Emperor Haile Selassie

Emperor Haile Selassie I was born on July 23,1894,as Lij Taffari Makonnen at Enjersa Goro, just outside the city of Harrar. His parents were Ras Makonnen Wolde Michael, the governor of Harrar, and his wife, Woizero Yeshimebet Ali AbaJiffar. Ras Makonnen was the son of Dejazmatch Wolde Michael Wolde Melekot, a noble of Doba in northern Shewa. Ras Makonnen's paternal grandfather was Ato Wolde Melekot Yemane Kristos a Tigrean noble from Tembien who had moved to Shewa. Ras Makonnen's mother however was Woizero Tenagnework Sahle Selassie, daughter of King Sahle Selassie of Shewa, sister of King Haile Melekot of Shewa, and aunt to Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia. Ras Makonnen was thus the first cousin of Emperor Menelik II and a member of the Solomonic Dynasty. Woizero Yeshimebet his wife was the daughter of Dejazmatch Ali AbaJiffar, an Oromo chieftan of Wollo, and his wife Woizero Welete Giorgis Yimeru, a Gurage and Amhara woman once married to Ras Darge Sahle Selassie (Menelik II's uncle). Woizero Yeshimebet died before her son was 2 years old. Ras Makonnen had an elder son Yilma whom he did not aknowledge until later in life (some say after Yilma saved his fathers life during the battle of Adowa). Dejazmatch Yilma Makonnen was Emperor Haile Selassie's only sibling, and was the father of four children, sons Kegnazmatch Sehalu Yilma, Kegnazmatch Asfaw Yilma and Dejazmatch Mengesha Yilma, and a daughter Her Imperial Highness Princess Yeshashework Yilma. Ras Makonnen himself had several siblings however. His elder sister Ihite Mariam had a daughter Mazlekia, who was married to Fitawrari Haile Selassie, and was the mother of Ras Imiru Haile Selassie, who was to be the Emperor Haile Selassie's life long companion and close confidant. As Ras Makonnen spent a great deal of time traveling on diplomatic business for Emperor Menelik, so he entrusted the care of his son Taffari to Fitawrari Haile Selassie. Therefore, Taffari grew up with Imiru more as brothers rather than cousins. Lij Taffari also was cared for by his maternal grandmother Woizero (later Emahoi after taking vows and becoming a nun) Welete Giorgis, and his maternal aunt Woizero Mammit. The boys were given the traditional education given to the children of Ethiopia's aristocracy. They were taught by Orthodox priests, and could recite the psalms in Ge-ez by age six. They were ordained deacons and served as such at Harrar's St. Michael's Church. Later, Ras Makonnen approached a French Catholic Capuchin monk residing in Harrar, Father Jaresseau to teach the boys along western lines. The Catholic priest taught them French, geography, world history, philosophy and some Latin as well. Over the next years, Taffari also picked up English, and German, as well as the Ethiopian languages of Amharic, Tigrigna and Oromigna(called Galligna in those days) and became a scholar in Ge-ez. After the death of his wife Woizero Yeshimebet, Ras Makonnen was prevailed upon by Empress Taitu to marry into her family. She arranged for him to marry her niece, Woizero Mentewab, a girl closer to the age of Lij Taffari and Lij Imiru than Ras Makonnen. Brought to Harrar, Woizero Mentewab briefly presided as lady of the household and step-mother to Lij Taffari, however less than a year later, Ras Makonnen sent the girl back to her aunt, the marriage having never been consumated. He believed it was unfair to the girl to marry her to a man of his comparatively advanced years. Empress Taitu took deep offense and never forgave the Ras. Lij Taffari however would hold the woman who was briefly his step-mother in high regard for the rest of her life

