"Imperial Bodyguard" redirects here. For the general sense of an emperor's bodyguard, see Imperial guard.
Imperial bodyguards of Ethiopia
Kebur Zabagna
Members of the Ethiopian Kebur Zabagna
Active
1917–1936 1941–1974
Country
Ethiopian Empire
Branch
Army
Type
Imperial guard Infantry
Size
9 Battalions
Garrison/HQ
Addis Ababa
Patron
Emperor of Ethiopia
Engagements
Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Battle of Maychew
Korean War
Battle of Pork Chop Hill
Commanders
Ceremonial chief
Emperor of Ethiopia
Military unit
The Kebur Zebenya (Amharic: ክቡር ዘበኛ, romanized: kəbur zãbãňňya, lit. 'honorable guard') was the Ethiopian imperial guard. Also known as the First Division, this unit served the dual purposes of providing security for the Emperor of Ethiopia, and being an elite infantry division. It was not, however, part of the organizational structure of the Ethiopian regular army as it was part of the Zebagna, the Addis Ababa Guard. The Kebur Zabagna was based in Addis Ababa.
regular army as it was part of the Zebagna, the Addis Ababa Guard. The KeburZabagna was based in Addis Ababa. Richard Pankhurst dates the formation of the...
as Emperor Haile Selassie I. He created an Imperial Bodyguard, the KeburZabagna, in 1917 from the earlier Mahal Safari who had traditionally attended...
musical department of the Imperial army. During his tenure with the KeburZabagna, Gibreab wrote several plays, many as a source of education for the...
Surplus mod.1915 and mod.1918/30 were bought from Italy and issued to the KeburZabagna, possibly some were also shipped to Eritrea and captured by the Ethiopians...
Germame Neway and Brigadier General Mengistu Neway, commander of the KeburZabagna (Imperial Bodyguard), sought to overthrow the Emperor during a state...
native Amharic language. Bizunesh Bekele was born in 1936. After joining KeburZabagna Band, by her friend persuasion, she hosted Tikil Radio entertainment...
including representatives from the 40 units of the Army, Air Force, Navy, KeburZabagna (Imperial Guard), Territorial Army and police: each unit was expected...
contemporary personalities, including Eyoel Yohannes, at the time the head of KeburZabagna, who then recruited him as a solo singer in Oromo. He joined other famous...
mission to train and modernize the Ethiopian military, which included the KeburZabagna. The unit was organized in three battalions of trained regular infantry...
acts to prevent direct communication with the person. Mehal Sefari and KeburZabagna of the Ethiopian Empire Esho of the Oyo Empire Imperial Guard of the...
was with Emperor Haile Selassie at the Battle of Maychew. When the KeburZabagna (the Ethiopian imperial guard) was sent against the Italians at Maychew...
December 1960, while Haile Selassie was on a state visit to Brazil, his KeburZabagna (Imperial Guard) forces staged an unsuccessful coup, briefly proclaiming...
created under Ras Tafari Makonnen, in 1917, with the formation of the KeburZabagna, the imperial guard. The economy consisted of centuries old barter system...
Gibreab Teferi (1915–1980), Ethiopian activist, poet and playwright of KeburZabagna Marhu Teferi (born 1992), Ethiopian-born Israeli marathon and half marathon...
Stanleyville. During the operation, about 3,000 members of the elite KeburZabagna (imperial bodyguard)—about 10 percent of the Ethiopian Army's strength...
provincial/territorial/reserve army. The Imperial Bodyguard Division (KeburZabagna) was the most elite military force in the empire with responsibility...
graduated from the Harar Military Academy. Three years later, he joined the KeburZabagna (Imperial Bodyguard) and was specifically assigned to the Emperor's...
created under Ras Tafari Makonnen, in 1917, with the formation of the KeburZabagna, the imperial guard. Medieval Ethiopia was a highly militaristic nation...
ethnic Oromo and the daughter of Ras Gobena Dacche. He served in the KeburZabagna, rising to the rank of Major before transferring to the police, and...
restored to his title of Fitawrari, and several thousand soldiers of the KeburZabagna (Imperial Guard) were placed under their control. The force led by Yayyo...
attempt: While Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Brazil, his KeburZabagna (Imperial Bodyguard) leads a military coup against his rule, proclaiming...
influential of the Emperor's advisors. In 1960, the Imperial Guard (KeburZabagna) launched a coup attempt against the Emperor while he was on a state...
Ethiopian. His father, Kosrof Gorgorios Boghossian, was a colonel in the KeburZabagna (Imperial Bodyguard) and of Armenian descent. Boghossian also has a...