![Ras Makonnen and his followers of the Ethiopian nobility](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Ras_Makonnen_and_his_followers_of_the_Ethiopian_nobility.jpg)
Until the end of the
Ethiopian monarchy
Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts o ...
in 1974, there were two categories of
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
in
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
and
Eritrea
Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...
. The Mesafint ( gez, መሳፍንት , modern , singular መስፍን , modern , "prince"), the hereditary nobility, formed the upper echelon of the ruling class. The Mekwanint ( gez, መኳንንት , modern , singular መኰንን , modern or am, መኮንን , "officer") were the appointed nobles, often of humble birth, who formed the bulk of the aristocracy. Until the 20th century, the most powerful people at court were generally members of the ''Mekwanint'' appointed by the monarch, while regionally, the ''Mesafint'' enjoyed greater influence and power. Emperor
Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
greatly curtailed the power of the ''Mesafint'' to the benefit of the ''Mekwanint'', who by then were essentially coterminous with the Ethiopian government.
The ''Mekwanint'' were officials who had been granted specific offices in the Abyssinian government or court. Higher ranks from the title of ''Ras'' through to ''Balambaras'' were also bestowed upon members of the ''Mekwanint''. A member of the ''Mesafint'', however, would traditionally be given precedence over a member of the ''Mekwanint'' of the same rank. For example, ''Ras''
Mengesha Yohannes
''Ras'' Mengesha Yohannes ( ti, መንገሻ ዮሓንስ; 1868 – 1906) was governor of Tigray and a son of ''atse'' Yohannes IV (r. 1872-89). His mother was Welette Tekle Haymanot wife of ''dejazmach'' Gugsa Mercha. ''Ras'' Araya Selassie Y ...
, son of Emperor
Yohannes IV
''girmāwī''His Imperial Majesty, spoken= am , ጃንሆይ ''djānhoi''Your Imperial Majesty(lit. "O steemedroyal"), alternative= am , ጌቶቹ ''getochu''Our Lord (familiar)(lit. "Our master" (pl.)) yohanes
Yohannes IV (Tigrinya: ዮሓ ...
and thus a member of the ''Mesafint'', would have outranked ''Ras''
Alula Engida
Ras Alula Engida ( gez, ራስ አሉላ እንግዳ) (1827 – 15 February 1897; also known by his horse name Abba Nega and by Alula Qubi) was an Ethiopian general and politician who successfully led Abyssinian battles against Ottoman Egypt, ...
, who was of humble birth and therefore a member of the ''Mekwanint'', even though their ranks were equal.
There were also parallel rules of precedence, primarily seniority based on age, on offices held, and on when they each obtained their titles, which made the rules for precedence rather complex. Combined with the ambiguous position of titled heirs of members of the ''Mekwanint'', Emperor Haile Selassie, as part of his programme of modernising reforms, and in line with his aims of centralising power away from the ''Mesafint'', replaced the traditional system of precedence with a simplified, Western-inspired system that gave precedence by rank, and then by seniority based when the title had been assumed irrespective of how the title was acquired.
Imperial and royal titles
''Negusa Nagast''
_of_the_Ethiopian_Empire">Tewodros_II_of_the_Ethiopian_Empire..html" ;"title="Ethiopian_Empire.html" ;"title="Tewodros II of the Ethiopian Empire">Tewodros II of the Ethiopian Empire.">Ethiopian_Empire.html" ;"title="Tewodros II of the Ethiopian Empire">Tewodros II of the Ethiopian Empire.
Although several kings of Aksum used this style, until the restoration of the Solomonic dynasty under Yekuno Amlak, rulers of Ethiopia generally used the style of ''Negus'', although "King of Kings" was used as far back as Ezana of Axum (320's–360 CE/AD).
The full title of the Emperor of Ethiopia was ''Negusa Nagast'' and ''Seyoume Igziabeher'' ( gez, ሥዩመ እግዚአብሔር; "Elect of God"). The title ''Moa Anbessa Ze Imnegede Yehuda'' ("Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah") always preceded the titles of the Emperor. It was not a personal title but rather referred to the title of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
and placed the office of Christ ahead of the Emperor's name in an act of Imperial submission. Until the reign of
Yohannes IV
''girmāwī''His Imperial Majesty, spoken= am , ጃንሆይ ''djānhoi''Your Imperial Majesty(lit. "O steemedroyal"), alternative= am , ጌቶቹ ''getochu''Our Lord (familiar)(lit. "Our master" (pl.)) yohanes
Yohannes IV (Tigrinya: ዮሓ ...
