Institutional framework and administrative organization

Feudal institutions were introduced in the society of Corfu and were in effect together with the local law. The term local signified the pre-existing Byzantine law. As results from the sources, until mid-15th century, the Assizes had not been put into force in Corfu.

The archived documentation that survives with regard to the social situation of the Angevin period bears out the opinion that during that period there were no significant changes in the frame of society of the island. There was a tripartite division of the social strata: feudal lords (nobiles), inhabitants of the castle of Corfu (burgenses castri de Corpho) and the rural population of the island (hominess casalium et villarum insule Corphoy).

Titles of the western hierarchy were introduced in the island, which as a Byzantine province maintained the form of administration that existed before 1204. Besides, that was the case of the theme of Durazzo as well. Officials were appointed, whose main concern was to see to the good defensive condition of the island. The general governor (vicarius et capitaneus generalis) was at the head of the administrative pyramid. He had multiple jurisdictions and the power to execute the decisions of the assembly (Curia). He was assisted by the manager of the royal property (magister massariarum, massarius) and the guards of the island's castles (castellani), the maintenance of which required particular effort.