose and fell according to the emperors' desire to honour its holder, but was usually at seventh place, below the prōtovestiarios and the megas stratopedarchēs . It was not until the award of the title to John Kantakouzenos in the 1320s that

192-553: The 12th century, causing some confusion as to the nature of the office and its relation to the "plain" Domestic. In the 13th century however the two titles became clearly distinct: the Grand Domestic was the commander-in-chief of the entire army and one of the highest offices of state, while the Domestic of the Schools was relegated to a simple dignity without duties, awarded to provincial governors and other middle-ranking officials. In

224-412: The 1320s that the office firmly established itself once again as the highest non-imperial title, at the fourth place of the palace hierarchy. At all times, however, it was regarded as one of the most important and prestigious positions, and was held either by members of the reigning dynasty or by close relatives from the small circle of families connected to the imperial clan. Like all Byzantine offices, it

256-400: The 14th-century Serbian Empire . The title of the grand domestic is first mentioned in the 9th century, and most likely derives from the older office of domestikos tōn scholōn (" Domestic of the Schools "), with the epithet megas added to connote the supreme authority of its holder, following contemporary practice evident in other offices as well. Both titles appear to have co-existed for

288-518: The Domestic's deputy, the topotērētēs , although it appears that by that time there were several officers occupying that position at the same time. The ceremony for the Domestic's appointment is described in the De Ceremoniis (II.3); the same work describes his duties and role in court ceremonies. With some exceptions, most notably the unparalleled 22-year tenure of John Kourkouas , or in times of domestic instability, Domestics were changed on

320-700: The Schools" or "Grand Domestic of the East/West" for the same person. The Byzantinist Rodolphe Guilland considers most of these early references either as anachronistic references by 12th-century writers, or simply cases where " megas " is used as an honorific prefix, as was the norm with other senior offices during this period, like the Drungary of the Watch or the Domestic of the Excubitors . Nevertheless, Guilland argues that from

352-459: The army, except in the case of the emperor campaigning in person, when he functioned as a kind of chief of staff. Despite its purely military nature, the office was also bestowed in the way of an honorific dignity to generals and high-ranking courtiers alike, e.g. to George Mouzalon , or to the Prince of Achaea William II of Villehardouin . The office varied in importance in the court hierarchy. Under

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384-514: The average every three to four years. During the 10th century, the Domesticate of the Schools was dominated by members of the Phokas family , which produced six holders of the office. Their attempts to monopolize the office led a series of emperors, concerned over the power of the military aristocracy, to entrust the potentially over-powerful office to non-military court officials, including—especially in

416-539: The capital Constantinople , commanded by officers titled " Domestics " (δομέστικοι, domestikoi ) and distinct from the provincial armies of the themes under their respective stratēgoi . The Schools ( Latin : scholae ; Greek : σχολαὶ , scholai ) was the senior tagma , tracing their origin to the Scholae Palatinae established by Constantine the Great ( r.  306–337 ) and originally placed under

448-674: The command of the magister officiorum . The historian J.B. Bury has traced a reference to a certain Anianos, "Domestic of the magister ", in the Chronicon Paschale for the year 624, and considers this official to be the predecessor of the Domestic of the Schools. As the magister officiorum was gradually deprived of some of his functions in the 7th and 8th centuries, the Domestic apparently became an independent official. The Kletorologion of 899 lists his subordinate officials as comprising his deputy or topotērētēs (τοποτηρητής),

480-417: The court hierarchy. Under the Komnenian emperors , it came immediately after the "imperial" titles of Caesar , sebastokratōr and despotēs . In the 13th century, it rose and fell according to the emperors' desire to honour its holder, but was usually at seventh place, below the prōtovestiarios and the megas stratopedarchēs . It was not until the award of the title to John Kantakouzenos in

512-435: The first half of the 11th century, before the military aristocracy reasserted its authority—to eunuchs , even though this was in theory forbidden, with the alternate office of stratopedarches having been created for this purpose. In the 10th and 11th centuries, the variant " Grand Domestic " (μέγας δομέστικος, megas domestikos ) appears sporadically, used in parallel with other variants such as "Grand Domestic of

544-520: The generalship of the Anatolics to the Domesticate. In the reign of Romanos II ( r.  959–963 ) the post was split, with a "Domestic of the West" ( δομέστικος τῆς δύσεως , domestikos tēs dyseōs ) and a "Domestic of the East" ( δομέστικος τῆς ἀνατολῆς , domestikos tēs anatolēs ) being created for operations in Europe and Asia respectively. The command of the Schools regiment then passed to

576-448: The grand domestic was the unchallenged commander-in-chief of the army, except in the case of the emperor campaigning in person, when he functioned as a kind of chief of staff. Despite its purely military nature, the office was also bestowed in the way of an honorific dignity to generals and high-ranking courtiers alike, e.g. to George Mouzalon , or to the Prince of Achaea William II of Villehardouin . The office varied in importance in

