Nobility of Abeshia

The nobility of Abeshia refers to the privileged social class that as dominated Abeshian society for millennia. There are two catergories of nobility in Abeshia, the Mesafint (Sabaean: መሳፍንት), the hereditary nobles, collectively called mesfin, or prince; and the Mekwanint (Sabaean: መኳንንት), the appointed dignitaries raised to noble status usually from humble background forming the bulk of the nobility.

Aristocratic titles for men

The vast majority of the titles of nobility in Abeshia drew their origin from the ancient military titles of the past. The highest non royal title is that Ras, which is more less equated to the western title Duke. Ras is followed by Dejazmach (similar to Count but equated to that of Marquess), Qenazmach, Garazmach, Fitawrari (equated to Baron), and Balambaras (similar to that of a knight)

• Ras (Duke)
• Dejazmach (Marquess)
• Qenazmach (Count)
• Garazmach (Viscount)
• Fitawrari (Baron)
• Balambaras (Knight)

In addition to these six titles of nobility, certain additional titles are used as courtesy titles by the sons of nobles or by cadet branches of the imperial house. For instance the various heads of cadet branches of the imperial family are titled Leul Ras (Literally Prince-Duke or Prince of the Blood), while their eldest son is called Leul Dejazmach. The male children of the mesafint (the hereditary nobility) are called Lij.

Aristocratic titles for women

Abeshian nobility differs from other countries in that the vast majority of said titles can only be held by a male descendant, however women are entitled to use titles signifying their status as the wife or daughter of a noble. The Wives of Leul Rases are entitled to the use the honorific Leult, Princess, while the wives of Leul Dejazmaches use Emebet Hoy (Great royal lady). The honorific Emebet is used by both the daughters of Leul Rases and the grand-daughters in the female line of the imperial house. The Wives of non royal nobles such as Ras, Dejazmach, and Qenazmach use the honorific Woizero Hoy (great lady); while the wives of a Garazmach, Fitawrari, and a Balambaras use the term Woizero, (dame), which as in modern times become the established form of address for all married women.

Peerage

The Abeshian nobility is unique in the fact that while a distinct aristocratic class of nobles exists, none of them can claim rights to a title without it being bestowed on them by the emperor, because of this when a Ras dies his eldest son must attend the Emperor at court in the hopes of being granted his father's old title. In any case their are usually no fewer then 15 Rases (including the princes of the blood), 35 Dejazmaches, 51 Qenazmaches, 29 Garazmaches, some 400 Fitawraris, and over 1500 Balambarases for a total of 2,030 titled nobles. Of these only Ras through Fitawrari are members of the westernized peerage system.

List of Peerage Holders

1. Bahr Negus (ancient title absorbed into the Crown)
2. Tigray Makonnen: Viceroy of Tigray
3. Agafari of Simien: Viceroy of Simien
4. Azmatch of Begameder
5. Sahafalam of Amhara: Great Lord
6. Negus of Gojjam: King of Gojjam
7. Negus of Wollega: King of Wollega
8. Sahafalam of Damot: held by the Prince of Gojjam
9. Negus of Shewa (absorbed into the Crown)
10. Wagshum: hereditary ruler of Lasta, and Wag
11. Jantirar: hereditary ruler of Ambassel
12. Shum of Agame
13. Shum of Enariya
14. Shum of Sagada
15. Shum of Sagada
16. Shum of Shire
17. Shum of Tembien (held by the Prince of Tigray)
18. Shum of Enderta (held by the Prince of Tigray)
19. Sultan of Ausa
20. Sultan of Jimma
21. Amir of Harar
22. Qas of Gurage
23. Qas of Hadiya
24. Qas of Ifat
25. Garad of Bali
26. Garad of Gan
27. Sheikh of Bela Shangul

List of prominent nobles in the present

• Leul Paulos Wossen Segad, Duke of Menz
• Leul Ermias Sahle Selasie, Duke of Bulga, Dejazmach of Leqa Naqamte
• Leul Ras Mengesha Seyum, Prince of Tigray
• Leul Ras Mammo Hailu, Prince of Gojjam
• Leul Ras Asfa Wossen Asserate, Prince of Selale
• Leul Ras Sahlu Mikael, Prince of Tegulet

• Ras Solomon Eskander
• Ras Yohannes Andargachew
• Ras Dawit Abiye
• Ras Amanuel Mesfin
• Ras Hailu Getachew
• Ras Mikael Hailu (of Gojjam)
• Ras Gobana Abebe
• Ras Yilma Endelkachew
• Ras Sabagadis Sebhat, Shum of Agame
• Ras Hanfare Alimirah, Sultan of Aussa
• Ras Ali Gwangul, of Yejju
• Ras Bitul Gugsa
• Ras Giyorgis Adafersaw
• Ras Gebre-Hiwot Mikael

