The Ethiopian Democratic Union ( Amharic : የኢትዮጵያ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ህብረት) or EDU , also known as Teranafit (formerly a separate group based in Shire before it merged with the EDU), was one of the political parties that formed in opposition to the Derg regime of Ethiopia . It merged with the Ethiopian Democratic Party to form the Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party .
135-548: Founded in the aftermath of the revolution and the military coup that toppled Emperor Haile Selassie in September 1974, the EDU professed a conservative agenda. Established under the tutelage of the hereditary Prince of Tigray , Ras Mangasha Seyum , the EDU was made up of various elements that included land owners who were opposed to the nationalization of their land holdings, monarchists, high-ranking military officers displaced by
270-631: A charter member of the United Nations. In 1948, the Ogaden , a region disputed with both Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland , was granted to Ethiopia. On 2 December 1950, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 390 (V), establishing the federation of Eritrea (the former Italian colony) into Ethiopia. Eritrea was to have its own constitution, which would provide for ethnic, linguistic, and cultural balance, while Ethiopia
405-716: A 'Dark Age' (Muhly 1998). The first-century Romano-Jewish scholar Josephus in Against Apion , citing Tyrian court records and Menander , gives a specific year during which King Hiram I of Tyre sent materials to Solomon for the construction of the Temple. However, no material evidence indisputably of Solomon's reign has been found. Yigael Yadin 's excavations at Hazor , Megiddo , Beit Shean and Gezer uncovered structures that he and others have argued date from Solomon's reign, but others, such as Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman , argue that they should be dated to
540-467: A dream, asking what Solomon wanted from God. Solomon asked for wisdom in order to better rule and guide his people. Pleased, God personally answered Solomon's prayer, promising him great wisdom because he did not ask for self-serving rewards like long life or the death of his enemies. Perhaps the best known story of his wisdom is the Judgement of Solomon ; two women each lay claim to being the mother of
675-737: A failing which eventually weakened the EDU when its various factions began to diverge politically. Ethnic rivalries between the Tigrean loyalists of Ras Mangasha and the non-Tigrean elements of the EDU also widened the split. Other rebel movements politically opposed to the EDU, which included the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front in Tigray and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party in Begemder, fought against them and helped
810-548: A few points, and these correspondences have allowed archaeologists to date its kings in a modern framework. According to the most widely used chronology, based on that by the Old Testament professor Edwin R. Thiele , the death of Solomon and the division of his kingdom would have occurred in the fall of 931 BCE. Solomon was born in Jerusalem , the second-born child of David and his wife Bathsheba (widow of Uriah
945-576: A historical Solomon, but regards his reign as king over Israel and Judah in the 10th century BCE as uncertain and the biblical description of his apparent empire's lavishness as most probably a massive anachronistic exaggeration . Solomon is also revered in Christianity and Islam . In the New Testament , he is portrayed as a teacher of wisdom, though excelled by Jesus of Nazareth , and as arrayed in glory, but excelled by "the lilies of
1080-837: A key role at the Battle of Adwa ; Haile Selassie was thus able to ascend to the imperial throne through his paternal grandmother, Woizero Tenagnework Sahle Selassie, who was an aunt of Emperor Menelik II and daughter of the Solomonic Amhara King of Shewa, Negus Sahle Selassie. As such, Haile Selassie claimed direct descent from Makeda , the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of ancient Israel. Ras Makonnen arranged for Tafari as well as his first cousin, Imru Haile Selassie , to receive instruction in Harar from Abba Samuel Wolde Kahin , an Ethiopian Capuchin friar, and from Dr. Vitalien,
1215-742: A legal opposition party after the TPLF led the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front to power. It was at this time the party assumed a pan-Ethiopian liberal republican ideology. The party had a representative at the July 1991 London conference which led to the establishment of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia . However some small factions continued to resist the EPRDF , particularly in Begemder province. In September 2003,
1350-577: A noble family from Shewa and was the governor of the districts of Menz and Doba , which are located in Semien Shewa . Tafari's mother was the daughter of a ruling chief from Were Ilu in Wollo province, Dejazmach Ali Abba Jifar. Ras Makonnen was the grandson of King Sahle Selassie who was once the ruler of Shewa . He served as a general in the First Italo–Ethiopian War , playing
1485-538: A peace offering between God and David, due to David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. In an effort to hide this sin, David sent Bathsheba's husband, Uriah the Hittite , to battle, and specifically to the front line wherein David ordered the commanding officer Joab to withdraw support for Uriah in order to have him killed in battle by the enemy. After he died, David was finally able to marry Bathsheba. As punishment,
