Ras (Amharic: ራስ, romanized: ras, lit. 'head' compare with Arabic Rais or Hebrew Rosh), is a royal title in the Ethiopian Semitic languages.[1] It is one of the powerful non-imperial titles.
Historian Harold G. Marcus equates the Ras title to a duke;[citation needed] others have compared it to "prince".[2]
The combined title of Leul Ras (Amharic: ልዑል ራስ) was given to the heads of the cadet branches of the Imperial dynasty, such as the Princes of Gojjam, Tigray, Ras Tafari Makonnen and the Selalle sub-branch of the last reigning Shewan Branch, and meaning "Lord of Lords", the highest title of lord.
Historic Ras
edit- Ras Hamalmal of Kambata
- Ras Fasil
- Ras Wolde Selassie (1736–1816)
- Ras Sabagadis Woldu (1780–1831)
- Ras Alula (1827–1897)
- Ras Gobana Dacche (1821–1889)
- Ras Mekonnen Wolde Mikael (1852–1906)
- Ras Mengesha Yohannes (1868–1906)
- Ras Araya Selassie Yohannes (1869/70-10 June 1888)
- Ras Sebhat Aregawi (1892–1914)
- Ras Gugsa Welle
- Ras Gugsa Araya Selassie
- Ras Kassa Haile Darge (1881–1956)
- Ras Tafari (the latter emperor Haile Selassie, 1892–1975)
- Ras Darge Sahle Selassie (1830 – 23 March 1900)
- Ras Abebe Aregai (1903–1960)
- Ras Wubneh Tessema (1943–1974)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Haile Selassie, Western Education, and Political Revolution in Ethiopia. Cambria Press. ISBN 9781621969143.
- ^ E.g., Don Jaide, "An Etymology of the word Ras-Tafari – By Ras Naftali", Rasta Liveware, June 2, 2014; accessed 2019.06.24.