• Wagshum Tafari Wossen, Dejazmach of Lasta
• Amha Kassa, Dejazmach of Leqa Qallam
• Dejazmach Haile Giyorgis Tewodros
• Dejazmach Merid Beyene
• Dejazmach Samson Beyene
• Dejazmach Kifle Irgetu
• Dejazmach Workineh Wolde Amanuel
• Dejazmach Aemero Selassie Abebe
• Dejazmach Solomon Abreha
• Dejazmach Sahelu Difeye
• Dejazmach Worku Enko Selassie
• Dejazmach Legese Bezu
• Dejazmach Kebede Aliwele Asfaw
• Dejazmach Bazabi Kafi
• Dejazmach Aba Jobir, Sultan of Jimma
• Dejazmach Zewde Gebre-Selassie
• Dejazmach Samson Fikre Selassie
• Dejazmach Girma Yohannes
• Dejazmach Kifle Seifu
• Dejazmach Metaferia Melke Tsedek
• Dejazmach Mengesha Wube
• Dejazmach Habte'Mikael Yinadu
• Dejazmach Mekonnen Wosssen
• Dejazmach Seyum Desta
• Dejazmach Belay Ali
• Dejazmach Haile Selassie Aba Jebel
• Dejazmach Hailu Tesfaye
• Dejazmach Abebe Ayelewerk
• Dejazmach Ayalew Birru
• Dejazmach Tesfa Tiku
• Dejazmatch Kebede Aragaw
• Dejazmatch Kassa Sibhat

• Qenazmach Yilma Aboye
• Qenazmach Tsige Werdeworq
• Qenazmach Tsige Yimamu
• Qenazmach Habte'Mikael Birru
• Qenazmach Lema Bisewur
• Qenazmach Leul Seged Deneke
• Qenazmach Mola Wenberu
• Qenazmach Desta Welde Kiros
• Qenazmach Dehne Wolde Mariam
• Qenazmach Wolde Tsadik Zegeye
• Qenazmach Yeshineh
• Qenazmach Keterew Wolde Aregai
• Qenazmach Woldeyes Ayele
• Qenazmach Kebede Meshesha
• Qenazmach Haile Mikael Haji Bilto
• Qenazmach Haile Tsion Kawotona
• Qenazmach Haile Digua Wuhaw
• Qenazmach Nigatu Beshe
• Qenazmach Amare Gebre Mariam
• Qenazmach Tsige WerdeWerk
• Qenazmach Tsige Yimamu
• Qenazmach Tsemiru Gebre-Selassie

• Garazmach Haile Mariam Gessese
• Garazmach Gizaw Petros
• Garazmach Asfaw Tamene
• Garazmach Legesse Gizaw
• Garazmach Mesha Wenberu
• Garazmach Belew Tessema
• Garazmach Bedasso Abdulahi
• Garazmach Biyad Gilign
• Garazmach Tebeje
• Garazmach Tedla Haile Giyorgis
• Garazmach Asfaw Tamene
• Garazmach Asres Tessema
• Garazmach Abebe Nake
• Garazmach Demise Abe
• Garazmach Kassa Raklis
• Garazmach Wolde Mikael Desalegn
• Garazmach Kebede Tasew
• Garazmach Gibaw Gizaw
• Garazmach Gizaw Serawitu

• Fitawrari Iyoas Amda Abera
• Fitawrari Tadesse Enko Selassie
• Fitawrari Demisse Alamirew
• Fitawrari Zewde Germachew
• Fitawrari Asfaw Manaye
• Fitawrari Leul Seged Wendyirad
• Fitawrari Sahle Giorgis Nadew
• Fitawrari Temesgen Bitew
• Fitawrari Tefera Mesfin
• Fitawari Haile Wolde Tsadik
• Fitawrari Asfaw Man'Aye
• Fitawrari Ayalew Birru
• Fitawrari Demise Habte-Selassie
• Fitawrari Girma Mamo
• Fitawrari Gebre-Selassie Aba Wurji
• Fitawrari Gediwon Guangul
• Fitawrari Desalegn Cherinet
• Fitawrari Desta AtnafSeged
• Fitawrari Wolde Giorgis Adem

• Balambaras Mahateme Selassie Wolde Meskel
• Balambaras Minase Asfaw
• Balambaras Leul Seged Yimer
• Balambaras Liben Gebrehiwot
• Balambaras Reda
• Balambaras Tessema Ali
• Balambaras Asfaw WoldeGiorgis
• Balambaras Abera Ketema
• Balambaras Haile Geta Bicha
• Balambaras Asfaw TekleMariam
• Balambaras Emagnu Yimer
• Balambaras Mesai Wond Bewossen
• Balambaras Girma Yayehyirad
• Balambaras Degefu Gebre