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#17327803136871620-463: A political match designed to create peace between Ethiopian nobles, the couple's family had said they married with mutual consent. Selassie described his spouse as a "woman without any malice whatsoever". The extent to which Tafari Makonnen contributed to the movement that would come to depose Lij Iyasu has been discussed extensively, particularly in Haile Selassie's own detailed account of
1755-626: A single location simultaneously in Ethiopian history . Conservatives agitated to redress this perceived insult to the crown's dignity, leading to the Ras Gugsa Welle's rebellion . Gugsa Welle was the husband of the Empress and the Shum of Begemder Province. In early 1930, he raised an army and marched it from his governorate at Gondar towards Addis Ababa . On 31 March 1930, Gugsa Welle
1890-428: A surgeon from Guadeloupe . Tafari was named Dejazmach (literally "commander of the gate", roughly equivalent to " count ") at the age of 13, on 1 November 1905. Shortly thereafter, his father Makonnen died at Kulibi , in 1906. Tafari assumed the titular governorship of Selale in 1906, a realm of marginal importance, but one that enabled him to continue his studies. In 1907, he was appointed governor over part of
2025-477: A threat to the alliance he had so calculably constructed. Therefore, he took it upon himself to attempt to influence a more moderate posture within the group. Amidst popular uprisings by the country's students, peasants, urban dwellers, merchants, political activists, and marginalised religious and ethnic groups, Haile Selassie was overthrown by the Derg in the 1974 Ethiopian coup d'état . With support from
2160-675: A tour have inspired so many anecdotes". In return for two lions, the United Kingdom presented Tafari with the imperial crown of Emperor Tewodros II for its safe return to Empress Zewditu. The crown had been taken by General Sir Robert Napier during the 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia . In this period, the Crown Prince visited the Armenian monastery of Jerusalem . There, he adopted 40 Armenian orphans (አርባ ልጆች Arba Lijoch , "forty children"), who had lost their parents during
2295-639: A young man. The "Oriental Dignity" of the Ethiopians and their "rich, picturesque court dress" were sensationalised in the media; among his entourage he even included a pride of lions, which he distributed as gifts to President Alexandre Millerand and Prime Minister Raymond Poincaré of France , to King George V of the United Kingdom , and to the Zoological Garden ( Jardin Zoologique ) of Paris, France. As one historian noted, "Rarely can
2430-548: Is Naamah the Ammonite , mother of Solomon's successor, Rehoboam . The biblical narrative notes with disapproval that Solomon permitted his foreign wives to import their national deities, building temples to Ashtoreth and Milcom . In the branch of literary analysis that examines the Bible, called higher criticism , the story of Solomon falling into idolatry by the influence of Pharaoh's daughter and his other foreign wives
2565-401: Is "customarily seen as the handiwork of the 'deuteronomistic historian(s)' ", who are held to have written, compiled, or edited texts to legitimize the reforms of Hezekiah 's great-grandson, King Josiah who reigned from about 641 to 609 BCE (over 280 years after Solomon's death according to Bible scholars). Scholarly consensus in this field holds that "Solomon's wives/women were introduced in
2700-468: Is almost surely an anachronistic exaggeration. As for Solomon himself, scholars on both the maximalist and minimalist sides of the spectrum of biblical archeology generally agree that he probably existed. However, a historically accurate picture of the Davidic king is difficult to construct. According to some archaeologists, Solomon could have only been the monarch or chieftain of Judah, and that
2835-556: Is at once a benefit and a misfortune." Throughout Tafari's travels in Europe, the Levant , and Egypt, he and his entourage were greeted with enthusiasm and fascination. Seyum Mangasha accompanied him and Hailu Tekle Haymanot who, like Tafari, were sons of generals who contributed to the victorious war against Italy a quarter-century earlier at the Battle of Adwa . Another member of his entourage, Mulugeta Yeggazu, actually fought at Adwa as
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#17327803136872970-461: Is described as surrounding himself with all the luxuries and the grandeur of an Eastern monarch, and his government prospered. He entered into an alliance with Hiram I , king of Tyre , who in many ways greatly assisted him in his numerous undertakings. For some years before his death, David was engaged in collecting materials for building a temple in Jerusalem as a permanent home for Yahweh and
3105-483: Is portrayed as wealthy, wise, powerful, and a dedicated follower of Yahweh ( God ), as attested by the eponymous Solomon's Temple , which was the first Temple in Jerusalem . He is also the subject of many later references and legends, most notably in the Testament of Solomon , part of biblical apocrypha from the 1st century CE. The historicity of Solomon is widely debated. Current scholarly consensus allows for
