History edit
Imperial titles in Byzantium edit
The elaborate Justinianic version of the imperial titulature remained in official use until 629, when Heraclius (r. 610–641), by then mid-way into his reign, replaced it with the simpler Greek style Ἡράκλειος πιστὸς ἐν Χριστῷ βασιλεύς ("Herakleios, faithful in Christ, Basileus"). This change marked the beginning of the eventually permanent "hellenization" of Byzantine imperial titulature.[1]
After Heraclius, his new imperial style changed very little through the centuries.
| Timespan | Titles | English translation | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| ?–629
(Justinianic titulature) (XX – Heraclius) |
Imperator Caesar Flavius [name] fidelis in Christo mansuetus maximus beneficus pacificus Alamannicus Gothicus Francicus Germanicus Anticus Vandalicus Africanus Erulicus Gepidicus pius felix inclitus victor ac triumfator semper Augustus | Emperor Caesar Flavius [name], faithful in Christ, mild, majestic, bountiful, peaceable; victor over the Alamanni, Goths, Franks and Germans, the Antae, Alans, Vandals, Heruls, Gepids, in Africa; pious, fortunate, renowned, victorious and triumphant, ever august. | |
| 629–812 | |||
| 812–1042 | |||
| 1042–1195 | |||
| 1195–1204 | |||
| 1204–1453 |
References edit
- ^ Kaegi 2003, p. 194. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFKaegi2003 (help)
Bibliography edit
- Kaegi, Walter E. (2003). Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521036986.
WIP - old stuff edit
The style of the Roman emperors refers to the formal mode of address to a Roman emperor that evolved and changed many times since the establishment of the Roman Empire under Augustus in 27 BC, its transformation to the medieval Byzantine Empire and its various proclaimed successor states.
User:Ichthyovenator/Roman imperial titles
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-9685-8_19
https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/24640/1005471.pdf?sequence=1#page=231
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-25677-8_3
Principate (27 BC – AD 284) [WIP] edit
Late Antiquity (284–629) [WIP] edit
Justinianic titulature (XXX–629) [WIP] edit
The "Justinianic" form of the imperial title is attested through the Justinian dynasty () up until 629, in the middle of the reign of Heraclius ().[1]
| Emperor | Latin titles | English translation | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin II 565–578 |
Imperator Caesar Flavius Iustinus fidelis in Christo mansuetus maximus benefactor Alamannicus Gothicus Francicus Germanicus Anticus Vandalicus Africanus pius felix inclitus victor ac triumphator semper Augustus | Emperor Caesar Flavius Justin, faithful in Christ, mild, majestic, greatest benefactor; victor over the Alamanni, Goths, Franks, Germans, Antae, Vandals, in Africa; pious, fortunate, renowned, victorious and triumphant, ever august | [2][3] |
| Maurice 582–602 |
Imperator Caesar Flavius Mauricius Tiberius fidelis in Christo mansuetus maximus beneficus pacificus Alamannicus Gothicus Francicus Germanicus Anticus Alanicus Vandalicus Erulicus Gepidicus Africanus pius felix inclitus victor ac triumfator semper Augustus | Emperor Caesar Flavius Maurice Tiberius, faithful in Christ, mild, majestic, bountiful, peaceable; victor over the Alamanni, Goths, Franks and Germans, the Antae, Alans, Vandals, Heruls, Gepids, in Africa; pious, fortunate, renowned, victorious and triumphant, ever august | [4][5] |
| Heraclius 610–641 |
Imperator Caesar Flavius Heraclius fidelis in Christo mansuetus maximus beneficus pacificus Alamannicus Gothicus Francicus Germanicus Anticus Vandalicus Africanus Erulicus Gepidicus pius felix inclitus victor ac triumfator semper Augustus | Emperor Caesar Flavius Heraclius, faithful in Christ, mild, majestic, bountiful, peaceable; victor over the Alamanni, Goths, Franks and Germans, the Antae, Vandals, in Africa, Heruls, Gepids; pious, fortunate, renowned, victorious and triumphant, ever august | [1] |
Titles on Roman coinage [WIP] edit
Titulature in the Byzantine Empire (629–1453) [WIP] edit
Early and Middle Byzantine titulature (629–1195) edit
In 629, Heraclius changed his imperial style from the previous Justinianic rendition to the simpler Ἡράκλειος πιστὸς ἐν Χριστῷ βασιλεύς, "Herakleios, faithful in Christ, Basileus". This change marked the beginning of the gradual, and eventually permanent, "hellenization" of Byzantine imperial titulature.[1]
- "of the Romans" added under Michael I
- Theophilus used "Theophilos, faithful in Christ, Basileus of the Romans"
- Leo VI added "pious"
- "autocrat" was used from time to time, often to mark a senior emperor, Heraklonas, Alexander, Nikephoros II, John I Tzimiskes
- Family names were introduced with Constantine IX Monomachos
Titulature in the Holy Roman Empire [WIP] edit
Charlemagne edit
| Notes | Latin titles | English translation | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-imperial title as king after conquest of the Lombard Kingdom in 774 | Karolus rex Francorum et Langobardorum atque patricius Romanorum | Charles, king of the Franks and the Lombards, and patrician of the Romans | [6] |
