Acropolis: The heavily fortified portion of a kastron.
Akincis: Ottoman irregular, light cavalry, often serving as scouts or a vanguard to the regular army.
Bey: Originally a term for a Turkish tribal chieftain but also used as an Ottoman
title for a local representative of the sultan’s authority.
Byzantine Empire: The Byzantine Empire was the eastern half of the Roman Empire, though contemporaries did not use the term. The Byzantines referred to themselves as Romans, and their neighbors often referred to them as Greeks. Their capital was Constantinople. For centuries, the Byzantine Empire controlled the Mediterranean world, but by the time of this novel, their borders had shrunk significantly. The empire still included much of Thrace, the Peloponnese, and lands around Thessaloniki. Though their military and political power was on the wane, their cultural influence remained strong. Their religion was Orthodox Christian.
Corselet: A piece of armor meant to protect the torso. It was normally hip length, with or without sleeves. Often made of lamellar in this novel’s setting.
Courser: A warhorse, known for strength and speed.
Dalmatica: A garment with wide, three-quarters-length sleeves and a roughly knee-length skirt, generally layered over a tunic. Could be worn by men or women.
Dama: Term of respect for a Serbian noblewoman.
Destrier: The most valuable type of warhorse, trained for battle and tournaments.
Effendi: Turkish title of respect.
Ghazi: For the purposes of this novel, the term refers to an Ottoman raider who depended on plunder for his pay. The word has a more expansive definition outside the setting of the fourteenth-century Balkan Peninsula, but the more limited definition is used for clarity and accuracy in this book’s historical setting.
Grad: A fortified Slavic town.
Great Mortality: The term contemporary people used to refer to the plague now known as the Black Death, which swept through Europe, peaking in the late 1340s and early 1350s.
Grody: A fortified area of a Slavic town or village.
Greek Fire: A Byzantine weapon similar to napalm.
Gusle: A single-stringed musical instrument held in the lap and played with a bow.
Hauberk: A shirt of mail armor, usually with sleeves and reaching to the midthigh.
Hyperpyron: A gold coin minted by the Byzantine Empire. (plural: hyperpyra)
Imam: Muslim religious leader.
Janissaries: Elite Ottoman infantry. Until the seventeenth century, they were formed largely of Christian children taken from their homes and forcibly converted to Islam.
Kastron: A fortified Byzantine town.
Kastrophylax: Kephale’s assistant for maintaining a kastron’s defenses.
Kataphraktoi: Heavily armored Byzantine cavalry.
Kephale: Byzantine commander in charge of a town’s military and civil functions.
Kispet: Leather trousers worn during oil wrestling.
Knez: Serbian term for a prince.
Kral: Serbian term for a king.
Kyria: Term of respect for a Greek noblewoman.
Kyrios: Term of respect for a Greek nobleman.
Lamellar: A type of body armor made from laced plates of leather, horn, or metal.
Manjaniq: A Turkish siege weapon used for slinging rocks.
Meroph: A Serbian serf. Merophs owed labor, tribute, or both to their feudal lord and to the church.
Narthex: The entrance area, antechamber, or court of an Orthodox church.
Nave: The main part of an Orthodox church between the narthex and the sanctuary.
Ottoman Empire: A Turkish empire established in Asia Minor, then expanded into Europe. Murad I, the founder’s grandson, is sultan during this story. In the 1380s, many Balkan Christian rulers were vassals to the Ottomans, but Turkish control was not yet complete. The Ottomans were Muslims. They saw Europe as a new frontier—a land of opportunity and destiny.
Palfrey: A horse valued for its smooth gait, ideal for riding long distances.
Palaiologoi: A dynasty that ruled the Byzantine Empire from the midthirteenth century until the empire’s fall.
Paroikos: Greek tenant farmer. (plural: paroikoi)
Pasha: Ottoman title for a high-ranking military or civic leader.
Pehlivan: Contestant in an oil-wrestling match.
Petrobola: A beam-sling weapon used to hurl rocks or other items. (plural: petroboloi)
Pronoia: Land granted by the Byzantine emperor in exchange for military service.
Rumelia: Ottoman term for Europe.
Saracen: Originally a term for Muslim Arabs, but by the time of this story, it was used by Christians to mean any Muslim.
Satnik: Serbian official, subordinate to the župan, with military and civil responsibilities.
Scimitar: A sword with a curved blade.
Semantron: A percussion instrument played with a mallet, often used at Orthodox monasteries.
Serbian Empire: The Medieval Serbian Empire reached its zenith in the middle of the fourteenth century and included much of the Balkan Peninsula. It suffered serious setbacks with the death of Emperor Stefan Dušan in 1355 and a devastating loss at the Battle of Maritsa in 1371. The Serb religion was Christian Orthodox, and their culture was heavily affected by both Byzantine and Italian influences.
Shahada: Muslim profession of faith.
Sipahis: Ottoman cavalry, compensated by salary or land grant.
Spathion: Type of sword common in the late Byzantine era, about three feet long with a double-edged blade.
Timar: An Ottoman feudal estate, granted by the sultan.
Tzaousios: Byzantine garrison commander or similar military leader.
Varangians: An elite Byzantine guard unit, originally composed of Viking warriors. By the fourteenth century, it relied heavily on Anglo-Saxon recruits.
Vlach: An ethnic group in the Balkans, often shepherds during the Middle Ages.
Župa: A geographic area ruled by a župan.
Župan: Serb lord, comparable to a count.
A. L. Sowards 