3240-603: Is referred to as the returned Jesus —that is, the Messiah and God incarnate . This distinction notwithstanding, he was a Christian and adhered to the tenets and liturgy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church . He has been criticised by some historians for his suppression of rebellions among the landed aristocracy ( Mesafint ), which consistently opposed his changes. Some have also criticised Ethiopia's failure to modernise rapidly enough. During his reign,
3375-479: Is said to have been spectacularly opulent and possessed moving parts, making it one of the earliest mechanical devices in history. It is said that "Nothing like it (the throne) had ever been made for any other kingdom." Solomon also constructed great water works for the city, and the Millo ( Septuagint , Acra ) for the defense of the city. However, excavations of Jerusalem have discovered no monumental architecture from
3510-553: Is still there, guarded by a single dedicated priest. The claim of such a lineage and of possession of the Ark was an important source of legitimacy and prestige for the Ethiopian monarchy through the centuries, and had important and lasting effects on Ethiopian culture . The Ethiopian government and church deny all requests to view the alleged ark. Some classical-era Rabbis, attacking Solomon's moral character, have claimed instead that
3645-779: Is traditionally ascribed authorship of the Wisdom of Solomon which is included in the Scriptures of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church, but is considered apocryphal in Protestant traditions. According to the Hebrew Bible, the ancient Kingdom of Israel gained its highest splendour and wealth during Solomon's reign of 40 years. In a single year, according to 1 Kings 10:14 , Solomon collected tribute amounting to 666 talents (18,125 kilograms) of gold. Solomon
3780-424: Is translated as "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 that of his grandfather Woldemikael. His name Haile Selassie was given to him at his infant baptism and adopted again as part of his regnal name in 1930. On 1 November 1905, at
3915-635: The Ark of the Covenant . Solomon is described as undertaking the construction of the temple , with the help of an architect, also named Hiram , and other materials, sent from King Hiram of Tyre. After the completion of the temple, Solomon is described in the biblical narrative as erecting many other buildings of importance in Jerusalem . For 13 years, he was engaged in the building of a royal palace on Ophel (a hilly promontory in central Jerusalem). This complex included buildings referred to as: Solomon's throne
4050-515: The Armenian Genocide . Tafari arranged for the musical education of the youths, and they came to form the imperial brass band. Tafari's authority was challenged in 1928 when Dejazmach Balcha Safo went to Addis Ababa with a sizeable armed force. When Tafari consolidated his hold over the provinces, many of Menelik's appointees refused to abide by the new regulations. Balcha Safo, the governor ( Shum ) of coffee-rich Sidamo Province ,
4185-465: The Battle of Shire , Haile Selassie took the field with the last Ethiopian army on the northern front. On 31 March 1936, he launched a counterattack against the Italians himself at the Battle of Maychew in southern Tigray . The Emperor's army was defeated and retreated in disarray. As Haile Selassie's army withdrew, the Italians attacked from the air along with rebellious Raya and Azebo tribesmen on
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4320-557: The Ethiopian Empire , Selassie defeated Ethiopian army commander Ras Gugsa Welle Bitul , who was the nephew of Empress Taytu Betul , during the Battle of Anchem . He belonged to the Solomonic dynasty , which was founded by Emperor Yekuno Amlak in 1270; Amlak's successors claimed that he was a lineal descendant of Menelik I , the legendary Emperor of Ethiopia who was supposedly born to King Solomon and Queen Makeda of
4455-777: The Harari people were persecuted and many left the Harari Region . His administration was also criticised by human rights groups, such as Human Rights Watch , as autocratic and illiberal. According to some sources, late into Haile Selassie's administration, the Oromo language was banned from education, public speaking and use in administration, though there was never an official law or government policy that criminalised any language. His government also relocated many Amhara people into southern Ethiopia, where they served in government administration, courts, and church. Following
4590-584: The Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Sheba , respectively. Modern historians regard the Solomonic lineage claim as an unfounded myth created by Yekuno Amlak to justify wresting power from the Zagwe Dynasty . Haile Selassie, seeking to modernise Ethiopia, introduced a series of political and social reforms, including the 1931 constitution and the abolition of slavery . He led the empire during
4725-489: The Ogaden Desert and his father, Negus Mikael of Wollo , had time to come to his aid. On 27 October, Negus Mikael and his army met an army under Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis loyal to Zewditu and Tafari. During the Battle of Segale , Mikael was defeated and captured. Any chance that Iyasu would regain the throne was ended, and he went into hiding. On 11 January 1921, after avoiding capture for about five years, Iyasu