, the Emperor was also ''Neguse Tsion'' (, , "King of Zion"), whose seat was at
Axum, and which conferred hegemony over much of the north of the Empire.
The Emperor was referred to by the dignities of the formal ''Girmawi'' (, , "His Imperial Majesty"), in common speech as ''Janhoy'', lit. "great" but also translated as "royal"), group=nb ( , "Your
mperialMajesty," or lit. "sire"), in his own household and family as ''Getochu'' (our Master in the
plural
The plural (sometimes abbreviated pl., pl, or ), in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This de ...
), and when referred to by name in the third person with the suffix of ''
Atse
The emperor of Ethiopia ( gez, ንጉሠ ነገሥት, nəgusä nägäst, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse ( am, ዐፄ, "emperor"), was the hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century until the abolition ...
'' (effectively "Emperor", i.e. ''Atse'' Menelik).
All formal speech concerning the Emperor was in the plural, as was his own speech;
Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
, for instance, referred to himself in the first-person plural at all times, even in casual conversation and when speaking in
French (however this was not the case when he spoke in English, in which he was not fully fluent).
''Negesta Nagastat''
![Zewditu Empress](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Zewditu_Empress.PNG)
The Negesta Nagastat (
Ge’ez: ንግሥተ ነገሥታት ) was
Empress Regnant
A queen regnant (plural: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank and title to a king, who reigns ''suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a "kingdom"; as opposed to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reignin ...
in her own right, literally "Queen of Kings," or "Queen of Queens," or "female ruler of an empire."
Zewditu
, spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"''
, alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.)
Zewditu ( gez, ዘውዲቱ, born Askala Maryam; 29 April 1876 – 2 April 1930) was Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 193 ...
(reigned 1917–1930) was the only woman to be crowned in Ethiopia in her own right since ancient times. Rather than take the title ''itege'', which was reserved for
empress consorts, Zewditu was given the feminine version of ''nigusa nigist'' to indicate that she reigned in her own right. She was accorded the dignity of ''Girmawit'' ("
erImperial Majesty") and the title of ''Siyimta Igzi'abher'' (
Ge’ez: ሥይምተ እግዚአብሔር , "Elect of God"). She was commonly referred to as ''nigist'', translated as "Queen". The
1955 Constitution of Ethiopia
Emperor Haile Selassie proclaimed a revised constitution in November 1955 of the Ethiopian Empire. This constitution was prompted, like its 1931 predecessor, by a concern with international opinion. Such opinion was particularly important at a ti ...
excluded women from the succession to the throne so this title was effectively abolished.
''Itege''
![Taicron](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Taicron.gif)
An Itege (
Amharic
Amharic ( or ; (Amharic: ), ', ) is an Ethiopian Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas, and also serves as a lingua franca for all oth ...
: እቴጌ ) was an
Empress Consort. This refers to the wives of incumbent emperors.
Empresses were generally crowned as consorts by the emperor at the Imperial Palace. However,
Taytu Betul
Taytu Betul ( am, ጣይቱ ብጡል; baptised as Wälättä Mikael; 1851 – 11 February 1918) was Empress of Ethiopia from 1889 to 1913 and the third wife of Emperor Menelik II. An influential figure in anti-colonial resistance during the l ...
, consort of Menelik II, became the first Itege to be crowned by the Emperor at church rather than at the Palace. Her coronation took place on the second day of the emperor's coronation holiday.
Menen Asfaw
Menen Asfaw (baptismal name: Walatta Giyorgis; 25 March 1889 – 15 February 1962) was Empress consort of the Ethiopian Empire. She was the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Family
Menen Asfaw was born in Ambassel, located in Wollo Province of ...
became the first Itege to be crowned by the
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
on the same day and during the same ceremony as her husband,
Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
. The Itege was entitled to the dignity of ''Girmawit'' ("Her/Your Imperial Majesty").
''Negus''
![Addis Ababa-8e00855u](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Addis_Ababa-8e00855u.jpg)
A Negus ( , "king") was a hereditary ruler of one of Ethiopia's larger
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
s, over whom collectively the monarch ruled, thus justifying his imperial title. The title of ''Negus'' was awarded at the discretion of the Emperor to those who ruled important provinces, although it was often used hereditarily during and after the
Zemene Mesafint
The Zemene Mesafint ( gez, ዘመነ መሳፍንት ''zamana masāfint'', modern: ''zemene mesāfint'', variously translated "Era of Judges," "Era of the Princes," "Age of Princes," etc.; named after the Book of Judges) was a period in Ethiop ...
