Droungarios of the Watch
Name Tenure Appointed by Notes
Andronikos Eonopolites c. 1286 -89 Michael VIII Palaiologos Eunuch and military commander
Theodore Komnenos Philes early 14th century Andronikos II Palaiologos or Andronikos III Palaiologos He is mentioned in an act variously dated to 1302 , 1317 or 1332 , as being buried in the Spelaiotissa Monastery at Melenikon
Demetrios Palaiologos Tornikes c. 1324 -41 Andronikos II Palaiologos Andronikos III Palaiologos A relative of the imperial family , he is only mentioned in four documents
Constantine Palaiologos Tornikes c. 1325 Andronikos II Palaiologos Megas droungarios tēs viglēs at Berroia in 1325
Bryennios 1320s Andronikos II Palaiologos Otherwise unknown , he defected to Andronikos III Palaiologos during the Byzantine civil war of 1321-1328
Nikephoros after 1325 Andronikos II Palaiologos Known only from an act of the Zographou monastery of 1342 , by which time he was dead
Kannaboutzes ( ? ) 1324 Andronikos II Palaiologos A droungarios , but it is unclear if he was a Grand Droungarios of the Watch
Theodore Palaiologos c. 1328 Andronikos III Palaiologos A nephew of Andronikos III , he was Grand Droungarios of the Watch and governor of Lemnos in 1328
George Bryennios c. 1328 Andronikos II Palaiologos A military commander against the Bulgarians , he governed Ohrid as Grand Droungarios after 1328
John Doukas Mouzalon unknown Andronikos III Palaiologos An addressee of the poet Manuel Philes , he is called a Grand Droungarios , most likely of the Watch
John Gabalas c. 1341 Andronikos III Palaiologos Originally a partisan of John Kantakouzenos , he was Grand Droungarios , probably of the Watch , in 1341 . He was persuaded by Alexios Apokaukos to side with the regency during the Byzantine civil war of 1341-1347 and rose to the post of Grand Logothete , but eventually fell out with Apokaukos and was imprisoned
George Doukas Apokaukos c. 1342 John V Palaiologos Grand Droungarios , probably of the Watch , mentioned in a chrysobull of 1342 with Venice
Johanne de Peralta 1347-54 John VI Kantakouzenos A Westerner , possibly Catalan , and friend and adherent of Kantakouzenos
Demetrios Glabas c. 1366 John V Palaiologos Grand Droungarios of the Watch at Thessalonica in 1366
Komes c. 1366 John V Palaiologos Grand Droungarios of the Watch at Thessalonica in 1366
Palaiologan era -- List of known holders
The Droungarios of the Watch (, droungarios tēs viglēs/viglas), sometimes anglicized as Drungary of the Watch, was originally a senior Byzantine military post. Attested since the late 8th century, the droungarios commanded the Vigla or Watch, one of the elite professional cavalry regiments (tagmata) of the middle Byzantine period, and was in charge of the Byzantine emperor's personal security. From , the office was disassociated from its military origin and was transformed into a senior judicial position, thereafter usually referred to as the Grand Droungarios of the Watch (μέγας δρουγγάριος τῆς βίγλης/βίγλας, megas droungarios tēs viglēs/viglas). The office continued to exist as a mostly honorific court dignity in the Palaiologan era, until the very end of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-15th century.