4860-645: The Omride period, more than a century after Solomon. According to Finkelstein and Silberman, authors of The Bible Unearthed : Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts , at the time of the kingdoms of David and Solomon, Jerusalem was populated by only a few hundred residents or less, which is insufficient for an empire stretching from the Euphrates to Eilath . According to The Bible Unearthed , archaeological evidence suggests that
4995-731: The Second Italo-Ethiopian War and after its defeat was exiled to the United Kingdom . After the beginning of the Italian occupation of East Africa , he traveled to Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to assist in coordinating the Ethiopian struggle against Fascist Italy , and was able to return home following the East African campaign of World War II . He later dissolved the Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea , which
5130-753: The Soviet Union , the Derg began governing Ethiopia as a Marxist–Leninist state . In 1994, three years after the fall of the Derg military junta , it was revealed to the public that the Derg had assassinated Haile Selassie at the Jubilee Palace in Addis Ababa on 27 August 1975. On 5 November 2000, his excavated remains were buried at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Addis Ababa . Among some adherents of Rastafari , Haile Selassie
5265-517: The Welwel Incident of 5 December 1934, Haile Selassie joined his northern armies and set up headquarters at Desse in Wollo province. He issued a generalized mobilization order on 3 October 1935. On 19 October 1935, he gave more precise orders for his army to his Commander-in-Chief, Ras Kassa , instructing the men to choose hidden positions, to conserve ammunition, and to avoid wearing conspicuous clothing for fear of air attack. Compared to
5400-745: The autocephaly of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church . The Ethiopian Orthodox Church had been headed by the Abuna , a bishop who answered to the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria . In 1942 and 1945, Haile Selassie applied to the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church to establish the independence of Ethiopian bishops, and when his appeals were denied he threatened to sever relations with
5535-469: The united Kingdom of Israel . After a reign of forty years (1 Kings 11:42), he died of natural causes, at around 55 years of age. Upon Solomon's death, his son, Rehoboam , succeeded him, but ten of the Tribes of Israel refused him as king, splitting the monarchy into the northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam , while Rehoboam continued to reign over the smaller southern Kingdom of Judah . Henceforth
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5670-560: The " Gideon Force " of Colonel Orde Wingate , coordinated the military effort to liberate Ethiopia. Haile Selassie issued several imperial proclamations in this period, demonstrating that British military might and the Emperor's popular appeal could be joined in the concerted effort to liberate Ethiopia. On 18 January 1941, during the East African Campaign , Haile Selassie crossed the border between Sudan and Ethiopia, near
5805-600: The 'Josianic' (customarily Dtr) edition of Kings as a theological construct to blame the schism [between Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel] on his misdeeds". In a brief, unelaborated, and enigmatic passage, the Hebrew Bible describes how the fame of Solomon's wisdom and wealth reached even the far-off Queen of Sheba . The queen is described as visiting with gifts including gold, spices and precious stones. When Solomon gave her "all her desire, whatsoever she asked", she left satisfied ( 1 Kings 10:13 ). Whether
5940-722: The Coptic Church of Alexandria. Finally, in 1959, Pope Kyrillos VI elevated the Abuna to Patriarch-Catholicos. The Ethiopian Church remained affiliated with the Alexandrian Church. In addition to these efforts, Haile Selassie changed the Ethiopian church-state relationship by introducing taxation of church lands, and by restricting the legal privileges of the clergy, who had formerly been tried in their own courts for civil offenses. Solomon Solomon ( / ˈ s ɒ l ə m ə n / ), also called Jedidiah ,
6075-501: The Derg forces push the EDU out of the territories it held. In 1978, the leadership of the EDU split due to serious political differences that had developed between them and it withdrew from the armed struggle against the Derg regime. It remained active among Ethiopian exile communities, particularly in Europe and in the Sudan. The group was responsible for a pogrom against Ethiopian Jews in 1978. The EDU reorganized in Addis Ababa as
6210-486: The EDU merged with the Ethiopian Democratic Party , becoming the United Ethiopian Democratic Party . Seyoum Mengesha became the party's honorary chairman, but played little role in the party administration, living in exile, and the post was quietly abolished. Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I ( Ge'ez : ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ Qädamawi Ḫäylä Śəllase , lit. ' Power of the Trinity ' ; born Tafari Makonnen ; 23 July 1892 – 27 August 1975)
6345-444: The Ethiopian people, exactly five years after the fascist forces entered Addis Ababa. He urged them not to reciprocate the atrocities they had been subjected to. On 27 August 1942, Haile Selassie confirmed the legal basis for the abolition of slavery that had been illegally enacted by Italian occupying forces throughout the empire and imposed severe penalties, including death, for slave trading. After World War II, Ethiopia became