. The rulers of
Begemder
Begemder ( amh, በጌምድር; also known as Gondar or Gonder, alternative name borrowed from its 20th century capital Gondar) was a province in northwest Ethiopia.
Etymology
A plausible source for the name ''Bega'' is that the word means " ...
,
Shewa
Shewa ( am, ሸዋ; , om, Shawaa), formerly romanized as Shua, Shoa, Showa, Shuwa (''Scioà'' in Italian language, Italian), is a historical region of Ethiopia which was formerly an autonomous monarchy, kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire. The ...
,
Gojjam
Gojjam ( ''gōjjām'', originally ጐዛም ''gʷazzam'', later ጐዣም ''gʷažžām'', ጎዣም ''gōžžām'') is a historical province in northwestern Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos.
Gojjam's earliest western boundary ex ...
,
Wollo
Wollo (Amharic: ወሎ) was a historical province of northern Ethiopia that overlayed part of the present day Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions. During the Middle Ages this region was known as Bete Amhara and had Amhara kings. Bete Amhara had ...
, all held the title of Negus at some point, as the "''Negus'' of Shewa", "''Negus'' of Gojjam", and so forth.
During and after the reign of
Menelik II
, spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"''
, alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.)
Menelik II ( gez, ዳግማዊ ምኒልክ ; horse name Abba Dagnew (Amharic: አባ ዳኘው ''abba daññäw''); 17 A ...
virtually all of the titles either lapsed into the Imperial crown or were dissolved. In 1914, after having been appointed "''Negus'' of Zion" by his son
Lij Iyasu,
Mikael of Wollo
''Negus'' Mikael of Wollo (born Mohammed Ali, 1850 – 8 September 1922), was an army commander and a member of the nobility of the Ethiopian Empire. He was the father of the "uncrowned" Emperor Lij Iyasu, and the grandfather of Empress Menen, w ...
, in consideration of the hostile feelings this provoked in of much of the nobility in northern Ethiopia (particularly ''Le'ul Ras''
Seyoum Mengesha
Seyoum Mengesha KBE ( Amharic: ሥዩም መንገሻ; 21 June 1887 – 15 December 1960) was an army commander and a member of the royal family of the Ethiopian Empire.
Early life
''Le'ul'' ''Ras'' Seyoum Mengesha was born on 24 June 1 ...
, whose family had resented being denied the title by Menelik), who were now technically made subordinate to him, instead elected to use the title of ''Negus'' of Wollo. Tafari Makonnen, who later became Emperor Haile Selassie, was bestowed the title of ''Negus'' in 1928; he would be the last person to bear the title.
Despite this, European sources referred to the Ethiopian monarch as the ''Negus'' well into the 20th century, switching to Emperor only after the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
– around the same time the name
Abyssinia
The Ethiopian Empire (), also formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia, or just simply known as Ethiopia (; Amharic and Tigrinya: ኢትዮጵያ , , Oromo: Itoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Afar: ''Itiyoophiyaa''), was an empire that historica ...
fell out of use in favour of
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
in the west.
''Leul or Leoul''
Leul or Leoul ( , "Prince") was a
prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
ly style used by sons and grandson of the Emperor. It conferred upon its holder the title of ''Imperial Highness''. The style was introduced in 1916 by Ras Teferi Mekonen, following the enthronement of Empress
Zewditu
, spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"''
, alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.)
Zewditu ( gez, ዘውዲቱ, born Askala Maryam; 29 April 1876 – 2 April 1930) was Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 193 ...
.
''Le'elt''
Le'elt ( , "Princess"). This title came into use in 1916 upon the enthronement of
Zewditu
, spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"''
, alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.)
Zewditu ( gez, ዘውዲቱ, born Askala Maryam; 29 April 1876 – 2 April 1930) was Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 193 ...
. Reserved at birth for daughters of the monarch and
patrilineal
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...
granddaughters. Usually bestowed on the wives of ''Leul Ras'', as well as the monarch's granddaughters in the female line upon their marriages. The notable exception to the rule was ''Leult''
Yeshashework Yilma
Princess Yeshashework Yilma (died 1982) was the daughter of Dejazmatch Yilma Makonnen, governor of Harar and niece of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. Her mother Woizero Aselefech Wolde Hanna was the niece of Empress Taitu Bitul, consort of ...
, Emperor Haile Selassie's niece by his elder brother, who received the title with the dignity of "Highness" from Zewditu upon the princess' marriage to ''Leul Ras''
Gugsa Araya Selassie
Gugsa Araya Selassie (1885 – 28 April 1932) was an army commander and a member of the royal family of the Ethiopian Empire.
