Praktor

The name was borrowed from the Byzantine administrative tradition. In the Byzantine Empire, the praktor was primarily a fiscal official. From the twelfth century onward, he took over the role of the older dioiketes in the provincial administration of revenue. His authority could sometimes extend to hearing disputes and enforcing decisions. The Bulgarian office was probably inherited from the system that had operated in the Bulgarian lands during nearly two centuries of Byzantine rule.

In its earliest attested Bulgarian use, the word has an unusually broad meaning. In the Vatopedi Charter of Tsar Ivan Asen II, the expression “практѡри цѣми” covers all state officials, who are divided into “lesser” and “great” ones. In meaning, this corresponds to the general designation “работники царства ми” found in later charters. The population's familiarity with the fiscal administration and the extensive practical powers of its officers probably caused praktor to become, for a time, a general word for an official. No comparable usage has been identified in the neighbouring medieval states.

In the Virgino, Mraka, Rila, and Vitosha charters, the praktor appears instead to hold a specific office. His position in their lists suggests a high rank. In the Virgino Charter, he is once placed immediately after the sebastos, the holder of an honorific title; elsewhere, the doux and the kastrophylax—that is, a provincial or military governor and a fortress commander—stand between the sebastos and the praktor. The evidence is uncertain, however: the charter itself is inauthentic and antedated, while its ordering of offices is inconsistent. Similar changes in the praktor's position relative to the sebastoi occur in King Stefan Uroš II Milutin's charter of 1300 for the Monastery of St George Gorgos.

The Mraka Charter places praktors after the sebastoi and includes them among those entitled to impose fines. It is not entirely clear whether the word once again denotes officials in general or refers to a distinct office. The same document, however, also uses a separate general expression for the tsar's servants, which supports the latter interpretation. In the Rila Charter, the praktors again come immediately after the sebastoi. The Vitosha Charter puts them at the head of the officials serving the kephale of Sredets—the provincial governor—and thus explicitly associates them with the local administration.

The praktor's fiscal duties are the most securely established part of his activity, but he was probably more than a mere tax collector. The authority to impose fines points to broader executive powers at the local level. Such responsibilities are also consistent with Byzantine practice, in which a praktor could receive administrative and judicial assignments. Serbian royal charters of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries attest a similar institution, probably almost identical to the Bulgarian office in its basic fiscal role.

Praktors undoubtedly belonged to the leading officials of the provincial government and probably stood at the head of the fiscal administration. Their precise position relative to sebastoi, doukes, kastrophylakes, and other officeholders cannot be reconstructed because the documentary lists are inconsistent. Different categories of praktor may have existed according to the territory or activity entrusted to them. Milutin's charter of 1300, for example, distinguishes a praktor from a “city praktor,” but there is no direct evidence for the same division in Bulgaria. If the doubtful Virgino Charter is excluded, the praktor as a specific office is securely attested only in the fourteenth century; the sparse evidence reveals neither all its possible varieties nor the exact time when it disappeared.

The word came from Byzantine administrative language. In the Byzantine Empire, a praktor was mainly a tax and revenue official. From the twelfth century onward, he took over the job that an older official, the dioiketes, had handled in the provinces. In some cases, his powers also included settling disputes and making sure decisions were carried out. The Bulgarian office was probably taken over from the system that had been in place in the Bulgarian lands during nearly two centuries of Byzantine rule.

In its earliest known Bulgarian use, the word had a very broad meaning. In the Vatopedi Charter of Tsar Ivan Asen II, the phrase “практѡри цѣми” refers to all state officials, who are divided into “lesser” and “great” ones. This matches the later general phrase “работники царства ми.” Because people were familiar with the tax system and with the wide practical powers of its officers, praktor seems to have become, for a time, a general word for an official. No similar use is known from the neighbouring medieval states.

In the Virgino, Mraka, Rila, and Vitosha charters, however, praktor appears to mean a specific office. The way it is placed in the lists suggests a high rank. In the Virgino Charter, it comes right after the sebastos, which is an honorific title. In other places, the doux and the kastrophylax—that is, a provincial or military governor and a fortress commander—stand between the sebastos and the praktor. But the evidence is shaky. The charter itself is not genuine and has been dated earlier than it should be, and its order of offices is not consistent. Similar changes in the position of the praktor in relation to the sebastoi also appear in King Stefan Uroš II Milutin's charter of 1300 for the Monastery of St George Gorgos.

The Mraka Charter places praktors after the sebastoi and includes them among those allowed to impose fines. It is not fully clear whether the word here again means officials in general or a separate office. Even so, the same document also uses another general phrase for the tsar's servants, which supports the second reading. In the Rila Charter, praktors again come immediately after the sebastoi. The Vitosha Charter puts them at the head of the officials serving the kephale of Sredets, that is, the provincial governor, and so links them directly with local administration.

The fiscal side of the praktor's work is the part we can establish most securely, but he was probably more than just a tax collector. The power to impose fines suggests broader executive authority at the local level. That fits Byzantine practice, where a praktor could also be given administrative and judicial tasks. Serbian royal charters of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries show a similar institution, probably almost the same as the Bulgarian office in its basic fiscal role.

Praktors were certainly among the leading officials in provincial government and probably stood at the top of the fiscal administration. Their exact place in relation to sebastoi, doukes, kastrophylakes, and other officeholders cannot be worked out, because the surviving lists do not agree with one another. There may also have been different kinds of praktor, depending on the area or the task assigned to them. Milutin's charter of 1300, for example, distinguishes a praktor from a “city praktor,” but there is no direct evidence for the same division in Bulgaria. If the doubtful Virgino Charter is left out, the praktor as a specific office is securely known only in the fourteenth century. The small amount of evidence does not let us identify all its forms, or say exactly when it disappeared.

This office came from the Byzantine Empire. There, it was mainly a tax official. In Bulgaria, it was probably kept from the time of Byzantine rule. It could deal with money, and sometimes with disputes too.

At first, one charter of Tsar Ivan Asen II uses the word for all state officials. But in later charters, it seems to mean a real office. These officials were linked to local government and could also fine people.

The evidence is not clear in every case. Still, these men seem to have been important provincial officials and likely led the tax work. By the 1300s, the office is clearly seen in Bulgarian records.