Haile Selassie

Lore & Background

Haile Selassie was born Lij Tafari Makonnen on 23 July 1892 in Ejersa Goro. He belonged to the Solomonic dynasty, founded by Emperor Yekuno Amlak in 1270. His father, Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael, was a general in the First Italo–Ethiopian War. Tafari was appointed Dejazmatch of Gara Mulatta at age 13, and later became governor of Harar. He married Menen Asfaw of Ambassel on 3 August 1911. On 27 September 1916, he was proclaimed Crown Prince and Regent Plenipotentiary under Empress Zewditu. He defeated Ras Gugsa Welle Bitul at the Battle of Anchem before his reign. On 2 November 1930, he was crowned Emperor, taking the regnal name Haile Selassie I.

Selassie introduced political and social reforms including the 1931 constitution and the abolition of slavery in 1942. He led Ethiopia during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, was exiled to the United Kingdom, and later coordinated resistance from Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. He returned after the East African campaign of World War II. He dissolved the Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea and annexed Eritrea. He led Ethiopia's accession to the United Nations and presided over the formation of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963, serving as its first chairman. Amidst popular uprisings, he was overthrown by the Derg in the 1974 coup d'état. The Derg assassinated him on 27 August 1975; his remains were buried at Holy Trinity Cathedral on 5 November 2000.

Reader's Guide

Haile Selassie's significance lies in his role as a modernizing monarch who sought to transform Ethiopia while preserving its independence. He introduced a constitution and abolished slavery, but his reign was marked by autocratic governance and suppression of dissent. His leadership during the Italian occupation and his exile made him a symbol of African resistance to colonialism. Internationally, he was a key figure in the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, advocating for a moderate posture among African states. However, his legacy is contested: Rastafari adherents revere him as the returned Jesus, while critics point to his suppression of rebellions, persecution of the Harari people, and autocratic rule. His administration was criticized by Human Rights Watch as autocratic and illiberal, and the Oromo language was reportedly banned from education and public speaking late in his reign. His overthrow by the Marxist–Leninist Derg and subsequent assassination underscore the complex and often violent transitions in post-colonial Africa.

Did You Know?

• Haile Selassie was known as a child as Lij Tafari Makonnen; 'Lij' indicates noble blood.
• He was crowned Emperor on 2 November 1930, taking the regnal name Haile Selassie I, meaning 'Power of the Trinity'.
• He is accorded divine importance in Rastafari, an Abrahamic religion that emerged in the 1930s.
• The Derg assassinated him at the Jubilee Palace in Addis Ababa on 27 August 1975, though this was not revealed to the public until 1994.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"It is us today. It will be you tomorrow." — Haile Selassie "We have finished the job. What shall we do with the tools?" — Haile Selassie "Imagination, devotion, perseverance, together with divine grace, will assure your success." — Haile Selassie "Spiritual power is the eternal guide, in this life and the life after, for man ranks supreme among all creatures. Led forward by spiritual power, man can reach the summit destined for him by the Great Creator." — Haile Selassie