Biography
''Leul'' Gugsa Araya Selassie was the legitimate son of ''Ras'' Araya Selassie Yohannes. Araya Selas ...
in 1918, and then again from her uncle upon his coronation in 1930 with the enhanced dignity of "Imperial Highness".
''Abeto''
Abetohun ( ) or Abeto ( , "Prince") Title reserved for males of imperial ancestry. The title fell into disuse by the late 19th century. ''Lij'' Iyasu attempted to revive the title as Abeto-hoy (, "Great Prince"), and this form is still used by the current Iyasuist claimant
Girma Yohannes Iyasu
Prince ''(Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles, Abeto Lij)'' Girma Yohannes Iyasu (born 1961) is the Iyasuist claimant to the throne of Ethiopian Empire. He is also known by the name Girma Amente Ghebresillasie.
Life
He is the son of ''Dejazm ...
.
''Ras''
Ras (, compare with
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
Rais)One of the powerful non-imperial; historian
Harold G. Marcus equates this to a
duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
. The combined title of Leul Ras (
Amharic
Amharic ( or ; (Amharic: ), ', ) is an Ethiopian Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas, and also serves as a lingua franca for all oth ...
: ልዑል ራስ) was given to the heads of the cadet branches of the imperial dynasty, such as the Princes of Gojjam,
Tigray and the
Selalle sub-branch of the last reigning Shewan Branch.
''Emebet''
An Emebet Hoy (እመቤት ሆይ , "Great Royal Lady") was a title reserved for the wives of those bearing the title of ''Leul Dejazmach'' and other high ranking women of royal blood.
Alternatively, an Emebet (እመቤት , "Royal Lady") was a title reserved for the unmarried granddaughters of the monarch in the female line (they were generally granted the title of ''leult'' upon marriage), and to the daughters of the ''Leul Ras''.
''Bitwoded''
Bitwoded ()An office thought to have been created by
Zara Yaqob
Zara Yaqob ( Ge'ez: ዘርዐ ያዕቆብ; 1399 – 26 August 1468) was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty who ruled under the regnal name Kwestantinos I (Ge'ez: ቈስታንቲኖስ, "Constantine"). He is known for t ...
who appointed two of these, one of the Left and one of the Right. These were later merged into one office, which became the supreme grade of
Ras
Ras or RAS may refer to:
Arts and media
* RAS Records Real Authentic Sound, a reggae record label
* Rundfunk Anstalt Südtirol, a south Tyrolese public broadcasting service
* Rás 1, an Icelandic radio station
* Rás 2, an Icelandic radio stati ...
, "Ras Betwadad". Marcus equates the style to an
earl
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
.
''Lij''
Lij ()Title issued at birth to sons of members of the Mesafint, the hereditary nobility.
Men's military titles
* Dejazmach (ደጃዝማች , short for Dejenazmach, Commander of the main army)a military title meaning commander of the central body of a traditional Ethiopian armed force composed of a vanguard, main body, left and right wings and a rear body.
[Ethiopia Military Tradition in National Life]
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
Marcus equates this to a
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
. The heirs of the "
Leul Rases" were titled Leul Dejazmach (ልዑል ደጃዝማች ) to elevate them above the non-imperial blood Dejazmaches.
* (ፊታውራሪ , Commander of the Vanguard)a military title meaning commander of the vanguard of a traditional Ethiopian armed force. Marcus equates this to a
baron
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...
.
* (ቀኛዝማች , Commander of the Right wing)a military title meaning commander of the right wing of a traditional Ethiopian armed force.
[
* (ግራዝማች , Commander of the Left wing)a military title meaning commander of the left wing of a traditional Ethiopian armed force.][
* (አዝማች , Commander of the Rearguard)a military title meaning commander of the rearguard of a traditional Ethiopian armed force. This was usually a trustworthy counselor and the leader's chief minister.][
* (ባላምባራስ , Commander of an Amba or fortress)these could also be commanders of the guards, artillery or cavalry of a traditional Ethiopian armed force, basically a man entrusted with important commands.][
]
Women's honorifics
*Woyzero (ወይዘሮ , Dame)Originally high noble title that over time came to be the general accepted form of address for married women in general (Mrs.). It was still awarded by the Emperor on rare occasions in the 20th century to non-royal women, and sometimes with the higher grade of Woizero Hoy (ወይዘሮ ሆይ , Great Dame).
