Content deleted Content added
→Sources: Highest Military Ranks |
|||
Line 7:
[[File:John VI Kantakouzenos.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Emperor [[John VI Kantakouzenos]] held the office of Grand Domestic during the reign of his close friend, [[Andronikos III Palaiologos]]]]
The office varied in importance in the court hierarchy. Under the [[Komnenian period|Komnenian emperors]], it came immediately after the "imperial" titles of ''[[Caesar (title)|Caesar]]'', ''[[sebastokrator|sebastokratōr]]'' and ''[[despotes|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 ''[[protovestiarios|prōtovestiarios]]'' and the ''[[megas stratopedarches|megas stratopedarchēs]]''. It was not until the award of the title to [[John Kantakouzenos]] in the 1320s that the office firmly established itself once again as the highest non-imperial title, at the fourth place of the palace hierarchy.{{sfn|Guilland|1967|p=416}} 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 was the province of the reigning emperor.{{sfn|Guilland|1967|pp=416–417}} The office also included various ceremonial functions, as detailed in the mid-14th
The Grand Domestic's distinctive insignia are given by pseudo-Kodinos as follows:{{sfn|Guilland|1967|p=415}}
| |||