Exarch

Exarch was the title conferred by Justinian on his commander-in-chief and vicegerent in Italy, Narses, who reconquered Italy from the Goths (554). The seat of the exarchs was Ravenna. The extent of the exarchate was gradually diminished until it embraced only the country about Ravenna (q.v.). This was brought about by the conquests of the Longobards, whose king, Astulf, in 752 put an end to the Byzantine rule at Ravenna; but in 755 he was compelled to resign the exarchate to Pepin, king of the Franks, who gave it over to the Bishop of Rome, Stephen II.—Other Byzantine viceroys were called exarchs; and the title was conferred on certain bishops (afterwards called patriarchs) and other church dignitaries.