*Woyzerit (ወይዘሪት , Lady)Originally high ranking noble title for unmarried women, now the general accepted form of address for unmarried women in general (Miss). It was sometimes awarded with the added distinction of Woizerit Hoy (ወይዘሪት ሆይ , Great Lady), but only to widows.
Important regional offices
*Tsahife Lam of Amhara (ጻሕፈ ላም) - governor of the Bete Amhara
Bete Amhara (Amharic: ቤተ አማራ, Ge'ez: ቤተ ዐምሐራ, translation: "House of Amhara") is a historical region that is located in north central Ethiopia. It covered most of Ethiopia's Wollo Province, along with significant parts of n ...
province and the most senior military officer next to the Emperor.
*Gojjam Negash (ጎጃም ነጋሽ) - Ruler of Gojjam
Gojjam ( ''gōjjām'', originally ጐዛም ''gʷazzam'', later ጐዣም ''gʷažžām'', ጎዣም ''gōžžām'') is a historical province in northwestern Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos.
Gojjam's earliest western boundary ex ...
referred to as "The Lord of Lords" junior only to the Tsahife Lam of Amhara. Senior military title abolished somwhere during the Era of the Princes.
* Bahr Negus (ባሕር ንጉሥ , or Bahr Negash, "King of the sea")King of the territories north of the Mareb River
The Mareb River, or Gash River ( ar, القاش) is a river flowing out of central Eritrea. Its chief importance is defining part of the boundary between Eritrea and Ethiopia, between the point where the Mai Ambassa enters the river at to the c ...
, a powerful official in medieval Ethiopia. As a result of the revolts of the Bahr negus Yeshaq
Yeshaq (died 1578) was the Bahr Negus, or ruler of the Medri Bahri, during the mid to late 16th century A subordinate of Ethiopian Emperor Dawit II, he was noted for supporting Gelawdewos during the Ethiopian-Adal war, and rebelling against his ...
, this office lost much of its power. Although men are mentioned as holding this office into the early 18th century, they were of little consequence.
* Merid Azmach (መርዕድ አዝማች , "Fearsome Commander" or "supreme general")This title is related to "Dejazmach
Until the end of the Ethiopian Empire, Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, there were two categories of nobility in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Mesafint ( gez, መሳፍንት , modern , singular መስፍን , modern , "prince"), the hereditary nobility, ...
" or " Qeñazmach" above. Beginning in the 18th century, this came to denote the rulers of Shewa
This article lists the rulers of Shewa, a historical region of Ethiopia. Claiming Solomonic descent, Negasi Krestos established Shewa as an autonomous region of the weakening Ethiopian Empire in the 17th century before requesting the title of ...
until Sahle Selassie
Sahle Selassie ( Amharic: ሣህለ ሥላሴ, 1795 – 22 October 1847) was a ruler and later King of Shewa from 1813 to 1847. An important Amhara noble of Ethiopia, he was a younger son of Wossen Seged. Sahle Selassie was the father of nume ...
dropped it in favor of the title of ''Negus''. Later revived in 1930 in Wollo
Wollo (Amharic: ወሎ) was a historical province of northern Ethiopia that overlayed part of the present day Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions. During the Middle Ages this region was known as Bete Amhara and had Amhara kings. Bete Amhara had ...
for Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen.
*Mesfina Harar (መስፍነ ሐረር )Duke of Harar. Hereditary title created in 1930 for Emperor Haile Selassie's second son, Prince Makonnen
Prince Makonnen Haile Selassie, Duke of Harar ( baptismal name: ''Araya Yohannes''; 16 October 1924 – 13 May 1957) was the second son, and second-youngest child, of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. He was made ' ...
. (The wife of the Mesfin was properly titled ''Sefanit'', but was more commonly referred to as the ''Mesfinit''). Upon the death of the Prince, his son Prince Wossen Seged was elevated as ''Mesfin Harar'' and would currently be second in line in the line of succession if Ethiopia were still a monarchy after Prince Zera Yacob.
* Nebura ed (ንቡረ እድ , one put in office through the laying of hands")civil governor of Axum reserved for the clergy. Also called ''Liqat Aksum''. Because of the historical and symbolic importance of this city, the rules of precedence promulgated in 1689 ranked the ''Nebura ed'' ahead of all of the provincial governors. Indeed, when the title was granted with ''Ras Warq'' (the right to wear a coronet), it was higher than even the title of Ras. Although a civil title granted by the Emperor, it was usually bestowed on a clergyman due to Axum's status as the holiest site of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church within the country. The title of Nebure ed was also granted to the administrator of the Church of St. Mary at Addis Alem, founded by Menelik II
, spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"''
, alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.)
