Despot (court title)

The title Despotes or despot ( ancient Greek δεσπότης ) was introduced by the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus (reigned 1143-1180 ) as the highest title after the Basileus ( Emperor ) in 1163.

The title of the Despotes was reserved for the highest aristocracy. A despot could be the holder of a despotism or Despotats, but was also from 1261 the title of the heir apparent, who was the ruler of the Despotate of Morea simultaneously. The female form Despoina denotes a female despot or the wife of a despot.

Even outside the Byzantine Empire, especially in Southeast Europe, the title used as the highest ruler title. So Béla III was. of Hungary (reigned 1172-1196 ), the first non- Byzantine Despotes. As a rule, their dominion was then called Despotat as the Despotate of Epirus or the Despotate of Dobruja. In the Despotate of Epirus despot was the title of the ruler of the Byzantine successor state. In medieval Serbia was the despot (see Serbian despots ) introduced under the Emperor Stefan Dušan, which allow the Byzantine titles and offices took over. The Serbian despots of the 15th century were 1402-1453 their titles always by the Byzantine emperor, followed by the Hungarian King.

After the Byzantine court ceremonial had finally prevailed, was the title of the supreme ruler of the title after the Basileus, and his award was only reserved to the dissolution of the Serbian Empire, the Byzantine basileus. This included the recognition of the Byzantine emperor as a kind of primus inter pares with a.

In the Byzantine liturgy, the priest is addressed as a despot by the deacon today. This title is neutral to be understood in the sense of " ruler ", without the now common negative meaning " tyrant ".