Haile Selassie

Haile Selassie I was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974.

He is considered a defining figure in modern Ethiopian history. Before becoming Emperor, he served as the Regent Plenipotentiary from 1916 to 1930. A Regent is a person who rules on behalf of another, such as Empress Zewditu. He belonged to the Solomonic dynasty, which began in 1270. This royal line claimed descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Beyond politics, he holds divine importance in the Rastafari religion. This Abrahamic religion emerged in the 1930s and views him as a central spiritual figure.

Selassie's rise to power involved many specific titles and roles. He was born on July 23, 1892, as Tafari Makonnen. At age 13, his father appointed him Dejazmatch of Gara Mulatta. Dejazmatch translates to "keeper of the door" and is a noble title.

In 1916, he became the Crown Prince and heir apparent. He was then appointed Regent to help lead the empire. By 1917, he held the rank of Ras, which is like a duke.

Finally, after Empress Zewditu died, he was crowned Negusa Nagast, or "King of Kings," on November 2, 1930. He adopted the regnal name Haile Selassie I, meaning "Power of the Trinity."

As Emperor, Selassie worked to modernize the Ethiopian Empire through various reforms. He introduced the 1931 constitution to establish formal political rules. In 1942, he took the major step of abolishing slavery.

He also led Ethiopia's accession to the United Nations. In 1963, he helped form the Organisation of African Unity. He served as the group's first chairman. This organization was the precursor to the modern African Union. He acted as an internationalist, connecting Ethiopia to the wider global community.

His reign was marked by significant conflict and war. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Italy invaded his country.

Following the defeat, he was exiled to the United Kingdom. He later traveled to Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to coordinate the struggle against Fascist Italy. After the East African campaign of World War II, he returned to his home. He also managed the complex relationship with Eritrea. He dissolved the Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea, which the United Nations had established in 1950. He then annexed Eritrea as an Ethiopian province.

While he was a global leader, his rule faced internal challenges. Some people criticized him for being an autocratic leader. This means he held a great deal of power and was not always liberal. He was criticized by groups like Human Rights Watch for his administration. He suppressed rebellions from the landed aristocracy who opposed his changes.

There were also reports of persecution against the Harari people. Some sources say the Oromo language was banned from public use and education. His government also moved many Amhara people into southern Ethiopia.

Political shifts in Africa also impacted his leadership style. In the 1960s, African socialists like Kwame Nkrumah wanted a "United States of Africa."

This movement was often anti-Western in its rhetoric. Selassie viewed these ideas as a threat to his own international alliances. He tried to guide the group toward a more moderate political posture. However, popular uprisings eventually grew within Ethiopia. In 1974, a military group called the Derg carried out a coup d'état. This event ended his long reign and overthrew the monarchy.

The end of his rule was a dark period for the empire. The Derg military junta took control of the government. With support from the Soviet Union, they established a Marxist–Leninist state. It was later revealed in 1994 that the Derg had assassinated Selassie. This happened on August 27, 1975, at the Jubilee Palace in Addis Ababa.

His remains were finally excavated and buried in 2000. They were placed at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa.

His life remains a bridge between ancient traditions and the modern era.