Ras (compare with Arabic Rais or Hebrew Rosh), is a royal title in the Ethiopian Semitic languages.[1] It is one of the powerful non-imperial titles.
Historian Harold G. Marcus equates the Ras title to a duke; others have compared it to "prince".[2]
The combined title of Leul Ras (Amharic: ልዑል ራስ) was given to the heads of the cadet branches of the Imperial dynasty, such as the Princes of Gojjam, Tigray, Ras Tafari Makonnen and the Selalle sub-branch of the last reigning Shewan Branch, and meaning "Lord of Lords", the highest title of lord.