Menelik II ( gez, ዳግማዊ ምኒልክ ; horse name Abba Dagnew (Amharic: አባ ዳኘው ''abba daññäw''); 17 A ...
west of Addis Ababa. However the Nebura ed of Addis Alem was much further down the hierarchy than the Nebura ed of Axum, and was not accorded the ''Ras Warq''.
* Tigray Mekonnen (ትግራይ መኮንን )created for Ras Alula
Ras Alula Engida ( gez, ራስ አሉላ እንግዳ) (1827 – 15 February 1897; also known by his horse name Abba Nega and by Alula Qubi) was an Ethiopian general and politician who successfully led Abyssinian battles against Ottoman Egypt, ...
governor of the province of Tigray. Under the rule of Emperor Yohannes IV
''girmāwī''His Imperial Majesty, spoken= am , ጃንሆይ ''djānhoi''Your Imperial Majesty(lit. "O steemedroyal"), alternative= am , ጌቶቹ ''getochu''Our Lord (familiar)(lit. "Our master" (pl.)) yohanes
Yohannes IV (Tigrinya: ዮሓ ...
in the late 19th century, the Tigray Mekonnen briefly became responsible for the territories once controlled by the Bahrnegus, and became the most powerful governor of Eritrea
Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...
.
* Wagshum (ዋግሹም )governor (or ''shum'') of the province of Wag. The Wagshum was a hereditary title, and these rulers traced their ancestry back to the imperial family of the Zagwe dynasty
The Zagwe dynasty ( Ge'ez: ዛጔ ሥርወ መንግሥት) was an Agaw medieval dynasty that ruled the northern parts of Ethiopia and Eritrea, after the historical name of the Lasta province. Centered at Lalibela, it ruled large parts of the t ...
.
*Shum Agame (ሹም ዓጋመ ) - Governor of Agame
Agame () was a former province in northern Ethiopia. It includes the northeastern corner of the Ethiopian Empire, borders Akele Guzai in Eritrea, Tembien, Kalatta Awlalo and Enderta in the south, and both the Eritrean and Ethiopian Afar lowla ...
province of Tigray, and hereditary in the family of ''Dejazmach'' Sabagadis Woldu
Sabagadis Woldu (; horse name: Abba Garray; baptismal name: Za-Manfas Qedus; 1780 – 1831) was a governor of Tigray Province of the Ethiopian Empire from 1822 to 1831. Sabagadis gained some notoriety in the first decade of the 19th century for r ...
, a major figure of the Zemene Mesafint (Era of the Princes) period. ''Ras'' Sebhat Aregawi Sebhat Aregawi (died 28 February 1914) was a ''Ras'' of Agame. He was appointed governor of Agame by Emperor Tewodros II in 1859, and his province was expanded by Emperor Yohannes IV to include Adigrat. Emperor Menelik II invested Sebhat with the ...
, a longtime rival of the family of Emperor Yohannes IV was one of the more famous of the ''Shum Agame''.
*Shum Tenbien (ሹም ተንቢየን )Governor of Tembien district of Tigray. Emperor Yohannes IV
''girmāwī''His Imperial Majesty, spoken= am , ጃንሆይ ''djānhoi''Your Imperial Majesty(lit. "O steemedroyal"), alternative= am , ጌቶቹ ''getochu''Our Lord (familiar)(lit. "Our master" (pl.)) yohanes
Yohannes IV (Tigrinya: ዮሓ ...
was the son of Shum Mercha of Tembien.
*Jantirar
Jantirar (Amharic: ጃንጥራር) was a title of the Ethiopian Empire given to the ruler of Amba Geshen.
Overview
Jantirar is borne historically by the head of the family holding the mountain fortress of Ambassel in Ethiopia; similar to Wagshu ...
(ጃንጥራር )Title reserved for the males of the family who ruled over the mountain fortress of Ambassel
Ambassel (Amharic: ዐምባሰል) is a woreda in Amhara Region, Ethiopia, and an ''amba'', or mountain fortress, located in the woreda. The word Ambasel is derived from two words "Amba" from the Amharic word for plateau, and “Asel” from the ...
in Wollo
Wollo (Amharic: ወሎ) was a historical province of northern Ethiopia that overlayed part of the present day Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions. During the Middle Ages this region was known as Bete Amhara and had Amhara kings. Bete Amhara had ...
(now Debub Wollo Zone
South Wollo ( Amharic: ደቡብ ወሎ) is a zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It acquired its name from the former province of Wollo. South Wollo is bordered on the south by North Shewa and the Oromia Region, on the west by East Gojjam, ...
