Alabarch Definition

A medieval term used to refer to a trader or merchant of considerable power or influence, particularly one who managed trade on behalf of the Genoese in the Black Sea region during the medieval period. The term combines the name of a place (Albania, near Baku, Azerbaijan) with the suffix -arch, denoting supreme authority or command. The root word 'Albania' refers to an ancient region near the Caspian Sea, while 'arch' refers to supreme authority or command.