Ras ( compare with

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

Rais (), plural , is an Arabic title meaning 'chief' or 'leader'. It comes from the word for head, . The corresponding word for leadership or chieftaincy is . It is often translated as 'president' in Arabic, and as 'boss' in Persian. Swahili speak ...

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

Rosh), is a royal title in the

Ethiopian Semitic languages Ethio-Semitic (also Ethiopian Semitic, Ethiosemitic, Ethiopic or Abyssinian) is a family of languages spoken in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan. They form the western branch of the South Semitic languages, itself a sub-branch of Semitic languages, ...

. It is one of the powerful non-imperial titles. Historian Harold G. Marcus equates the Ras title to a

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

; others have compared it to "

prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

".''E.g.'', Don Jaide,
An Etymology of the word Ras-Tafari – By Ras Naftali
, Rasta Liveware, June 2, 2014; accessed 2019.06.24. The combined title of Leul Ras (

Amharic Amharic is an Ethio-Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amhara people, and also serves as a lingua franca for all other metropolitan populati ...

: ልዑል ራስ) was given to the heads of the cadet branches of the Imperial dynasty, such as the Princes of Gojjam,

Tigray The Tigray Region (or simply Tigray; officially the Tigray National Regional State) is the northernmost Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob people, Irob and Kunama people. I ...

, ''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

* Ras Hamalmal of Kambata (16th century) * 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 '' Ras'' Kassa Hailu (Amharic: ካሣ ኀይሉ ዳርጌ; 7 August 1881 – 16 November 1956) was a Shewan Amhara nobleman, the son of Dejazmach Haile Wolde Kiros of Lasta, the ruling heir of Lasta's throne and younger brother of Emperor ...

(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)

References

{{reflist, 30em Ethiopian nobility Noble titles

Historic Ras

See also

References