). The title of Jantirar is among the oldest in the Ethiopian Empire. Empress Menen, consort of Emperor Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
, was the daughter of Jantirar Asfaw.
Important offices of the Imperial Court
Enderase
The Enderase () acted as the Regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
of the Empire in times of the Emperor's youth, infirmity, or other limited capacity. Empress Zewditu
, spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"''
, alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.)
Zewditu ( gez, ዘውዲቱ, born Askala Maryam; 29 April 1876 – 2 April 1930) was Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 193 ...
, who reigned from 1917 to 1930, was obliged to share power with an ''Enderase'', ''Ras'' Tafari Makonnen
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
, who was also her designated heir, and thus assumed the throne as Emperor Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
in 1930.
The title used by the monarch's representatives to fiefs and vassals (in this sense, a Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
). In the 20th century, the title was used by some provincial governors, chiefly that of the autonomous province of Eritrea
Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...
which was restored to Ethiopia in 1952. The title was still used after the dissolution of the federal arrangement, and was uniformly adopted by the rulers of the other provinces as well.
Emperor-in-exile Amha Selassie
Amha Selassie ( Amharic: አምሃ ሥላሴ; Āmiha Šilasē; born Asfaw Wossen Tafari; 27 July 191617 January 1997) was Emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia. As son of Haile Selassie I, he was Crown Prince and was proclaimed Emperor three times. He ...
appointed Prince Bekere Fikre-Selassie "Enderase" in right of the Crown Council of Ethiopia
The Crown Council of Ethiopia is a community organization and cultural center with the mission of preserving the culture(s) of the former Ethiopian Empire, as well as promoting development and humanitarian efforts. Today, the Crown Council abandon ...
in 1993, as his representative, and who still holds the office, as Crown Prince Zera Yacob Amha Selassie
Zera Yacob Amha Selassie (; Ge'ez: ዘርዐ ያዕቆብ አምሃ ሥላሴ; born 17 August 1953) is the grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie and son of Amha Selassie of the Ethiopian Empire. He has been head of the Imperial House of Ethiop ...
has not declared himself Emperor.
Reise Mekwanint
Reise Mekwanint (ርእሰ መኳንንት , "head of the nobles") was a title granted during the Zemene Mesafint
The Zemene Mesafint ( gez, ዘመነ መሳፍንት ''zamana masāfint'', modern: ''zemene mesāfint'', variously translated "Era of Judges," "Era of the Princes," "Age of Princes," etc.; named after the Book of Judges) was a period in Ethiop ...
, which raised its holder over all appointed nobles. It was bestowed upon the ''Enderase'', who during that period held most of the (considerably diminished) imperial power. It was last granted to Yohannes IV by his brother-in-law Tekle Giyorgis II
Tekle Giyorgis II ( Ge’ez: ተክለ ጊዮርጊስ, born Wagshum Gobeze ( Amharic: ዋግሹም ጎበዜ), died 1873) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1868 to 1871.
Genealogy
Emperor Tekle Giorgis II based his claim to the Imperial throne on ...
(Wagshum Gobeze) before the former deposed the later and seized the throne for himself.
Tsehafi Taezaz
The Tsehafi Taezaz (, translated as "Minister of the Pen") was the most powerful post at the Imperial court. According to John Spencer, he was "the one who traditionally walked two steps behind the Emperor to listen to and write down all orders that the latter gave out in the course of an audience or an inspection tour." Spencer adds that under Haile Selassie the ''Tsehafe Tezaz'' safeguarded the Great Seal, kept the records of all important appointments, and was responsible for publishing all laws and treaties; "his signature, rather than that of the Emperor, appeared on those fficialpublications although the heading in each case referred to His Imperial Majesty." The office was combined with that of Prime Minister during the tenure of Aklilu Habte-Wold
'' Tsehafi Taezaz'' Aklilu Habte-Wold ( am, አክሊሉ ሀብተ ወልድ; 12 March 1912 – 23 November 1974) was an Ethiopian politician under Emperor Haile Selassie. He was foreign minister of Ethiopia from 1947 to 1958 and Prime Minister f ...
(1961–1974).
Afe Negus
Afe Negus (, lit: "mouth of the King") Title for the Imperial Supreme Court Justices that is equivalent to "Lord Justice" or "Lord Chief Justice" (in the case of the Chief Justice). The title was originally given to the two chief heralds who acted as official spokesmen for the Emperor, hence the name "mouth of the King". Since the Emperor never spoke in public, these officials always spoke in public on his behalf (speaking as if they were the Emperor). By 1942, this title was granted only to Justices of the Imperial Supreme Court.