6480-408: The Ethiopians, the Italians had an advanced, modern military that included a large air force. The Italians also came to employ chemical weapons throughout the conflict, even targeting Red Cross field hospitals. Starting in early October 1935, the Italians invaded Ethiopia . But, by November, the pace of invasion had slowed appreciably, and Haile Selassie's northern armies were able to launch what
6615-412: The German side in June 1940. Haile Selassie's pleas for international support took root in the United States, particularly among African-American organisations sympathetic to the Ethiopian cause. In 1937, Haile Selassie was to give a Christmas Day radio address to the American people to thank his supporters when his taxi was involved in a traffic accident, leaving him with a fractured knee. He delivered
6750-415: The Hittite ). The first child (unnamed in that account), a son conceived adulterously during Uriah's lifetime, had died seven days after birth. It is suggested in Scripture that this was a judgment from God. Solomon had three named full brothers born to Bathsheba: Nathan , Shammua, and Shobab, besides six known older half-brothers born of as many mothers. The biblical narrative shows that Solomon served as
6885-611: The League of Nations afforded Haile Selassie the opportunity to address the assembly. In response, Italy withdrew its League delegation. Haile Selassie was introduced by the president of the Assembly as "His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Ethiopia" ( Sa Majesté Imperiale, l'Empereur d'Éthiopie ). The introduction caused many Italian journalists in the galleries to erupt into jeering, heckling, and whistling. They had earlier been issued whistles by Mussolini's son-in-law, Count Galeazzo Ciano . The Romanian delegate and former League president, Nicolae Titulescu , jumped to his feet and cried "To
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#17327803136877020-699: The League of Nations effectively collapsed was due to its failure to condemn Italy's invasion of Abyssinia. Haile Selassie spent his exile years (1936–1941) in Bath , England, in Fairfield House , which he bought. The Emperor and Kassa Haile Darge took morning walks together behind the 14-room Victorian house's high walls. Haile Selassie's favorite reading was "diplomatic history". It was during his exile in England that he began writing his 90,000-word autobiography. Prior to Fairfield House, he briefly stayed at Warne's Hotel in Worthing and in Parkside, Wimbledon . A bust of Haile Selassie by Hilda Seligman stood in nearby Cannizaro Park to commemorate his stay, and
7155-418: The Lord said to Solomon, "Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for
7290-442: The Orthodox clergy imposed strict rules concerning her diet during Lent, against her physicians' orders. Upon Zewditu's death, Tafari himself rose to emperor and was proclaimed Neguse Negest ze-'Ityopp'ya , "King of Kings of Ethiopia". He was crowned on 2 November 1930, at Addis Ababa's Cathedral of St. George . The coronation was by all accounts "a most splendid affair", and it was attended by royals and dignitaries from all over
7425-459: The Phoenician king Hiram I of Tyre (see 'wealth' below); they sent out joint expeditions to the lands of Tarshish and Ophir to engage in the trade of luxury products, importing gold, silver, sandalwood, pearls, ivory, apes, and peacocks. Solomon is considered the most wealthy of the Israelite kings named in the Bible. Solomon was the biblical king most famous for his wisdom. In 1 Kings he sacrificed to God, and God later appeared to him in
7560-463: The Shewan Amhara Solomonic king, Sahle Selassie . He was born on 23 July 1892, in the village of Ejersa Goro , in the Hararghe province of Ethiopia. Tafari's mother, Woizero ("Lady") Yeshimebet Ali Abba Jifar, was paternally of Oromo descent and maternally of Silte heritage, while his father, Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael , was maternally of Amhara descent but his paternal lineage remains disputed. Tafari's paternal grandfather belonged to
7695-407: The Trinity". 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, Lord of Lords, Elect of God". This title reflects Ethiopian dynastic traditions, which hold that all monarchs must trace their lineage to Menelik I , who is described by the Kebra Nagast (a 14th-century CE national epic) as
7830-437: The address despite his injury, in which he linked Christianity and goodwill with the Covenant of the League of Nations , and asserted that war can be resolved diplomatically. During this period, Haile Selassie suffered several personal tragedies. His two sons-in-law, Ras Desta Damtew and Dejazmach Beyene Merid , were both executed by the Italians. The Emperor's daughter, Princess Romanework , wife of Dejazmach Beyene Merid,
7965-488: The administration, including in religious positions as well as in civic and military posts. It is said that Solomon ascended to the throne when he was only about fifteen. Solomon greatly expanded his military strength, especially the cavalry and chariot arms. He founded numerous colonies, some of which doubled as trading posts and military outposts. Trade relationships were a focus of his administration. In particular he continued his father's very profitable relationship with