| Title used in a diploma at Arezzo on 4 March 801 and used in other Tuscan sources in 802 and 804 | Carolus rex Francorum et Romanorum adque Langobardorum | Charles, king of the Franks and the Romans, and of the Lombards | [6] |
| Standard form of imperial titles, attested from May 801 onwards | Karolus serenissimus augustus a Deo coronatus magnus pacificus Imperator Romanum gubernans Imperium, qui et per misericordiam Dei rex Francorum et (atque) Langobardorum | Charles, most serene Augustus, crowned by God, great peaceful emperor governing the Roman Empire, by the mercy of God, king of the Franks and of the Lombards | [6][7] |
| Shortened version used in some documents | Karolus Imperator Augustus Romanum gubernans Imperium | Charles, august emperor, governing the Roman Empire | [7] |
| Titles used on coins | Karolus Imperator Augustus | Charles, august emperor | [7] |
| Title used in a 813 letter to Byzantine Emperor Michael I Rangabe | Karolus Imperator et Augustus et rex Francorum et atque Langobardorum | Charles, emperor and Augustus and also king of the Franks and of the Lombards | [8] |
With the coronation of Charlemagne in 800, the Papacy formally ceased to recognize the rulers of the Byzantine Empire as Roman emperors. In their place, the popes would recognize Charlemagne and his successors (the so-called Holy Roman emperors) as the rightful Roman emperors. In their contemporary worldview, the coronation of Charlemagne was not a division of the Roman Empire into the old east and a new empire in the west, nor a restoration of the old Western Roman Empire, but rather a transfer (translatio imperii) of imperial power from the "Greeks" in the east to the Franks in the west.[9] To contemporaries in Western Europe, Charlemagne's key legitimizing factor as emperor (other than papal approval) was the territories which he controlled. As he controlled formerly Roman lands in Gaul, Germany and Italy (including Rome itself), and was seen as acting as a true emperor in these lands, which the eastern emperor was seen as having had abandoned, he thus deserved to be called an emperor.[8]
The official titulature of Charlemagne fluctuated throughout 801, with several rarely used early versions being known. The standard elaborate version that was eventually settled on was Karolus serenissimus augustus a Deo coronatus magnus pacificus Imperator Romanum gubernans Imperium, qui et per misericordiam Dei rex Francorum et (atque) Langobardorum. Among the clearer differences to the royal titulature used by Charlemagne prior to his imperial coronation, Karolus rex Francorum et Langobardorum atque patricius Romanorum, is that the Roman element, previously left at the end of the title, has been moved to before the Frankish and Lombard elements. In his royal title, patricius Romanorum, "patrician of the Romans", was a distinction given by Pope Stephen II to Charlemagne's father Pepin, Charlemagne himself, and Charlemagne's younger brother Carloman after the Donation of Pepin in 752, and it explicitly referred to the Romans as a people.[6] Charlemagne abandoned the title of patrician when be was crowned emperor.[10] Though initial titles referred to the Romans as a people, with the March 801 Tuscan variant still referring to the "Romanorum" rather than "Romanum", the eventual standard version of the titles presents the "Romanum Imperium" as more abstract. The Romans are no longer spoken of as a people, and the use of "Roman" has thus changed function in the titulature. That some early examples of Charlemagne's titles after his coronation referred to him as "king of the Romans" rather than an emperor shows that there was initially some uncertainty about Charlemagne's dignity, and that the transition from royal to imperial title schemes was slightly gradual.[6]
From the Tuscan title, it appears that Charlemagne initially deemed "king of the Romans" sufficient for marking Roman imperial dignity.[11] Charlemagne omitted the Roman element of his title when writing to Constantinople in 813, and his titles refer to him as an "emperor governing the Roman Empire" rather than explicitly a "Roman emperor". This could be seen as an attempt at avoiding the dispute and issue over who was the true emperor and attempting to keep the perceived unity of the Roman Empire intact. His 813 title without "Roman" altogether appears to link Charlemagne's imperial power to his kingship over multiple kingdoms (the Franks and the Lombards) rather than any Roman dignity.[8] It is not clear why Charlemagne's imperial title incorporated "Roman" at all. Though Byzantine seals had used βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαῖων ("Emperor of the Romans") since the 7th century, the element had not been incorporated into the official imperial titulature by either the ancient Roman or the Byzantine emperors. It is unlikely that Byzantine seals were referenced for composing Charlemagne's titles and the why the Franks would be interested in an explicit Roman qualification is not clear either.[11] As the contemporary Byzantine chronicler Theophanes the Confessor writes that Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as "βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαῖων", it is possible that the qualifier was applied to Charlemagne at his coronation by the Pope himself.[12]
