Despotate of Epirus - Nomenclature

Nomenclature

Although the Epirote state is usually termed the "Despotate of Epirus" and its rulers called Despots, this use is not strictly accurate. The title "despot" was not even borne by all Epirote rulers. The state's founder, Michael I, never used it, and is only anachronistically referred to as "Despot of Epirus" in 14th-century Western sources. His successor Theodore did not use it either, and actually crowned himself Byzantine emperor at Thessalonica in ca. 1225. The first ruler of Epirus to receive the title of Despot was Michael II in the 1230s (from Manuel of Thessalonica), and then again, as a sign of submission and vassalage, from the Nicaean emperor John III Vatatzes. Even after that however, speaking of the Epirote rulers as "Despots of Epirus" is technically incorrect, since the title of Despot did not imply any specific territorial jurisdiction; it was merely the highest rank in the Byzantine court hierarchy, borne by close relatives to the reigning emperor, usually his sons. As a consequence, it was often borne by the princes sent to govern semi-autonomous appanages, and came to be associated later with these territories (aside from Epirus, the Despotate of the Morea is the most notable case). The term "Despotate" itself (in Greek despotaton) is not used in contemporary sources for Epirus until 1342.