Categories of land

he arable lands, particularly, of the Byzantine state can be divided into categories according to the status of their owners. The lands that belonged to the imperial throne were reduced in extent and number as a result of the gifts of land made by the Emperors, but also because the Byzantine territory itself had shrunk. In order to confront the problems posed by the state's constantly deteriorating economic situation on the one hand, and its increasing needs, on the other, the Emperor had recourse to ceding imperial lands or dispensing the available state funds wherever he deemed necessary.

The Church constituted one of the greatest landowners. Its property kept increasing thanks to imperial donations, to bequests by the faithful, to purchases and acquisitions of lands, as well as to tax reductions and exemptions offered by the state.

The vast bulk of the land in the Late Byzantine period undoubtedly belonged to private individuals, especially to great landowners of the aristocracy, who, drawing their strength on the exploitation of their properties, achieved ever-greater economic, social and political power and influence.

The lands owned by the military, from which the soldiers drew their subsistence, were constantly diminishing. John Vatatzes (1222-1254) had indeed endeavoured to instill new life into the category of land-owning soldiers, but as, after the recovery of Constantinople in 1261, the territory of the Empire was also continuously shrinking, it was very difficult for Byzantium to base its defence on military landholders.

A group of small land-owning famers did of course exist, even though it, too, was on the decline. The destitution of the state, however, contributed to their eventual disappearance, since their lands were not sufficient to ensure their livelihood. The major part of the rural population, which did not possess the capital needed to meet the costs of farming their land, generally limited their private property to vineyards and market gardens, for which only farm labour was required and which were thus affordable and accessible to many.