8100-451: The age of 13, Tafari was appointed by his father as the Dejazmatch of Gara Mulatta (a region some twenty miles southwest of Harar). The literal translation of Dejazmatch is "keeper of the door"; it is a title of nobility equivalent to a count . On 27 September 1916, he was proclaimed Crown Prince and heir apparent to the throne ( Alga Worrach ), and appointed Regent Plenipotentiary ( Balemulu Silt'an Enderase ). On 11 February 1917, he
8235-411: The area of what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea. In a Rabbinical account (e.g. Targum Sheni , Colloquy of the Queen of Sheba ), Solomon was accustomed to ordering animals to dance before him (a power granted by God), and upon summoning the mountain-cock or hoopoe (Aramaic name: nagar tura ), the bird told him it had discovered a land in the east, rich in gold, silver, and plants, whose capital
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#17327803136878370-446: The authors of the Bible suppressed the achievements of the Omrides (whom the Hebrew Bible describes as being polytheist ), and instead pushed them back to a supposed golden age of Judaism and monotheists, and devotees of Yahweh . Some Biblical minimalists like Thomas L. Thompson go further, arguing that Jerusalem became a city and capable of being a state capital only in the mid-7th century. Likewise, Finkelstein and others consider
8505-404: The biblical account, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines . The wives were described as foreign princesses, including Pharaoh's daughter and women of Moab , Ammon , Edom , Sidon and of the Hittites . His marriage to Pharaoh's daughter appears to have cemented a political alliance with Egypt, whereas he clung to his other wives and concubines "in love". The only wife mentioned by name
8640-457: The cause of fascism and embolden its empire's rhetoric. Ethiopia would also provide a bridge between Italy's Eritrean and Italian Somaliland possessions. Ethiopia's position in the League of Nations did not dissuade the Italians from invading in 1935; the " collective security " envisaged by the League proved useless, and a scandal erupted when the Hoare–Laval Pact revealed that Ethiopia's League allies were scheming to appease Italy. Following
8775-486: The character of his reign". A 2023 textbook described three possibilities for the etymology of Solomon’s name: “compensation or a substitute,” “the ruler of peace,” or based on the deified evening star Shalim . The conventional dates of Solomon's reign are derived from biblical chronology and are set from about 970 to 931 BCE . Regarding the Davidic dynasty , to which King Solomon belongs, its chronology can be checked against datable Babylonian and Assyrian records at
8910-436: The child was an ancestor of Nebuchadnezzar II , who destroyed Solomon's temple some 300 years later. Jewish scribes say that Solomon's teacher was Shimei ben Gera , and while he lived, he prevented Solomon from marrying foreign wives. The Talmud says at Ber. 8a: "For as long as Shimei the son of Gera was alive Solomon did not marry the daughter of Pharaoh" (see also Midrash Tehillim to Ps. 3:1). Solomon's execution of Shimei
9045-478: The claimed size of Solomon's temple implausible. André Lemaire states in Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple that the principal points of the biblical tradition of Solomon are generally trustworthy, although elsewhere he writes that he could find no substantiating archaeological evidence that supports the Queen of Sheba's visit to king Solomon, saying that the earliest records of trans-Arabian caravan voyages from Tayma and Sheba unto
9180-415: The claims of competing factions. In other words, she had the last word. But unlike other monarchs Tafari carried the burden of daily administration, but, initially because his position was relatively weak, this was often an exercise in futility. His personal army was poorly equipped, his finances were limited, and he had little leverage to withstand the combined influence of the Empress, the Minister of War, or
9315-409: The coronation, but who had dedicated a prayer for the Emperor on the day of the coronation. Haile Selassie introduced Ethiopia's first written constitution on 16 July 1931, providing for a bicameral legislature . The constitution kept power in the hands of the nobility, but it did establish democratic standards among the nobility, envisaging a transition to democratic rule: it would prevail "until
9450-412: The death of Ethiopian civil rights activist Hachalu Hundessa in 2020, the Bust of Haile Selassie in the United Kingdom was destroyed by Oromo-speaking protesters, and an equestrian monument depicting his father Makonnen Wolde Mikael was also removed from Harar . Haile Selassie was known as a child as Lij Tafari Makonnen (Ge'ez: ልጅ ተፈሪ መኮንን , romanized: Ləj Täfäri Mäkonnən ). Lij
9585-436: The death of Sultan Abba Jifar II of Jimma . Ethiopia became the target of renewed Italian imperialist designs in the 1930s. Benito Mussolini 's Fascist regime was keen to avenge the military defeats Italy had suffered to Ethiopia in the First Italo-Abyssinian War , and to efface the failed attempt by "liberal" Italy to conquer the country, as epitomised by the defeat at Adwa . A conquest of Ethiopia could also empower
9720-543: The door with the savages!", and the offending journalists were removed from the hall. After the hall was cleared, Haile Selassie responded "majestically" with a speech considered by some among the most stirring of the 20th century, and a possible warning for future generations. Although fluent in French, the League's working language, Haile Selassie chose to deliver his speech in his native Amharic . He asserted that Italy
