Table of Contents
Byzantine & Ottoman Imperial, Court, Military & Civil Ranks
Prepared by Sargon. Hopefully with amendments, corrections and additions to the Ottoman section by Abdul Hadi Pasha or other Ottoman-knowledgeable members.
This is a comprehensive (but by no means fully complete and a work in progress) list of ranks, as historically used in the Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire. You can use it as a resource when planning and writing AH scenarios or OTL historical stories.
I. Byzantine Empire
Court and military ranks and titles used in the Byzantine Empire.
a) Byzantine Imperial family titles in rough order of prestige
Basileos - Emperor
Augoustus - Emperor
Basilissa - Empress
Augousta - Empress
Autokrator - (autocrat) Additional title used by the Emperor
Kronokrator - (Lord of Time) Additional title used by the Emperor
Kosmokrator - (Lord of the Universe) Additional title used by the Emperor
Kyrios - (Lord) Additional title used by the Emperor
Symbasileos - (Co-Emperor) a joint ruler, and can be more than two
Sebastos - (Majesty) a Greek form of Augustus
Sebaste - female version of Sebastos (both later superseded by Sebastokrator/Panhypersebastos)
Kaisar - (Ceasar) Deputy or Vice Emperor, later devalued after Sebastokrator was created.
Sebastokrator - (Venerable Ruler) Became second in the hierarchy until the arrival of Despotes and denoted a close relative of the Emperor whom he had special consideration for.
Panhypersebastos - Similar to Sebastokrator, but even more elaborately worded
Sebastokratorissa - Female version of Sebrastokrator Protosebastos
Despotes - (Despot or Great Lord) In the later Empire, a title second only to that of the Emperor - this pushed Kaisar down to 4th place.
Despoina - Female version of Despotes
Porphyrogenitos - (Purple Born) Imperial heir to the throne
Porphyrogeneta - Female Imperial heir
Basileopator - Father of the Emperor
b.) Byzantine Court titles
Protovestiarios - Personal Minister to the Emperor, -responsible for palace finances and day-to-day items such as daily and military clothing, travel arrangements and so on.
Parakoimomenos - (Bodyguard) and High Chamberlain
Kouropalates - Same as Parakoimomenos, but older usage
Prinkeps - (Prince) used for lesser members of the Imperial Family or other nobles
Doux - (Duke) as above
Doukissa - Female version of Doux
Komes - (Count) as above
c.) Byzantine Major Government & Administrative titles
These were titles usually held by civilians.
Megas Logothetes - (Grand Logothete) Basically the Chancellor or Prime Minister in overall charge of the Treasury and Legal offices
Logothetes tou Stratiotikou - (Military Logothete) In charge of military finances
Logothetes tou Dromou - Foreign Minister and Head of the Diplomatic Corps. Also responsible for postal services.
Logothetes tou Genikou - (General Logothete) Finance Minister similar to our Chancellor of the Exchequer
Logothetes ton Oikeiakon - Head of Domestic Affairs like our Home Office Minister.
Sacellarios - Serves as a supervisor to Logothetes and other positions. Generally with little real power and just honourary.
Tribounos - (Tribune) Earlier official responsible for the infrastructure of Constantinople, rather like the Department of the Environment and Transport.
Kephale - Governor, usually of a town
Horeiarios - Rather like a Minister of Food and Agriculture who was responsible for making sure granaries were stocked and grain was distributed properly
Protoasecretes - A type of secretary in charge of keeping palace records and below him were:
Eidikos - Official of the treasury
Kastrinsios - A Palace chamberlain
Chartoularios - A secretary in charge of Imperial archives and documents
Mystikos - A private secretary
d.) Byzantine Naval Titles
Strategos tou Karabisiani - (General of the Ships' Men) earlier title used for Naval Commander in charge of Home Fleet in Constantinople
Megas Doux - (Grand Duke) Like Chief of the Naval Staff and and in charge of not just the fleet but the organisation of naval themata
Megas Drungarios - Like a Grand Admiral
Drungarokomes - Like an Admiral of the Fleet
Drungarios - Admiral or Commander of a Fleet or naval squadron
Strategos - Admiral, similar and often the same as a Drungarios
Katepano - Governor of a naval theme and possibly the origin of the word 'Captain'
Kentarchos - Captain of a ship
Protokarabos - Co-captain of a ship (usually two of them onboard sharing command and not serving as Number One)
e.) Byzantine Army Titles
Exarchos - (Exarch) Civil and military governor higher than other governors. There were two, one in charge of the Exarchate of Carthage, and the other in charge of the Exarchate of Ravenna. Like a Viceroy.
