despotes
Title introduced in the 12th century. In administrative hierarchy, the office of despotes was under the emperor and the co-emperor. From the 14th century onwards, the title was given to the governors of the Byzantine Peloponnese.

megas domestikos
Supreme military commander of the imperial army. High-ranking title which was generally given to close relatives of the emperor.

metochion
In the Byzantine period, metochion meant the estate that was conceded to a monastery for income purposes and operated as its dependency. Usually the metochia were located far from the monastery to which they belonged and included various structures, such as churches, hospices etc.

pronoia
("care", "forethought") An institution that goes back to the 11th century. It refers to estates granted to a prominent military official or to the Church; it also designates in general the right of an individual of areligious foundation to receive directly from citizens of farmers whatever dues they would normally be obliged to pay to the state. The holder of a pronoia was called pronoiarios. The pronoiai could not be inherited by the family of military officials after their death, while when a donation was made to the Church, the pronoia was considered full and permanent.

sebastokrator
Honorary title of the Byzantine court. The office was established in 1081 by Alexios I Komnenos for his elder brother Isaac, equivalent to the one of regent

strategos ("general")
During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state´s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region.