9855-557: The early pseudoepigraphical work called the Testament of Solomon with its elaborate and grotesque demonology . As with most biblical personages in the middle era of Israelite society, the historicity of Solomon is hotly debated. Current consensus states that regardless of whether or not a man named Solomon truly reigned as king over the Judean hills in the tenth century BCE, the biblical description of his apparent empire's lavishness
9990-552: The early 1930s. In 1924, Ras Tafari toured Europe and the Middle East visiting Jerusalem , Alexandria , Paris, Luxembourg, Brussels, Amsterdam , Stockholm, London, Geneva , Gibraltar and Athens . With him on his tour was a group that included Ras Seyum Mangasha of western Tigray Province ; Ras Hailu Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam province; Ras Mulugeta Yeggazu of Illubabor Province ; Ras Makonnen Endelkachew ; and Blattengeta Heruy Welde Selassie . The primary goal of
10125-741: The equivalent of a royal duke . In 1928, Empress Zewditu planned on granting him the throne of Shewa; however, at the last moment opposition from certain provincial rulers caused a change and his title Negus or "King" was conferred without geographical qualification or definition. On 2 November 1930, after the death of Empress Zewditu, Tafari was crowned Negusa Nagast , literally "King of Kings", rendered in English as "Emperor". 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
10260-472: The era, and no remains of either the Temple or Solomon's palace have been found. Solomon is also described as rebuilding cities elsewhere in Israel, creating the port of Ezion-Geber , and constructing Palmyra in the wilderness as a commercial depot and military outpost. Although the location of the port of Ezion-Geber is known, no remains have ever been found. More archaeological success has been achieved with
10395-605: The field ". In the Quran , he is considered to be a major Islamic prophet . In mostly non-biblical circles, Solomon also came to be known as a magician and an exorcist, with numerous amulets and medallion seals dating from the Hellenistic period invoking his name. The life of Solomon is primarily described in 2 Samuel , 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles . His two names are traditionally taken to mean " peaceful " and " friend of God ", both considered "predictive of
10530-484: The first child, who was conceived during the adulterous relationship, died. Solomon was born after David was forgiven. It is this reason why his name, which means peace, was chosen. Some historians cited that Nathan the Prophet brought up Solomon as his father was busy governing the realm. This could also be attributed to the notion that the prophet held great influence over David because he knew of his adultery , which
10665-704: The goddess of the Sidonians , and after Milcom , the god of the Ammonites . In Deuteronomy 17:16–17 , a king is commanded not to multiply horses or wives, neither greatly multiply to himself gold or silver. Solomon sinned in all three of these areas. In addition to his wives, he collected 666 talents of gold each year ( 1 Kings 10:14 ), a huge amount for a small nation like Israel. He gathered multitudes of horses and chariots from as far as Egypt, and as Deuteronomy 17 warns, took Israel back to Egypt in spirit. According to 1 Kings 11:30–34 and 1 Kings 11:9–13 , it
10800-406: The ground, who were armed and paid by the Italians. Many of the Ethiopian military were obsolete compared to the invading Italian forces, possessing mostly untrained and non-modern rifles and weaponry. Haile Selassie made a solitary pilgrimage to the churches at Lalibela , at considerable risk of capture, before returning to his capital. After a stormy session of the council of state, it
10935-529: The illness as someone fairly "prone to" the effects of disease throughout his life. He secured Ethiopia's admission to the League of Nations in 1923 by promising to eradicate slavery; each emperor since Tewodros II had issued proclamations to halt slavery , but without effect: the internationally scorned practice persisted well into Haile Selassie's reign with an estimated 2 million slaves in Ethiopia in
11070-426: The institution's first chairman. By the early 1960s, many prominent African socialists , such as Kwame Nkrumah , Ahmed Sékou Touré , and Ahmed Ben Bella , envisioned the creation of a " United States of Africa " to rival the similar concept of a federal Europe . The rhetoric of this faction, especially in light of the then-ongoing Cold War , was overwhelmingly anti-Western , and Haile Selassie saw this as
11205-542: The kingdom of Israel at the time of Solomon was little more than a small city state, and so it is implausible that Solomon received tribute as large as 666 talents of gold per year. Although both Finkelstein and Silberman accept that David and Solomon were real inhabitants of Judah about the 10th century BCE, they claim that the earliest independent reference to the Kingdom of Israel is about 890 BCE, and for Judah about 750 BCE. They suggest that because of religious prejudice,
11340-417: The kings of Egypt and Tyre . The Gnostic Apocalypse of Adam , which may date to the 1st or 2nd century, refers to a legend in which Solomon sends out an army of demons to seek a virgin who had fled from him, perhaps the earliest surviving mention of the later common tale that Solomon controlled demons and made them his slaves. This tradition of Solomon's control over demons appears fully elaborated in