Liqe Mekwas
The Liqe Mekwas (ሊቀ መኳስ ) was the impersonator or double of the Emperor, who accompanied him in battle. Two trusted and highly favored officials were given this title. They always walked or rode on either side of the monarch in battle, or in public processions, dressing as magnificently, or more magnificently then he, in order to distract assassins.[Perham, ''The Government of Ethiopia'', p. 86]
Aqabe Se'at
The Aqabe Se'at (ዐቃቤ ሰዓት , "keeper of time") was a high official, often a clergyman, who was responsible for keeping the Emperor's schedule and had authority over the clergy assigned to the Imperial Court. The position was one of immense power in medieval times, but became largely titular under the Gondarine Emperors and eventually went out of existence.
Blattengeta
The Blattengeta (ብላቴን ጌታ , "lord of the pages") was a high court official that served as administrator of the Palaces. The title was later used as an honorific.
Blatta
Blatta (ብላታ , "page") was the rank of high court officials in charge of maintaining palace protocol and meeting the personal needs of the Imperial family.
Basha
Basha (ባሻ ) was a rank originally derived from the Turkish (Ottoman)/Egyptian title of Pasha
Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, gener ...
, but considered a lower rank in Ethiopia, whereas Pasha was a high rank at the Turkish and Egyptian courts.
Important offices of the civil government
Negadras
A Negadras (ነጋድራስ , "head of the merchants") was the appointed leader of a larger town's merchants, who supervised the operations of the markets, the administration of customs, and the collection of taxes. By the end of the 19th century a ''negadras'' was often the single most important official in a town, essentially acting as its mayor.
By 1900 the various ''negadrasoch'' had been subordinated to the ''negadras'' of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...
, Haile Giyorgis Woldemikael
'' Bitwoded'' Haile Giyorgis Wolde Mikael was a senior Ethiopia government official who, holding the office of '' Negadras'' or chief of merchants, by 1906 supervised foreign businesses and diplomatic missions in the capital, Addis Ababa, as well ...
, who by 1906 supervised foreign businesses and diplomatic missions in the capital, the organisation of hand was responsible for granting concessions and contracts to foreign enterprises, making the post the ''de facto'' Mayor of Addis Ababa
The Mayor of Addis Ababa ( am, የአዲስ አበባ ከንቲባ) is head of the executive branch of Addis Ababa's municipal government. The mayor's office is located in Addis Ababa City Hall. Adanech Abebe is the first woman mayor and 32nd m ...
, Chief of police
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
, Minister of Commerce
A Commerce minister (sometimes business minister, industry minister, trade minister or international trade minister) is a position in many governments that is responsible for regulating external trade and promoting economic growth (commercial polic ...
and Minister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
. These functions were separated by the formation of the first cabinet in 1907, with Haile Giyorgis appointed to those posts. With Haile Giyorgis' removal from office by then-Regent ''Ras'' Tafari Makonnen
Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
in 1917, the post of ''negadras'' of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...
lost most of its powers to the office of ''Kantiba'', the head of the municipal government, which had been created in 1910, with other towns later following suit.
Kantiba
Kantiba (ከንቲባ , "mayor" or "Lord Mayor") is a mayor of a large town or city in modern times. In ancient times a kantiba was a chief, the king's lieutenant that used to govern a province or more provinces. He had soldiers. The kantiba had the task to administrate the given areas. In certain cases the title of kantiba could have passed down from father to son, and in some others the title was given to elected individuals for a few years, where at the end of the mandate another person was elected.
See also
*Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles
Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles refers to the offices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a hierarchical organization. Some of the more important offices are unique to it.
Titles
Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles include:
*Patriarch we Re'e ...
*Ethiopian military titles
The military ranks of the Ethiopian Army originally came from the traditional organization of their forces. An army in the field or in camp was composed of a vanguard, main body, left and right wings and a rear body. The titles of the upper level ...
*Balabat
Balabat (Amharic: ባላባት, romanized: balabat or balebat, lit: 'with father' compare with English Patrician) was a largely traditional Ethiopian social class of wealthy land owners who lived on rent collected from their tenant framers (gebba ...
References
Sources
* ''Ethiopia: a country study''. Edited by Thomas P. Ofcansky and LaVerle Berry. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., 1993. Online at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ettoc.html#et0163
External links
Ethiopia's Aristocracy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ethiopian Aristocratic And Court Titles
Court titles
Gubernatorial titles
Noble titles
Royal titles
Titles of national or ethnic leadership
Ethiopian given names