In the same way that individual human beings have guardian angels, so larger groups are watched over by particular angels. These angels are traditionally referred to as ethnarchs. The earliest biblical evidence that angels are in charge of nations appears in Daniel, chapters 10 and 12. Michael is described as “the great prince who has charge of your people.” In Jewish legend seventy distinct nations emerged out of the debacle at the Tower of Babel, and God appointed an angel to watch over each nation. Jewish legend further asserts that all of the ethnarchs except Michael, guardian of Israel, fell and became evil angels. Among these fallen angels are:

Dubbiel, guardian of Persia, Rahab, guardian of Egypt, and Sammael, guardian of Rome. Despite their supposedly fallen state, God is able to direct the course of nations by issuing commands to their angels. Portugal is the only country to celebrate a feast in honor of its angel, on the third Sunday in July.

Sources:

Cavendish, Richard.  Man, Myth & Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mythology, Religion and the Unknown. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1995.

Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. 1967. Reprint. New York: Free Press, 1971.

Ronner, John.  Know Your Angels: The Angel Almanac with Biographies of 100 Prominent Angels in Legend and Folklore, and Much More. Murfreesboro, Tenn.: Mamre Press, 1993