There were two categories of Ethiopia's nobility. The or princes were the hereditary nobles, and formed the upper echelon of the ruling class as far as status. The '''Mekwanint''' were the appointed nobles, often of humble birth, who formed the bulk of the noble class. Until the 20th Century, the most powerful people at court were generally Mekwanint appointed by the monarch, while regionally, the Mesafint enjoyed greater influence and power. Emperor Haile Selassie greatly curtailed the power of the Mesafint to the benefit of the Mekwanint.
- (" King Of Kings ") -- Emperor Of Ethiopia . Although several kings of Aksum used this style, until the Solomonid Dynasty rulers of Ethiopia used the style of ''Negus''. (See below.) The full title of the Emperor of Ethiopia included the terms '''Atse'''(Emperor), Neguse Negest (King of kings), and '''Seyoume Igziabeher''' (Elect of God). The title of '''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 Christ, and placed Christ ahead of the Emperor's name in an act of Imperial submission to the primacy of Jesus. Until Yohannes IV the Emperor was also '''Neguse Tsion'''(King of Zion). The Emperor was entitled to the dignities of '''Girmawi''' (His(Your) Imperial Majesty), and '''Janhoy''' (Sire), '''Atse''' (Emperor when refered to in the third person) and in his own houshold and family as '''Getochu'''(our Master).
- ("king") -- This word is related to the Ge'ez word for Drum , ''nagerit''. This word was often used as part of the title to denote any important official, for example ''negadras'' the chief official over a weekly market. The rulers of Gondar , Shewa , Gojjam , Wollo , have all held the title of Negus at some time. Gondar, Wollo and Tigrai were also part of the '''Kingdom of Zion''' centered at Axum. That title was usually held by the Emperor of Ethiopia himself, but was last used by Emperor Yohannes IV. It was awarded to Negus Mikael , father of Iyasu V , but because of an outcry by the descendants of Yohannes IV, the title of the King was altered to Negus of Wollo.
- --Prince. Title reserved for Princes of the Imperial blood.
- ("head") -- One of the most powerful non-imperial ranks in Ethiopia; Harold G. Marcus equates this to a Duke . The combined title of '''Leul Ras''' was given to the heads of the cadet branches of the Imperial dynasty, such as the Princes of Gojjam, Tigrai and Selale.
- ("beloved") -- An office thought to have been created by Zara Yaqob 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 in the 18th century, "Ras Betwadad". Marcus equates this to an Earl .
- ("Commander or general of the Gate") -- Marcus equates this to a Count . The heirs of the "Leul Rases" were titled '''Leul Dejazmach''' to elevate them above the non-Imperial blood Dejazmaches.
- ("Leader of the Vanguard") -- Marcus equates this to a Viscount .
- ("Commander or general of the Right") -- Marcus equates this to a Baron .
- ("Commander or general of the Left") -- Marcus equates this to a Baron .
- -- The commander of a fortress; Marcus equates this to a Baronet .
- -- (Literally "child") Title given from birth to sons of members of the Mesafint.
- ("Queen of Kings") --Empress in her own right. Title used by Empress Zauditu , the only woman in the modern age to reign in Ethiopia in her own right. The Nigiste Negest was entitled to the dignity of '''Girmawit''' (Her(Your) Imperial Majesty).
- --Empress Consort, wife of the reigning Emperor, or as Dowager Empress, widow of a previous Emperor. Empresses were generally crowned as consorts by the Emperor at the Imperial Palace. However, Empress Taitu Bitul , consort of Menelik II, became the first Itege to be crowned by the archbishop at church just as her husband was. Her coronation took place on the second day of the Emperor's coronation holiday. Empress Menen Asfaw became the first Itege to be crowned by the archbishop on the same day and during the same ceremony as her husband, Emperor Haile Selassie . The Itege was entitled to the dignity of '''Girmawit'''(Her(Your)Imperial Majesty).
- --Princess. Reserved at birth for daughters of the monarch, and granddaughters in the male line. Usually bestowed on the wives of "Leul Rases" as well as the monarch's granddaughters in the female line upon their marriages. The notable exception to the rule was "Leult" Yeshashework Yilma , Emperor Haile Selassie's niece by his elder brother, who received the title with the dignity of "Highness" from Empress Zauditu upon the princesses marriage to 'Leul Ras' Gugsa Araya in 1918, and then again from her uncle upon his coronation in 1930 with the enhanced dignity of "Imperial Highness".
- ("Great Royal Lady") --Reserved for the wives of those bearing the title of "Leul Dejazmatch"
- ("Royal Lady") --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 Rases".
- (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''' (Great Dame).
- (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''', (Great Lady) but only to widows.
- ("ruler of the Seas") -- governor of the territories north of the Mareb River , and as a result the most powerful office in medieval Ethiopia after the Emperor himself. As a result of the revolts of the Bahr negus Yeshaq in the later 16th century, 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.
- (" Fearsome Commander or supreme general") -- This title is related to "Dejazmach" or "Kenyazmach" above. Beginning in the 18th century this came to denote the ruler of Shewa until Sahle Selassie dropped it in favor of the title of Negus. Later revived in 1930 in Wollo for Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen .
- --Duke of Harrar. Hereditary title created in 1930 for Emperor Haile Selassie 's second son, Prince Makonnen . (The wife of the Mesfin was properly titled ''Sefanit'' but was more commonly referred to as the ''Mesfinit'').
- ("one put in office through the laying of hands") -- civil governor of Aksum . 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.
- -- governor of the province of Tigray . The Tigray Mekonnen became responsible for the territories once controlled by the Bahrnegus, and became the most powerful governor in the Empire. However, by the 20th century the Tigray Mekonnen was reduced to a symbolic title, and possessed no special powers or lands in itself.
- -- governor (or ''shum'') of the province of Wag . The Wagshum was a hereditary title, and these rulers traced their ancestry back to the kings of the Zagwe Dynasty .
- -- hereditary title limited to the males of the family that held the mountain fortress of Ambassel. Empress Menen Asfaw , consort of Emperor Haile Selassie was the daughter of Jantirar Asfaw.
- --Hereditary title of the governor of Agame district in Eastern Tigrai, reserved for the descendants of the great warlord Dejazmatch Sebagadis of the Zemene Mesafint Period.
- --Governor of Tembien district of Tigrai. Emperor Yohannis IV was the son of Shum Mercha of Tembien.
- -- (Literally "As Myself"), Regent of the Empire. Also title used by the monarch's representatives to fiefs and vassals.
- -- (Head of the Nobles) Title granted during the Zemene Mesafint to the holder of the "Enderase-ship," which raised the holder over all appointed nobles. Last granted to Yohannes IV by his brother-in-law Tekle Giyorgis II before the former deposed the later and seized the throne for himself.
- -- (Literally "Scribe by Command") Minister of the Pen. Holder of the most powerful post at the Imperial court. All Imperial decisions, announcements, edicts, laws, and schedules were arranged through this minister's office and were issued by him. The office was combined with that of Prime Minister during the tenure of Aklilu Habte-Wold (1961-1974).
- -- (Literally "Mouth of the King") Originally title given to the two chief heralds who acted as official spokesmen for the Emperor. As the Emperor never spoke in public, these officials always spoke in public for him, speaking as if they were the Emperor. Later, the title was granted only to Justices of the Imperial Supreme Court.
- -- The Emperor's seconds in battle. Two trusted and highly favored officials were given this title. They always waked 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 attract the attention of would be assassins in his stead.
- -- "Lord of the Pages", High court official that served as administrator of the Palaces. Later used as an honorific.
- -- "Page", high court officials in charge of maintaining palace protocol and meeting the personal needs of the Imperial family.
- -- Originally derived from the Turkish/Egyptian title of Pasha, but considered a lower rank in Ethiopia whereas Pasha was a high rank in the Turkish and Egyptian courts.
Note: Higher ranks from the title of Ras through Balambaras were also bestowed upon members of the Mekwanint. A Ras who was a member of the Mesafint (such as Ras Mengesha Yohannis, son of Emperor Yohannes IV) would usually be given precidence over a Ras who was a member of the Mekwanint, (such as Ras Alula Engida who was of humble birth) even though their ranks were equal. There were also however parallel rules of precidence based on seniority based on age, on offices held, and on when they each obtained their titles, which made the rules fo precidence fairly complicated.
- --"Patriarch and First of the Archbishops (Catholicos)". Since 1951, the title of the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The first Patriarch, Abune Baslios was enthroned by the Coptic Pope Cyril VI in 1951, and so the Patriarchs of Ethiopia are part of the Apostolic succession of the Holy See Of St. Mark . The Ethiopian Patriarchate combined the old offices of '''Abuna''' and '''Ichage''' (see below).
- -- Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church . From the 4th Century until the middle of the 20th century was an Copt ic monk appointed by the Patriarch Of Alexandria to serve as its leader. However as time progressed, the authority of the Abuna was reduced to little more than a figurehead largely because the incumbents spoke little Geez or Amharic . In 1948, the Coptic Pope Yusab appointed the then '''Ichage''' (see below) as the first Ethiopian born Archbishop, Abune Baslios, and granted the Ethiopian church Autocephelacy . His successor as Coptic Pope, Cyril VI, elevated Abune Baslios to the office of '''Patriarch''' in 1951. The title of Abuna is now held by all the numerous Archbishops and Bishops of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
- -- the abbot of the monastery of Debre Libanos , who served as the second highest ecclesiastic of the Ethiopian church, and was often the ''de facto'' head of that church. Beginning in the mid-17th century, the Ichage lived at Gondar while the capital was in that city. The Ichage followed the capital when it moved to Debre Tabor, Mekelle and eventually to Addis Ababa.
- --Administrator of the Debre Libanos Monastery and deputy to the Ichage.
- ("Guardian of the Church hours") -- priest to the Emperor. Until the mid-17th century was second only to the Abuna; James Bruce in the late 18th century describes him as the third highest ecclesiastic.
- --Archmandrite
- ' --"Arch-hierarch" title originally granted only to the Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, but today is granted to the deans of most of Ethiopia's cathedrals.
- --"Arch-scholar" title granted to the Dean and Abbot of the Ba'eta Le Mariam Monastery , the mausoleum church on the grounds of Addis Ababa's Imperial Palace, where Emperor Menelik II and Empress Zewditu are buried.
- --"Archdeacon"
- --"Deacon"
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