608-691: The late 14th century several people appear to hold the office at the same time, perhaps in a collegial manner. Following the Fourth Crusade , it appears that in the Latin Empire and the other Latin states formed on Byzantine soil, the title of megas domestikos was used as the Greek equivalent of the Western title of [grand] seneschal ( Latin : [magnus] senescallus ). In the Palaiologan period (1261–1453),

640-437: The office at the same time, perhaps in a collegial manner. Following the Fourth Crusade , it appears that in the Latin Empire and the other Latin states formed on Byzantine soil, the title of megas domestikos was used as the Greek equivalent of the Western title of [grand] seneschal ( Latin : [magnus] senescallus ). In the Palaiologan period (1261–1453), the grand domestic was the unchallenged commander-in-chief of

672-454: The office firmly established itself once again as the highest non-imperial title, at the fourth place of the palace hierarchy. At all times, however, it was regarded as one of the most important and prestigious positions, and was held either by members of the reigning dynasty or by close relatives from the small circle of families connected to the imperial clan. Like all Byzantine offices, it was neither hereditary nor transferable, and its bestowal

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704-407: The office of Grand Domestic was by its nature confined to a single holder. However, the presence of "Grand Domestics of the East/West" in the late 12th century may indicate the resumption of the well-established practice of dividing supreme field command, as with the Domesticate of the Schools, between east ( Asia Minor ) and west ( Balkans ), while in the late 14th century several people appear to hold

736-530: The power and influence of the post saw it frequently occupied by persons closely related to the emperor. From the time of Michael III ( r.  842–867 ) on, the Domestic ranked in the imperial hierarchy above all other military commanders except for the stratēgos of the Anatolic Theme . In practice, he quickly became senior even to the latter, as demonstrated by the fact that military leaders like Nikephoros Phokas and John Tzimiskes were promoted from

768-414: The secretary or chartoularios (χαρτουλάριος), the head messenger or proximos (πρόξιμος) and the other messengers (μανδάτορες, mandatores ), as well as the various subordinate officers of the regiment (cf. the article on the Scholae Palatinae ). In the 9th century, the office of the Domestic, or "Domesticate" (δομεστικάτον, domestikaton ), of the Schools rose in importance and its holder

800-527: The time of Alexios I Komnenos ( r.  1081–1118 ) on, the "Grand Domestic" became a separate office, senior to the "plain" Domestics of the Schools and in effect the new commander-in-chief of the army beside the Emperor. However, the usage of the titles is not consistent, and the habitual division of command between East and West seems to have been sometimes applied to the Grand Domesticate as well during

832-409: The two posts is meant. For most of its existence, the office of Grand Domestic was by its nature confined to a single holder. However, the presence of "Grand Domestics of the East/West" in the late 12th century may indicate the resumption of the well-established practice of dividing supreme field command, as with the Domesticate of the Schools, between east ( Asia Minor ) and west ( Balkans ), while in

864-543: The words of the mid-14th century Book of Offices of Pseudo-Kodinos , "the Domestic of the Schools once had an office similar to that of the Grand Domestic currently, but he now holds none". In Pseudo-Kodinos' work, the Domestic of the Schools ranks 31st in the imperial hierarchy, between the mystikos and the Grand Drungary of the Fleet . The Domestic's distinctive court dress, as reported by Pseudo-Kodinos, consisted of

896-617: Was a senior military post of the Byzantine Empire , extant from the 8th century until at least the early 14th century. Originally simply the commander of the Scholai , the senior of the elite tagmata regiments, the Domestic quickly rose in prominence: by the mid-9th century, its holders essentially occupied the position of commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army , next to the Emperor . The office

928-552: Was eclipsed in the 12th century by that of the Grand Domestic , and in the Palaiologan period (13th–15th centuries), it was reduced to a purely honorary, mid-level court dignity. The first holder of the office of Domestic of the Schools first appears in the sources (the chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor ) for the year 767, shortly after the creation of the tagmata . These were elite cavalry regiments stationed in or around

960-514: Was given in the 11th–15th centuries to the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army , directly below the Byzantine Emperor . It evolved from the earlier office of the domestic of the Schools , and came to rank as one of the senior dignities in the Byzantine state during the last centuries of its existence. From Byzantium, it was also adopted by the breakaway Empire of Trebizond , as well as by

992-434: Was often appointed as the head of the army in the absence of the emperor. However, this role was not yet enshrined: it depended rather on the abilities of the current Domestic, and other generals of inferior rank were sometimes entrusted with supreme command instead. The Domestic of the Schools nevertheless rose to such prominence that the sources frequently speak of the office as "the Domestic" without further qualification, and

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1024-476: Was the province of the reigning emperor. The office also included various ceremonial functions, as detailed in the mid-14th century account of offices of pseudo-Kodinos . The grand domestic's distinctive insignia are given by pseudo-Kodinos as follows: Domestic of the Schools The office of the Domestic of the Schools ( Greek : δομέστικος τῶν σχολῶν , romanized :  doméstikos tôn scholôn )

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