Horse name
A horse name is a secondary noble title or a popular name for members of Ethiopian royalty; in some cases the "horse names" are the only name known for a ruler. They take the form of "father of X", where "X" is the name of the person's warhorse. According to Mahtama Sellase "They were given to a man for “his good administration, judgment and council in times of peace and his bravery and strategy in times of war” The first named horse in the region's history was that of Amda Seyon I in his royal chronicle "The Glorious Victories." This would set the groundwork for the Horse name in Pre-Modern Ethiopia
Some known horse names of Ethiopian nobility include:
| Name | Title | Horse Name | Literal/Synonymous meaning | Note | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alula Engida | Ras | Abba Nega | Father of dawn | Alula Aba Nega Airport is named after him and his horsename. | |
| Balcha Safo | Dejazmach | Abba Nefso | Father of the Soul | ||
| Bashah Aboye | Dejazmach | Abba Däffar | Father of audacity | ||
| Belay Zeleke | Dejazmach | Abba Koster | Father of Sharpshooter | ||
| Darge Sahle Selassie | Ras | Abba Gersa | Father of Recurring Impediment (i.e. impeding the enemy). | ||
| Garmame | Dejazmach | Abba Mala | |||
| Habte Giyorgis Dinagde | Fitawrari | Abba Mechal | Father of Tolerance | ||
| Haile Maryam Gebre | Dejazmach | Abba Dammana | Father of the Cloud | ||
| Lul Seged | Ras | Abba Balay | |||
| Menelik II | Emperor of Ethiopia | Abba Dagnew | Father of Justice | ||
| Sabagadis Woldu | Dejazmach | Abba Garay | |||
| Tekle Haymanot | Negus of Gojjam | Abba Tanna | |||
| Tessema Nadew | Ras Bitwoded | Abba Qamaw | |||
| Tewodros II | Emperor of Ethiopia | Abba Tatek | Father of readiness (of arms) | ||
| Welde Giyorgis Aboye | Negus of Gondar | Abba Saggad | Father of Commandeering | ||
| Yohannes IV | Emperor of Ethiopia | Abba Bezibiz | Father of Plunder |