Global InformationMehal Sefari information
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| Mehal Sefari | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1850–1936 |
| Country |  Ethiopian Empire |
| Branch | Ethiopian Imperial Guard |
| Type | Infantry, cavalry, snipers, rapid deployment |
| Role | Multi-role, Imperial Bodyguard, cadre for larger Imperial Host |
| Size | 5 combat units roughly of brigade size |
| Part of | Imperial Fitawrari (Commander-in-Field) |
| Garrison/HQ | Ankober, Addis Ababa |
| Nickname(s) | Mehal Sefari |
| Patron | Emperor of Ethiopia |
| Engagements | First Italo-Ethiopian War
|
| Commanders | |
| Commander in Chief | Atse (Emperor) of Ethiopia |
| Notable commanders | Dedj Chacha Dedj Beshah Aboye |
Mehal Sefari (Amharic: መኻል ሰፋሪ) was the Ethiopian title for the specialized units of the imperial guard during the reign of Emperor Menelik II. The unit grew from Menelik's personal Guard, though oral histories link it to the elite fighting unit of Atse Tewodros II under Fitawrari Gebrye. As Gebrye's military unit was among the last that remained loyal to Tewodros when most of his army left, the assumption is not unreasonable if not conclusive. The title "Mehal Sefari" however was not used by any of Tewodros' units, nor by any other previous military unit. The title translates to "center campers" and alludes to the location the unit encamped in Menelik's expeditionary encampments. Some have also suggested that the unit was used to come between (mehal) battling armies of the nobility. There is however little in way of evidence to demonstrate this as the nobility rarely fought without permission from the Emperor.