Carlo, by the grace of God, Despot of Romania"). Carlo also sometimes used the version ("Despot of the Romans", i.e. the Byzantines/Greeks) from 1418 onwards. This version of the title had even more dangerous implications for Constantinople, as it implied rulership over the Byzantine people themselves rather than territory they considered part of their empire. To the Byzantines, such power could only legally be exercised by the emperor. Carlo I's successor, Carlo II Tocco, used the title "Despot of Arta", which connected him to the old capital of the Epirote realm rather than to the territory of the Byzantine Empire at large. Even then, "Despot of Arta" was no more acceptable to the Byzantines than "Despot of Romania" as it was still in relation to a specific territory, rather than on the position of a despot relative to the emperor in court hierarchy. This title was also used by Carlo II's successor, Leonardo III Tocco. Later members of the Tocco family, pretenders to the title, used both "Despot of Romania" and "Despot of Arta"; a 1697 Italian text titles the despots of the Tocco family as Despoti de Romanìa, & del'Arta ("Despots of Romania and of Arta"). List of despots of Epirus, 1205–1479 Komnenos Doukas dynasty (1205–1318) Orsini dynasty (1318–1359) Nemanjić dynasty (1359–1385) Buondelmonti dynasty (1385–1411) Tocco dynasty (1411–1479) Titular despots of Epirus, 1479–1642 With Antonio Tocco's abandonment of the title in the 17th century, the Tocco family ceased to use the title Despot of Epirus. Antonio's male-line descendants instead continued the use of the title Prince of Achaea. The change in titulature might be attributable to the Tocchi being the most senior descendants of Thomas Palaiologos, Despot of the Morea, following the extinction of his last certain male-line descendants in the 16th century. Thomas Palaiologos had married the heiress of Centurione II Zaccaria, the last Prince of Achaea, and had inherited the territories of the principality upon Centurione's death in 1432. Notes References Bibliography Web sources Lists of monarchs Lists of medieval people Byzantine Empire-related lists Despots of Epirus