DATELINE: NOVO ASHUKOVO, RHŌMANÍA (RNA)
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| Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos presiding over the Council of Constantinople of 1351, from a manuscript of the 1370s Image: Wikimedia Commons, public domain |
His Orthodox Imperial & Royal Majesty Emmanuel I & II, Basileus and Autokrator of the Romans, has appointed Georgios Akropolites as Megas Mesazon of the Basileía of the Romans. The appointment was made by Imperial Decree ΒΔ11/7535-22-ΟΚΤ, On the appointment of Georgios Akropolites as Megas Mesazon, given at Nea Assoukovia (Novo Ashukovo) on 22 October and published in the Imperial Gazette the same day.
The new Megas Mesazon's birth name has not been disclosed. In Rhōmanía he is known as Georgios Akropolites.
The decree
ΒΔ11 was issued alongside ΒΔ10, which, as reported yesterday by The Imperial Tribune, adopted the consolidated Fundamental Laws. Its preamble states that the office was required “for the countersignature of Decree No. ΒΔ10/7535-22-ΟΚΤ and for the conduct of the Government” under the new Fundamental Laws.
Under Article I, the appointment takes effect from 22 October and “from before his countersignature” of ΒΔ10. Article II defines the Megas Mesazon as “the head of government”, who advises the Basileús, reports to him on the conduct of the Government, and directs and coordinates the Logothetes. Article III confirms and ratifies the countersignature he gave to ΒΔ10 as the one the Fundamental Laws require. Article IV provides that he continues in office under the Fundamental Laws now in force without further appointment. Article V orders the decree's publication with ΒΔ10 and its entry in the register of laws and Imperial Decrees.
The office under the Fundamental Laws
The Fundamental Laws, in force since their publication in the Gazette on 22 October, leave the appointment and dismissal of the Megas Mesazon to the absolute discretion of the Basileús. The Megas Mesazon presides over the Council of Logothetes, the Cabinet of the Basileía. He nominates the Logothetes, whose appointment requires the prior approval of the Boule of the Demos. The designations and departments of the Logothetes are to be fixed by law or by Imperial Decree on his advice.
He, or the competent Logothete, countersigns every law, Imperial Decree and Imperial Ordinance and assumes responsibility for it. He is responsible to the Basileús and accountable to the Boule of the Demos. The Imperial Chancery, which publishes the Imperial Gazette and keeps the archives, seals and official websites of the Basileía, forms part of his Office.
The Gazette has also published the full texts of Decrees ΒΔ1 to ΒΔ6, issued between January and March 2021, under their original titles and dates. The Fundamental Laws require every earlier decree whose full text has not been published to appear in the Gazette within 180 days.
The historical mesazon
The mesazon, literally “the one in the middle”, emerged in the twelfth century under the Komnenian emperors as the official standing between the emperor and the administration. Under the Palaiologoi he became, in practice, the emperor's chief minister. Nikephoros Choumnos and Theodore Metochites served Andronikos II in that capacity, and Demetrios Kydones served John VI Kantakouzenos and John V.
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