======Byzantine & Ottoman Imperial, Court, Military & Civil Ranks======

Prepared by [[offtopic:Sargon]]. Hopefully with amendments, corrections and additions to the Ottoman section by [[offtopic:abdul_hadi_pasha|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 [[alternate_history:Byzantine Empire]] and [[alternate_history:Ottoman Empire]]. You can use it as a resource when planning and writing AH scenarios or OTL historical stories.

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=====I. Byzantine Empire=====

Court and military ranks and titles used in the [[alternate history: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**Sebaste** - female version of Sebastos (both later superseded by Sebastokrator/Panhypersebastos)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

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=====II. Ottoman Empire=====

Court and military ranks and titles used in the [[alternate history: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

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