Title for a Jewish Emperor?

I was thinking about the title that might be given to a Jewish ruler of any possible realm, should he be extremely succesful and decide to grant himself a title that is higher than merely "king".

Now, the modern Hebrew word for Emperor is "Keysar", meaning Caesar. I was thinking about a term that is not derived from anything Roman, but something unique that is generally translated to "Emperor", such Shahanshah, or Shogun. I was thinking of "Melech haMelachim", which means King of Kings, like the title of the Persian Emperor. Thing is, that this phrase is used to describe God several times in the Hebrew Bible, and thus would probably seem like a very un-pious thing for a Jewish Emperor to do.

Are there any more suggestions? I was thinking about something in Hebrew, specifically, but if not perhaps something that sounds Ethiopian in the event of the Ethiopian Jewish kingdom lasting longer and stronger.
 
If the POD is early enough, the emperor might call himself "moshiach," or "the anointed one."

Alternatively, "nasi" means "prince" or "chieftain." This is admittedly a somewhat low-rent title for an emperor, but it has been used to describe legendary kings such as David, and has been adapted to other contexts of supreme status (e.g., the president of modern Israel). Possibly "nasi" could come to mean "a prince among kings."
 

Yonatan

Banned
I believe the term king in Hebrew (מלך-melech/malikh/melekh) as well as the other titles were similiar to neighborings nations. just look at any equivalent rank in a semitic civilisation, like in Tyre or even the nearby bedouin kingdoms.(Parasim-horsemen, etc.) if this is post Alexander the Great, (unlikely, but still...) then it will be basilius, I think. the Kingdom of Judea was ruled by mostly hellenised Jews at that point.

It basically depends on when this happens. if you mean in some biblical period, or just at some point before Alexander, then I have no idea. in fact I dont see a reason not to stick with King. maybe Great King (Melech Gadol), or High King(Melech Elyon/Gavoah), but I dont see any other term for Emperor.

Now, if you want to write a TL where this issue is of relevance, I would love to read it, of course :D

EDIT: Massiach, or Messiah, is of course a possible term, but while its literal meaning is "the annoited one" it would fit more like a title that you earn by some act, rather then a title you inherit. kind of like Richard the Lionheart. you can have some King Murdechai the Messiah, but I dont see the Messiah becoming an inherited title in itself.
 
If the POD is early enough, the emperor might call himself "moshiach," or "the anointed one."

Alternatively, "nasi" means "prince" or "chieftain." This is admittedly a somewhat low-rent title for an emperor, but it has been used to describe legendary kings such as David, and has been adapted to other contexts of supreme status (e.g., the president of modern Israel). Possibly "nasi" could come to mean "a prince among kings."

Well, the Hasmoneans, before calling themselves Kings, used to call themselves "Nasi" and the title was actually used to describe a political rank of the man who was basically the leader of all Jews after the temple was destroyed. So it's not a monarchic title, and is also lesser than 'king'.
 
A quick check of online Bible sources suggests that Ataxerxes in Ezra 7:11-12 is referred to as "king" and "king of kings", 4428 and 4430 (twice) in the Strong's Concordance numbering system. Since I don't have either a Tanakh or a concordance handy, and this computer doesn't seem to have a hebrew font to support what I was reading, I'm not sure the precise difference. It SEEMS to be 4428 is Hebrew and 4430 is Aramaic, but they are both "melek" (or melech?), king.

So the suggestion "melech hamelech" posited above looks like it's probably very very close to the phrase in Ezra 7:13.
 

Krall

Banned
Now, the modern Hebrew word for Emperor is "Keysar", meaning Caesar. I was thinking about a term that is not derived from anything Roman, but something unique that is generally translated to "Emperor", such Shahanshah, or Shogun.

Quick point of pedantry: "Shogun" doesn't mean "Emperor" and is not translated as such - "Tennō" is the native title of the Japanese emperor, meaning "heavenly sovereign". A Shogun is more like a hereditary prime minister, who is also the commander-in-chief.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
Orko said:
Now, the modern Hebrew word for Emperor is "Keysar", meaning Caesar. I was thinking about a term that is not derived from anything Roman, but something unique that is generally translated to "Emperor", such Shahanshah, or Shogun.
Shahanshah is generally translated as what it means; King of Kings. We call Persia an empire because it was one, but it was ruled by a King of Kings, the Light of the Aryans.

And most people understand Shogun to mean a Japanese military dictator with cool armor/robes/swords/sandals.
 
OK. Checked the Tanakh.
Ezra 7:12 has mlk mlkia for king of kings
mem lamed kaf mem lamed kaf yod alef

first word
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interestingly, the Babylon online Hebrew English dictionary renders "king of kings" as ""מלך המלכים


Note that the context in Ezra is actually in Aramaic, as it is diplomatic correspondence.
 
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