Chewa regiments

Chewa (Geez:ጼዋ) were the feudal noble warrior class of Ethiopia. Originally recruited and appointed for the Emperor army service, they formed a class of professional soldiers, also known for traditional warriorhood practices and a rich cultural background. They were allocated with land grants for their sustainement. Their installation in settlements were instrumental in creating the nucleus of urban centers as well as the land tenure system through Ethiopia and Eritrea. By the early 20th century, scholars could identify 66 villages in Eritrea with a Chewa settlement origin. rdf:langString