Until the end of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1975, there were two categories of nobility in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Mesafint, the hereditary royal nobility, formed the upper echelon of the ruling clas
Negusa Nagast Haile Selassie with other Ethiopian nobles and retainers.
Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael surrounded by retainers.
Emperor Haile Selassie of the Solomonic dynasty
Menelik II
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Menelik II, baptised as Sahle Maryam, was king of Shewa from 1866 to 1889 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death in 1913. A member of the Solomonic dynasty, Menelik expanded the Ethiopian Empi
Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles
…Shewa, Gojjam, Wollo, 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 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…
Photograph of Emperor Menelik II on the throne in coronation garb
Menelik II seal
The fortress of Magdala
Menelik meeting British explorers