1. Ato Asfaw Andarge
2. Ato Asfaw Ali
3. Ato Asfaw GebreYohannes
4. Ato Asfaw FikreSellasie
5. Blatta Ashine KidaneMariam
6. Ato Abera Shih'New

1. Woizero Abebech Abegaz
2. Woizero Abebech Cherkose

1. Ato Abebe WoldeTsasdik
2. NegaDires Abebe Wolde
3. Bejirond Abegaz
4. Ato Abate Mulat
5. NegaDires Abayneh WoldeMikael
6. Ato Amberbir Abebe
7. Woizero Ayelech Birru
8. Ato Ayele Ali
9. Blatta Ayele Gebre

1. Woizero AtnafeAlem GebreHiwot
2. AfeNigus AtnafSeged WoldeTsadik
3. Tsehafi Ti'ezaz AfeWerk
4. Ato Efrem Asfaw
5. Merigeta WoldeTsadik Aferu
6. Ato Wolde Gabriel

1. Ato WoldeTsadik Zegeye
2. Ato Wolde Wossene
3. Lij Wossene Metaferia
4. Ato Workneh ZikArgachew
5. Ato Wondim Siamregn
6. NegaDires Wedajo Ali
7. Ato Amde Abera
8. Ato Umer Ibrahim
9. Ato Alemu Tekle
10. Basha Alemu
11. Ato Alemu Endashaw
12. Lij Aleme
13. Lij Zelleke Nigatu
14. Abba Zemede Birhan
15. Woizero Zenebech
16. Ato Zewde Tadesse
17. Zena AmdeMariam
18. Zimam Wodejao
19. Ato YetNeberk WoldeMeskel
20. Ato Yilma GebreKidan
21. Lij Yikum Abate
22. Ato Yibisa
23. Ato Yosef Ayele
24. Basha Demise Bedasa
25. Ato Demise WoldeYes
26. Lij Dereje Mekonnen
27. Ato Desta Liben
28. Kentiba Desta Mitike
29. Woizero Desta WoldeMariam
30. Ato Desalegn Abesha
31. Woizero Debritu Abnet
32. Woizero Dinknesh Teferi
33. Dinknesh BeshaWured
34. Woizero Dinknesh Dinkitu
35. Ato Dilnese
36. Ato Dua'ali Kadiye
37. Kadi Jami
38. Ato Gerime
39. Basha Gesesse Reda

1. Ato GebreMikael Tesema
2. Blatta GebreMikael WoldeMeskel
3. Ato GebreMikael Selfako
4. Basha GebreMariam Surur
5. Ato GebreMariam Ewinetu
6. Ato GebreMariam Jimma
7. Abba Gebre-Selassie
8. LiquLiqawunt Gebre-Ab
9. Lique Gebre-Kirstos Wolde-Yohannes
10. Ato GebreYes HabteGabriel
11. Ato GebreGiorgis GebreMariam
12. Ato GebreTsion Nigatu
13. Genet Tedla
14. Basha Gont Lante Yideru
15. Azazh Getahun Habte-Selassie
16. Ato GetaBicha Tsemiru

1. NegaDires Eshete Teketelew
2. Ato Eshete Hailu
3. NegaDires Eshete Wube
4. Aleka Estifanos
5. Blatta KidaneMariam Abera
6. Ato Kassa Maru
7. Woizero Kassa Yelemitu
8. Ato Kosros Bogosian
9. Woizero WoleteKidan Mamo
10. Yitot WoleteYes
11. Woizero Wolete Yohannes
12. BlattenGeta WoldeMariam Ayele
13. Ato WoldeRufael Ashengo
14. Basha Wolde Sema'et
15. Ato WoldeSenbet Ayito
16. Ato Haile Bahir
17. Ato Haile Tessema
18. Lij Haile WoldeMeskel
19. Ato Haile Digua'Wuhaw
20. Ato Alito
21. Kadi Ahmed
22. Ato Areke GebreHiwot
23. Woizero Aselefech
24. Woizero Asegedech
25. Ato Aseffa Mola
26. Ato Aseffa Solomon
27. Woizero Askale WoldeAmanuel
28. Woizero Askale Wosenne
29. Ligaba Tasew Walelu
30. Woizero Taitu Kebede
31. Afe Nigus Tilahun BeHabte
32. Azazh Tilaye Tesema
33. Ato Tilahun Cherinet
34. Ato Tigashaw Tsemiru
35. Woizero TiruWerk Aligaz
36. Tirunesh Wodere
37. Memhir Cherkos
38. Ato Tsegaye GebreTsadik
39. Woizero Tsehay Abeba AbaKoran

1. Fikade-Selassie Emagnu
2. Bejirond Fikre-Selassie Ketema