Succeeding emperors [WIP] edit
| Period | Latin titles | English translation | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 814–1002 | [name] Imperator Augustus | [name], august emperor | [13][14] |
| 1014–1046 | [name] Romanorum Imperator Augustus | [name], august emperor of the Romans | [14] |
| 1046–1190 | [name] Dei gratia Romanorum Imperator Augustus | [name], by the Grace of God, august emperor of the Romans | [14] |
| 1191–1508; 1530–1556 | [name] Dei gratia Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus | [name], by the Grace of God, emperor of the Romans, ever august | [14][15][16] |
| 1508–1530; 1556–1806 | [name] Dei gratia electus Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus | [name], by the Grace of God, elected emperor of the Romans, ever august |
The imperial titulature of Charlemagne's son and successor, Louis the Pious (r. 813–840), changed the formula, omitting not only the Roman qualifier, but also the Frankish and Lombard elements, reducing the title to simply Imperator Augustus. Additionally, Louis changed the motto that had been used by Charlemagne, Renovatio Romani imperii ("renewal of the Roman Empire"), to Renovatio regni Francorum ("renewal of the Kingdom of the Franks"), highlighting the Franks, rather than the Romans.[17]
A numeral was first introduced into the official titulature by Henry IV (r. 1084–1105). The numeral was initially used in regards to the imperial titles, with emperors enumerating themselves after past emperors: Henry IV was officially titled as Heinricus Tertius (Henry III) and his successor Henry V (r. 1111–1125) was officially Heinricus Quartus (Henry IV), as they were the third and fourth emperors by that name, respectively. This practice changed with Henry V's successor Lothair III (r. 1133–1137), who titled himself as Lotharius Tertius, even though he was only the second emperor by that name (also enumerating himself after Lothair II, who had only been a king). Succeeding emperors would enumerate themselves after previous kings of Germany, rather than previous emperors.[14]
The element "semper Augustus" (ever august), originally used by some Roman emperors in antiquity, was introduced into the titulature under Henry VI (r. 1191–1197).[14] "Semper Augustus" was also added into the royal style of the king of the Romans (the emperor-designate, a title first used under Henry V) under Philip of Swabia (r. 1198–1208) and Otto IV (r. 1198–1209; then emperor 1209–1215), who were thus titled as Dei gratia Romanorum Rex semper Augustus.[14]
[on electus Romanorum imperator]
See also [WIP] edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Kaegi 2003, p. 194. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFKaegi2003 (help)
- ^ Rösch 1978, p. 168.
- ^ Sodini 1973, pp. 378, 383.
- ^ Bury 1889, pp. 165–166.
- ^ Rösch 1978, p. 169.
- ^ a b c d e Beumann 1981, p. 8.
- ^ a b c Velde 2002.
- ^ a b c Muldoon 1999, p. 47.
- ^ Lamers 2015, p. 65.
- ^ Sarti 2016.
- ^ a b Beumann 1981, p. 9.
- ^ Beumann 1981, p. 10.
- ^ Blancard 1860, p. 2.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gatterer 1765, p. 249.
- ^ Blancard 1860, p. 3.
- ^ Gatterer 1765, p. 250.
- ^ Beumann 1981, p. 11.
Bibliography edit
- Beumann, Helmut (1981). Der Deutsche König als "Romanorum Rex" (PDF) (in German). Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3515035712.
- Blancard, Louis (1860). Iconographie des Sceaux et Bulles (in French). Archives départementales des Bouches-du-Rhône.
- Bury, J.B. (1889). A History of the Later Roman Empire from Arcadius to Irene, 395 A.D. to 800 A.D. Vol. II. MacMillan & Co. OCLC 168739195.
- Gatterer, Johann Christoph (1765). Elementa artis diplomaticae universalis (in Latin). Apvd vidvam b. Vandenhoeckii.
- Kaegi, Walter E. (2003). Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521036986.
- Lamers, Han (2015). Greece Reinvented: Transformations of Byzantine Hellenism in Renaissance Italy. Brill. ISBN 978-9004297555.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - Muldoon, James (1999). Empire and Order: The Concept of Empire, 800–1800. Springer. ISBN 978-0312222260.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - Rösch, Gerhard (1978). Onoma Basileias: Studien zum offiziellen Gebrauch der Kaisertitel in spätantiker und frühbyzantinischer Zeit. Byzantina et Neograeca Vindobonensia (in German). Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. ISBN 978-3-7001-0260-1.
- Sarti, Laury (2016). "Frankish Romanness and Charlemagne's Empire". Speculum. 91: 1040–58. doi:10.1086/687993/Speculum_91_2016.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - Sodini, Jean-Pierre (1973). "Une titulature faussement attribuée à Justinien Ier. Remarque sur une inscription trouvée à Kythrea, Chypre". Travaux et Mémoires du Centre de Recherche d'Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance (in French). Vol. 5. pp. 373–384.
Web sources edit
- Velde, François (2002). "The Title of Emperor". Heraldica. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)