Megas Domestikos - (Grand Domestic) Basically the Field Marshal and Chief of Staff of the whole Army
Domestikos ton Scholon - (Domestic of the Scholae/Schools) Head of the Imperial and Palace Guard
Protostrator - Commander or General of the entire Army
Domestikos tou thematos - (Domestic of the Themes) An overall regional commander like Army Commander of the Pacific Theatre or somesuch. There was one for the European territories (themata) of the Empire and one for the Asian territories.
Strategos - (General) Military commander and governor of a theme
Hypatos - (Consul) Rulers of City-states, in this case in western Italian coastal territories
Hypatissa - Feminine version of Hypatos
Tourmarches - Commander of a Tourma
Protospatharios - Senior officer in the Imperial Guard, like a Colonel or Major.
Spatharios - Officer in the Imperial Guard like a Captain or Lieutenant
Hoplitarches - Commander of a large Infantry Division in a major army, like a Lieutenant General
Taxiarches - Commander of an Infantry Division, like a Major General
Merarches - Commander of Cavalry Division, like a Major General
Protokentarchos - Commander of a smaller division such as a Brigade, so like a Brigadier or Brigadier General
Kentarchos - Commander of a smaller unit such as a Regiment, so like a Colonel in Chief or Colonel, or even a Captain
Stratopedarches - Like a Chief Quartermaster in charge of supplies and logistics to keep the army going and make sure it is well equipped
f.) Byzantine Special Titles
Ethnarches - General in charge of foreign troops or mercenaries
Topoterites - (Deputy Commander) often given to foreigners making up a mercenary or foreign unit, and likely to be the second in command to the Ethnarches, probably similar to a Lieutenant General
Akolouthos - (Acolyte) Commander in Chief or General of the Varangian Guard, the Emperor's personal bodyguard formation
Hetaireiarches - Commander in charge of barbarian mercenaries, probably similar to a Colonel
Kontostaulos - Usually Commander of Frankish mercenaries, and thus probably equivalent to a Count and a Colonel
II. Ottoman Empire
Court and military ranks and titles used in the Ottoman Empire.
a.) Ottoman Royal and Imperial Titles in rough order of prestige
Padishah/Sultan - Emperor
Hünkar - Shah, a title of the Sultan
Hakan ül-Berreyn vel-Bahreyn - Great Khan, a title of the Sultan
Hilaf (?) - Caliph ('Representative' or Successor'), Commander of the Faithful, a title of the Sultan
Sultana - Empress
Vali Ahad-i-Sultanat - Crown Prince
Shahzada Sultan - other sons of the Padishah
Damad-i-Shahyari (name) Bey Effendi - Imperial Princess' Husbands
Sultanzada (Name) Bey-Effendi - sons of Imperial Princesses not in the line of succession
Bey - male line grandsons of Imperial princesses (equivalent to Duke)
Khidiv - Khedive, sovereign lower than Sultan, rough equivalent would be King (title not recognised until later in the Empire)
b.) Ottoman Court and Administrative titles
Vezir-i âzam/Sadrazam - Grand Vizier - Grand Chamberlain or equivalent to modern day Prime Minister
Sadr-ı âlî - High Vizier - Basically the same as above. Could at a stretch be used for Deputy PM I guess
Pasha - see below
Kahya - Advisor to Grand Vizier
Adliye Nazırı - Minister of Justice
Vezir - Vizier, roughly equivalent to a British Cabinet Minister
Maliye Nazırı - Minister of Finance, titled Pasha and holding rank of Vizier
Defterdar - Treasury minister or Chancellor of the Exchequer
Nazır - Minister, in British usage a junior cabinet minister perhaps
Kethüdar - Assistant minister
Agha - see below
Kadıasker - Chief Justice or Judge, and title for military judges
kadi - Civil judge
Kalfa - Clerk
c.) Ottoman Military Titles
Kaptan-ı Derya - Supreme Commander of the Navy - Admiral of the Fleet
Nazir - Administrator or Chief of Staff of a military corps
Pasha - Title usually granted to Generals and Governors, equivalent to Lord, could be bestowed upon anyone the Court wished to honour
Agha - Commander of a Military branch, also a civil title of importance in the Court and other offices
Beylerbey - Governor General/Provincial Governor or General
Wāli - Governor (usually a Pasha) of a Vilayet (Province)
Sanjakbey - Military Governor (old style)
Bey - District or Provincial administrator
Alaybey - Regimental commander
Miralai - Colonel (Army) Captain (Navy)
Mutasarrıf - District governor of a smaller area than Beys
Kaymakam - Governor of a Nahiye (commune), equivalent to a Lieutenant Colonel (Army) or a Commander (Navy)
Timarlu - owner of a small fief (old), possibly like a Knight or equivalent to a Lieutenant