Jantirar

Jantirar(Amharic:ጃንጥራር) was a title of theEthiopian Empiregiven to the ruler ofAmba Geshen.

The "Akodama," a headdress worn by the noblemen ofShewaandWollo

Overview

Main article:Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles

Jantirar is borne historically by the head of the family holding the mountain fortress ofAmbasselinEthiopia;similar toWagshum,the hereditary ruler of the province ofWag,and unlike other aristocratic titles likemeridazmachorras.While that artistocratic family is said to be one of the most noble in Ethiopian history, they never ruled any larger realm than their own district.Menen Asfaw,empress consortofHaile Selassie,was a daughter of Jantirar Asfaw.

The meaning of the title Jantirar makes it unique. The elementJanis the same as theJaninJanhoyeor "Jan Amora",meaning" great "but often translated as" royal "and another word used to refer to theEmperor of Ethiopia.Also, both words after Jan have almost similar meaning inAmharic.Hoyeorhoyican be roughly translated into "hear me, hear my call", whiletiraris a form ofTira,which means "call" or "calling".

However, the claim that 'they never ruled any larger realm than their own district' can be challenged in many fronts. For example, while the mother ofYekuno Amlakwas fromSagaratin theDessie Zuria,his father came from the highlands of Ambassel.All the local folk histories and some remnants of theKingdom of Aksum,even before theZagwe dynastyappears in history (aroundLake Hayqof Ambassel with a church that was founded in the 8th century), suggest that Ambassel and the immediate surrounding Amhara regions were well prepared to produce a king and a legend as it suits its kingdom. It is arguable that their Jantirar can not be so without some connection of their being the origin of Yekuno Amlak.