PATH TO THE THRONE

At the age of thirteen, Lij Taffari Makonnen was created a Dejazmatch by his father, and given the district of Garra Muleta as his fief. Ras Makonnen also summoned all his officers and informed them that it was his wish that his son Dejazmatch Taffari succeede him as governor of Harrar, and asked them all to swear their loyalty to Taffari. Although Ras Makonnen may have tried to establish his wishes in such a manner, ultimate decisions as to the succession of the Harrar governorate belonged to his cousin Emperor Menelik II. When Ras Makonnen died suddenly in 1908, the situation in Ethiopia was not what most had anticipated. The Ras died at Kulibi on his way to Addis Ababa from Harrar possibly of typhus. He was taken back to Harrar and buried at St. Michael's church there. Emperor Menelik was beside himself with grief upon hearing that Ras Makonnen had dead. He had the huge funeral tent set up on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in the capital, and proclaimed that he himself would be the chief mourner for Ras Makonnen in place of the two sons of his cousin. He summoned Dejazmatch Taffari, and Ras Makonnen's entourage from Harrar to Addis Ababa where Dejazmatch Yilma was already residing. Dejazmatch Taffari and the officers of Ras Makonnen arrived in Addis Ababa, and they walked into the Emperor's presence weeping and carrying a large portrait of the dead prince. Traditionaly, royalty in Ethiopia did not show emotion in public, so it stunned and moved the assembled courtiers when suddenly, Emperor Menelik rose up from his throne and embraced the portrait of his dead cousin, weeping and sobbing repeadedly, "Makonnen my son, Makonnen my brother! I have lost my right hand!" Menelik did not expect the younger Ras Makonnen to pre-decease him. Indeed it was often speculated that because Menelik had no sons of his own, he might name Makonnen his heir. This was not to be however.

Although Ras Makonnen had made clear that he had wanted Dejazmatch Taffari to succeede him as governor of Harrar, Menelik was not disposed to following through on that. Empress Taitu was especially opposed to Taffari inheriting Harrar, arguing that he was far too young. Instead, she argued for the apointment of the elder son of Ras Makonnen, Dejazmatch Yilma, who had been at the Imperial Court for several years, and was now appointed to succeed his father as governor. The Empress also arranged for Yilma to marry her neice Woizero Aselefech. Dejazmatch Taffari was instead given the honorific governorship of Selale, and told to remain at court where he became a member of the Emperor's personal retinue. Empress Taitu may have also advised this course of action because she suspected that the young prince may have been unduly influenced by the Roman Catholic priests that had been teaching him in Harrar. She may have suspected that he might have accepted the Catholic faith because he held so many of the progressive views of his father associated with westerners and Catholics. She would soon be reassured that he was firmly Orthodox however as far as religion went. He was placed in the new school built in the capital for young nobles, the Menelik II School. This situation continued until in 1910 when Dejazmatch Yilma also died. Dejazmatch Balcha Saffo (known as Abba Nega) was briefly appointed to the Harrar governorate, but proved to be extremely unpopular with the local officials who had long identified with Ras Makonnen and his sons. They appealed to Addis Ababa to have Dejazmatch Balcha removed. Empress Taitu, acting on Menelik's behalf due to the Emperor's stroke, appointed Taffari to the governorship of Harrar. It was to be her last official act, as the very next day, the nobility led by Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis and Dejazmatch Gebre Selassie Baria Gabr, deposed her, and put power in the hands of the Lord Regent Ras Tessema Nadew. They limited the Empress to caring for the stricken Emperor. In 1913, Emperor Menelik II died, and Lij Eyasu assended the throne, with Ras Tessema Nadew as his Regent. That same year, Ras Tessema also died under mysterious circumstances, and Lij Eyasu took the reigns of government himself, although he refused to be crowned as of yet. In 1916, Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen was removed from Harar by Lij Eyasu, and appointed governor of Kaffa. Dejazmatch Taffari was very resentful of the loss of what he considered his birthright. In addition Lij Eyasu, after taking Harrar for himself, had moved into the governors palace there, and ordered that his niece, and Taffari's wife, Menen, be evicted immediately. Lij Eyasu was informed that Woizero Menen was in the midst of giving birth, and could not possibly be moved (she was giving birth to Prince Asfaw Wossen, later Emperor Amha Selassie). He resentfully agreed to allow his niece to give birth, but ordered her to leave immediately afterwards. This embittered already poor relations between Taffari and Eyasu. Not long after this, the nobles and ministers of the Empire began to openly express concern about the erratic behavior of the heir, and his apparent sympathy for Islam. The diplomatic missions of the Entente Powers, concerned about Lij Eyasu's pro-German leanings encouraged this dissension. Finally, the Nobility, led by Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis, became convinced that Lij Eyasu had secretly converted to Islam, and following a two day meeting at Jan Meda in Addis Ababa (the Imperial Parade Ground), the nobility convinced the reluctant Coptic Archbishop, Abune Mattiwos, to declare Lij Eyasu an apostate, and release them from their oaths of loyalty to him. The nobles decided to swear fealty to the daughter of the late Emperor Menelik, and so Empress Zewditu was proclaimed Elect of God, Conquering Lion of Judah, and Queen of Kings, at the feast of Maskal (Feast of the Holy Cross' discovery by St. Helena)which fell on September 27,1916. Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen was proclaimed Heir to the Throne, and Crown Prince with the title of Ras as a compromise to progressives who were feeling relegated from the action which was being led by the conservative forces. Ras Taffari soon afterwards assumed the title of Regent, and became the true ruler of the Empire.

