FULLFILLED RASTAFARI

Women's honorifics

Nigiste Negest ("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).
Itege --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).
Leult --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".
Emebet Hoy ("Great Royal Lady") --Reserved for the wives of those bearing the title of "Leul Dejazmatch"
Emebet ("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".
Woizero (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).
Woizerit (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.

Important regional offices

Bahr negus ("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.
Meridazmach (" 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.
Mesfin Harrar --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).
Nebura ed ("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.

Note: Edward Ullendorff notes that the title of "Nebura ed" is also used by the head of Basilica Church of St Maryam at Addis Alem, "built by Menelik as the southern Aksum". (The Ethiopians, 2nd ed. [London: Oxford, 1960], p. 109)

Tigray Mekonnen -- 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.
Wagshum -- 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.
Jantirar -- 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.
Shum Agame --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.
Shum Tembien--Governor of Tembien district of Tigrai. Emperor Yohannis IV was the son of Shum Mercha of Tembien.

The Mekwanint

Important offices of the Imperial Court

Enderase -- (Literally "As Myself"), Regent of the Empire. Also title used by the monarch's representatives to fiefs and vassals.
Reise Mekwanint -- (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.
Tsehafi Tezaz -- (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).
Afe Negus -- (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.
Lique Mekwas -- 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.
Blatangeta -- "Lord of the Pages", High court official that served as administrator of the Palaces. Later used as an honorific.
Blata -- "Page", high court officials in charge of maintaining palace protocol and meeting the personal needs of the Imperial family.
Basha -- 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.

Thank You to Ras Adam Simeon for researching this information, taken from Ras Rootka's site.