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Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie of Ethiopia
Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael,[4] was
Ethiopia's regent from
1916 to
1930 and
Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to
1974. He was a member of the
Solomonic dynasty.
At the
League of Nations in 1936, the
Emperor condemned the use of chemical weapons by
Italy against his people during the
Second Italo–Ethiopian War.[5] His internationalist views led to Ethiopia's becoming a charter member of the
United Nations, and his political thought and experience in promoting multilateralism and collective security have proved seminal and enduring.[6] His suppression of rebellions among the landed aristocracy (the mesafint), which consistently opposed his reforms, as well as what some critics perceived to be Ethiopia's failure to modernize rapidly enough,[7] earned him criticism among some contemporaries and historians.[8] His regime was also criticized by human rights groups, such as
Human Rights Watch, as autocratic and illiberal.[8][9]
Among the
Rastafari movement, whose followers are estimated at between 2,
000,000 and 4,000,000, Haile Selassie is revered as the returned messiah
of the Bible, God incarnate.[10][11]
Beginning in
Jamaica in the
1930s, the Rastafari movement perceives Haile Selassie as a messianic figure who will lead a future golden age of eternal
peace, righteousness, and prosperity.[12] Haile Selassie was an
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian throughout his life. Haile Selassie is a defining figure in both
Ethiopian and
African history.[13][14]
Lij Teferi Makonnen at age 3
Haile Selassie was known as a child as Lij
Tafari Makonnen (Amharic ልጅ ተፈሪ መኮንን; lij teferī mekōnnin). Lij translates to "child", and serves to indicate that a youth is of noble blood. His given name, Tafari, means "one who is respected or feared". Like most Ethiopians, his personal name Tafari is followed by that of his father Makonnen and rarely that of his grandfather Woldemikael. His
Ge'ez name Haile Selassie was given to him at his infant baptism and adopted again as part of his regnal name in 1930.
As
Governor of Harer, he became known as Ras Teferi Makonnen About this sound listen (help·info). Ras translates to "head"[15] and is a rank of nobility equivalent to
Duke;[16] though it is often rendered in translation as "prince". In 1916,
Empress Zewditu I appointed him to the position of Balemulu
Silt'an
Enderase (Regent Plenipotentiary). In 1928, she granted him the throne of
Shoa, elevating his title to Negus or "
King".[17][18]
On
2 November 1930, after the death of
Empress Zewditu,
Ras Tafari was crowned
King of Kings, rendered in
English as "Emperor".[19] Upon his ascension, he took as his regnal name
Haile Selassie I. Haile means in Ge'ez "
Power of" and
Selassie means trinity—therefore Haile Selassie roughly translates to "Power of the
Trinity".[20] Haile Selassie's full title in office was "By the
Conquering Lion of the
Tribe of Judah,
His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Elect of God".[21][nb 3] This title reflects Ethiopian dynastic traditions, which hold that all monarchs must trace their lineage to
Menelik I, who in the Ethiopian tradition was the offspring of
King Solomon and the
Queen of Sheba.[22]
To Ethiopians, Haile Selassie has been known by many names, including Janhoy, Talaqu Meri, and
Abba Tekel.[23] The Rastafari movement employs many of these appellations, also referring to him as Jah,
Jah Rastafari, and HIM (the abbreviation of "His Imperial Majesty").[23]
- published: 27 Apr 2015
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