Ras Taffari Makonnen began to institute wide spread reforms in order to bring Ethiopia into the modern age. In order to qualify for membership in the League of Nations, the Regent proclaimed the end of slavery in 1923, and all slaves were declared free. A school was established in Addis Ababa for former slaves as well. The first newspapers were established to disseminate the progressive views of the Crown Prince and his supporters to the people in order to win support He also went on a tour of the Holy Land and the European capitals, being the highest ranking member of the Imperial family to ever travel abroad. He visited Rome and was greeted by the new Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini, as well as by King Vittorio Emanuelle. The King of Italy invested the Crown Prince of Ethiopia with the Order of the Annunziata, which entitled him to be called a "cousin" of the King of Italy (Something that would be regarded with such irony only a few years later). He went on to Paris, Luxembourg (Where the reigning Grand Duchess Charlotte gave birth to her heir Grand Duke Jean during his visit),Belgium, the Netherlands and Britain in an official capacity and paid private visits to Sweden and Germany. He met the Pope as well, and received an honorary degree from Cambridge University. In an effort to convince the nobility of the Empire that the path of modernization and progress was the best way to guarantee Ethiopia's continued independence and future prosperity (as well as to keep a close eye on them), the Prince-Regent had brought with him to Europe the leading nobles and aristocrats of his country. This exposure to the west with it's wealth, it's technology and it's military might as well as to it's many material advantages was instrumental in geng the nobility to relax their long time conservative opposition to the progressive trends of the Prince and his predecessors, Emperors Menelik II and Tewodros II. The visit was very successful in that respect. However, he failed to convince France, Italy and Britain to cede Ethiopia a sea port in one of their colonies. The Ethiopian delegation caused quite a stir in Europe and aroused the interest of many who were not aware of the only ancient independent state in Africa. Much comment was made on the impeccable aristocratic manners and traditions of the delegation, and on the enlightened attitude of the Crown Prince. His desire to bring progress and education to his people was applauded in the European press. Among several anecdotes from this trip, is one involving Ras Hailu Tekle Haimanot of Gojjam. This Prince was one of the wealthiest men in the Ethiopian Empire. He was the son of a king, and a man who carried himself as such. When the Crown Prince and his entourage were received by King George V and Queen Mary at Buckingham Palace, Ras Hailu along with the other princes and nobles was introduced to the British King. King George in meeting Ras Hailu asked if His Highness could speak English. The interpreter said no. He asked if he could speak French or German, again the answer was no. King George, rather irritated told the interpreter to tell His Highness that he was an ignorant man. Ras Hailu listened quietly and asked the interpreter if His Majesty could speak Amharic. When told no, he asked him if His Majesty could speak Tigrigna or Guragigna, again he was told no. The prince then haughtily told thttie interpretter to tell the King that His Majesty was equally ignorant. King George burst out laughing and took a great liking to Ras Hailu, Prince of Gojjam. Ethiopia was said to be opening up to the world.