Menen Asfaw

Menen Asfaw was a queen in Ethiopia.

She married the leader, Haile Selassie. They were married for fifty years.

Menen loved to help her people. She helped poor and sick people. She also helped people who could not move well.

She wanted girls to learn. She started a school just for girls.

Girls came from all over to study there.

Menen was also a very religious woman. She built many beautiful churches. She gave her own money to help them.

She was a wise friend to the Emperor. He trusted her advice very much. She was a kind and good leader.

Menen Asfaw was the Empress of Ethiopia.

She married Emperor Haile Selassie in 1911. They were married for fifty years. Menen was a very kind leader. She worked hard to help her people.

Menen helped many people in need. She supported the sick and the poor. She also helped people with disabilities. She was a very religious woman. She used her own money to build and fix many churches.

Menen believed in learning. She started the Empress Menen School for Girls. This was the first school just for girls in Addis Ababa. Girls came from all over the empire to study there.

She was also a trusted friend to the Emperor. He often asked her for advice. During a hard time when Italy occupied Ethiopia, she prayed for her home. She even promised to give her crown to a church if Ethiopia was free. When her country was liberated, she kept her promise. She gave her crown to the Church of the Nativity. Menen and the Emperor had six children together.

Menen Asfaw was a very important leader in Ethiopia.

She served as the Empress alongside her husband, Emperor Haile Selassie. Menen was known for being a kind and helpful person. She focused on helping people who were sick or poor. She also worked to help people with disabilities. Many people respected her for her hard work and her goodness. She was a very important part of her country's history.

Menen did many things to help her people grow. She was the patroness for groups like the Ethiopian Red Cross. She also supported the Ethiopian Women's Charitable Organization. One of her biggest projects was starting a school. She founded the Empress Menen School for Girls in Addis Ababa.

This was the first school in the area just for girls. It allowed girls to receive a modern education. They could stay at the school or visit during the day.

Her life began in a place called Ambassel. She was born on March 25, 1889. Her father was a leader named Asfaw. Her mother was named Sehin Mikael. Menen had a very busy life before she became Empress. She was married twice before she married the Emperor. She had four children from those earlier marriages. These children were named Belaynesh, Asfaw, Desta, and Gebregziabiher.

In 1911, Menen married Tafari Makonnen. He later became the famous Emperor Haile Selassie. They were married for fifty years. Together, they had six children. Their children were Princess Tenagnework, Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen, Princess Tsehai, Princess Zenebework, Prince Makonnen, and Prince Sahle Selassie. Menen was also a very religious woman. She used her own money to build and fix many churches. She helped churches in Ethiopia and in the Holy Land.

During a hard time when Italy occupied Ethiopia, Menen stayed very strong. She prayed for her country to be free. She made a special promise to a church in Bethlehem. She said she would give her crown to the church if Ethiopia was liberated. When Ethiopia became free in 1941, she kept her word. She gave her real crown to the Church of the Nativity.

After that, she only wore a tiara at public events. Menen died in 1962 and was buried in Addis Ababa.

Menen Asfaw was the Empress of Ethiopia. She served as the Empress consort to Emperor Haile Selassie. Her life was defined by religious devotion and social service. She used her position to support education and charity. She was also a quiet advisor to the Emperor. This made her a central figure in Ethiopian history.

Her early life involved several complex marriages. She was born in Ambassel on March 25, 1889. Her father was Asfaw, the Jantirar of Ambassel. Her mother was Woizero Sehin Mikael. Menen's first marriage was to a nobleman named Dejazmach Ali Mohammed. They had two children, Belaynesh and Asfaw. After a divorce, she married Dejazmach Amede Ali Aba-Deyas. This second marriage produced two more children, Desta and Gebregziabiher.

Political shifts later changed her path. In late 1909 or early 1910, her grandfather arranged a marriage to Ras Leul Sagad Atnaf Seged. However, Lij Iyasu intervened in this arrangement. He sent Menen to Harar to marry Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen. Tafari Makonnen later became Emperor Haile Selassie I. Menen and Tafari married in July 1911. At age twenty, she was already a mother of four. The couple remained married for fifty years. They had six children together, including Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen.

Empress Menen focused heavily on social development. She was the Patroness of the Ethiopian Red Cross. She also led the Ethiopian Women's Charitable Organization. One of her most lasting legacies was education. She founded the Empress Menen School for Girls in Addis Ababa. This was the first all-girls school with boarding and day students. Girls from across the Empire traveled there for a modern education. The Empress often visited the school to attend graduation ceremonies.

Her religious life was equally significant. She was a devout follower of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Menen used her personal funds to build and renovate many churches. She funded the St. Raguel Church in Addis Ababa. She also supported the Kidane Mehret Church on Mount Entoto. Her work extended to the Holy Land as well. She helped build the Holy Trinity Monastery near the River Jordan. She also gave money toward the Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion at Axum.

During the Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941, Menen faced great hardship. While in exile, she made a solemn religious pledge. At the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, she promised a sacrifice. She vowed to give her crown to the church if Ethiopia became free. She spent her exile making pilgrimages to pray for her country. She visited holy sites in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon. When Ethiopia was liberated in 1941, she kept her promise. She sent her original coronation crown to the Church of the Nativity. After that, she only wore tiaras at public events.

In her political role, she was very careful. She avoided making public political statements. This was different from previous Empresses like Taytu Betul. However, she was the Emperor's most trusted private advisor. She provided guidance on many different issues behind the scenes. In 1960, she and her family faced house arrest during a coup attempt. The coup was led by the Imperial Guard. Although the event was stressful, it did not change her reputation. She remained a respected figure until her death in 1962.

Empress Menen was honored deeply after she passed away. She was buried in the crypt of Holy Trinity Cathedral. The Emperor later built grand sarcophagi to honor her. He intended to be buried at her side. In November 2000, her remains were moved to the cathedral nave. This was done to fulfill the Emperor's original wish. Today, she is also highly venerated by the Rastafari movement. They refer to her as "Queen Omega." This title complements the name "King Alpha" given to the Emperor.