Until the end of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, there were two categories of nobility in Ethiopia, the Mesafint (Ge'ez መሳፍንት masāfint, modern mesāfint, singular መስፍን masfin, modern mesfin, "prince") and the Mekwanint (makʷanin, modern mekʷenin or መኮንን mekonnen, "governor").
The Mesafint or princes, hereditary nobles, formed the upper echelon of the ruling class. The Mekwanint were the appointed nobles, often of humble birth, who formed the bulk of the nobility. Until the 20th century, the most powerful people at court were generally Mekwanint appointed by the monarch, while regionally, the Mesafint enjoyed greater influence and power. Emperor Haile Selassie greatly curtailed the power of the Mesafint to the benefit of the Mekwanint.
Famous quotes containing the words ethiopian, aristocratic, court and/or titles:
“The Ethiopian cannot change his skin nor the leopard his spots.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“Universal empire is the prerogative of a writer. His concerns are with all mankind, and though he cannot command their obedience, he can assign them their duty. The Republic of Letters is more ancient than monarchy, and of far higher character in the world than the vassal court of Britain.”
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“We have to be despised by somebody whom we regard as above us, or we are not happy; we have to have somebody to worship and envy, or we cannot be content. In America we manifest this in all the ancient and customary ways. In public we scoff at titles and hereditary privilege, but privately we hanker after them, and when we get a chance we buy them for cash and a daughter.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)