Haile Sellassie I

23.VII.1892 - 27.VIII.1975
Tafari Makonnen, the future Emperor Haile Selassie, was born in the city of Harer, Ethiopia, July 23, 1892. Because his father was a "right hand" of Emperor Menelik II, that he was assured a bright future. In 1910 he was governor of his native province. When the little daughter of Emperor Menelik, Zauditu, became Empress, Tafari was proclaimed regent and heir to the throne.
In 1923, Tafari entered Ethiopia in the League of Nations, and in 1924 became the first ruler of Ethiopia who visited on a visit to Europe.
Tafari assumed the title of King in 1928, and after his death in 1930 Zauditu proclaimed himself emperor under the name of Haile Selassie, which means "the power of the Holy Trinity". Ethiopia - a Christian country, which, according to tradition, the lineage of rulers are from the biblical King Solomon. One of the imperial title sounded like "Lion of Judah kingdom". In 1931 the emperor issued a series of laws, almost entirely weaken the power of the Parliament.
His reign was interrupted in 1935 by the invasion of Italy in Ethiopia, and he was forced to leave the country. The emperor returned to his homeland in 1941, when British and Ethiopian armies liberated the capital. Although he has restored himself to the throne, he had to hold a series of reforms. In 1955 he published a new constitution, which declared itself the sole ruler. The exception of the army uprising in December 1960, Hail Selassie ruled the country almost without opposition until 1974, when he was deposed by the revolution. He died under mysterious circumstances, as a prisoner in his own house on Aug. 27, 1975.
WWC Team