11475-602: The major cities Solomon is said to have strengthened or rebuilt, for example, Hazor , Megiddo and Gezer . These all have substantial ancient remains, including impressive six-chambered gates, and ashlar palaces; however it is no longer the scholarly consensus that these structures date to the time, according to the Bible, when Solomon ruled. According to the Bible, during Solomon's reign, Israel enjoyed great commercial prosperity, with extensive traffic being carried on by land with Tyre , Egypt , and Arabia , and by sea with Tarshish , Ophir , and South India . According to
11610-483: The matter. Iyasu was the designated but uncrowned emperor of Ethiopia from 1913 to 1916. Iyasu's reputation for scandalous behavior and a disrespectful attitude towards the nobles at the court of his grandfather, Menelik II, damaged his reputation. Iyasu's flirtation with Islam was considered treasonous among the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian leadership of the empire. On 27 September 1916, Iyasu
11745-482: The most death-dealing weapons", he contended that the aggression threatened all small states, and that all small states were in effect reduced to vassal states in the absence of collective action. He admonished the League that "God and history will remember your judgment." At the beginning of 1936, Time named Haile Selassie "Man of the Year" for 1935, and his June 1936 speech made him an icon for anti-fascists around
11880-517: The mutineers who had led the coup against the Emperor, and conservative and centrist opponents of the Marxist-Leninist Derg. From mid-1976 into 1977, the EDU broadcast radio programs into Ethiopia from the Sudan, and also launched a military campaign into Begemder that almost captured Gondar . Although democratic ideals were voiced by the party, and vaguely promoted a constitutional monarchy, it never made its political program clear,
12015-547: The northern Israelites , who then rejected the reign of the House of David and sought Jeroboam as their king. In the aftermath of Jeroboam's Revolt , the Israelites were split between the Kingdom of Israel in the north ( Samaria ) and the Kingdom of Judah in the south ( Judea ); the Bible depicts Rehoboam and the rest of Solomon's patrilineal descendants ruling over independent Judah alone. A Jewish prophet , Solomon
12150-413: The northern kingdom was a separate development. Such positions have been criticized by other archaeologists and scholars, who argue that a united monarchy did exist in the 10th century BCE, while agreeing that the biblical account contains exaggerations. Historical evidence of King Solomon other than the biblical accounts has been so minimal that some scholars have understood the period of his reign as
12285-559: The passage is simply to provide a brief foreign witness of Solomon's wealth and wisdom, or whether the visit is meant to have more significance, is unknown; nevertheless the Queen of Sheba has become the subject of numerous stories. Sheba is typically identified as Saba , a nation once spanning the Red Sea on the coasts of what are now Eritrea , Somalia , Ethiopia and Yemen , in Arabia Felix ; although other sources place it in
12420-547: The people are in a position to elect themselves." The constitution limited succession to the throne to descendants of Haile Selassie, which had the effect of placing other dynastic princes at the time (including the princes of Tigrai , and even the Emperor's loyal cousin Ras Kassa Haile Darge ) outside of the line for the throne. In 1932, the Sultanate of Jimma was formally absorbed into Ethiopia following
12555-409: The province of Sidamo . It is alleged that during his late teens, Haile Selassie was married to Woizero Altayech, and that from this union, his daughter Princess Romanework was born. Following the death of his brother Yelma in 1907, the governorate of Harar was left vacant, and its administration was left to Menelik's loyal general, Dejazmach Balcha Safo . Balcha Safo's administration of Harar
12690-441: The provincial governors. Nonetheless, her authority weakened while Tafari's power increased, she focused on praying and fasting and much less in her official duties which allowed Tafari to later have greater influence than even the Empress. During his Regency, the new Crown Prince developed the policy of cautious modernisation initiated by Menelik II. Also, during this time, he survived the 1918 flu pandemic , having come down with
12825-527: The sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen. Near the end of his life, Solomon was beset by several enemies, including Hadad of Edom , Rezon of Zobah , and his own official Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim . King Solomon is a central biblical figure, who, according to the Hebrew Bible , was the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the last ruler of
12960-475: The same child. Solomon easily resolved the dispute by commanding the child to be cut in half and shared between the two. One woman promptly renounced her claim, proving that she would rather give the child up than see it killed. Solomon declared the woman who showed compassion to be the true mother, entitled to the whole child. Solomon has traditionally been considered the author of several biblical books, including Proverbs , Ecclesiastes , and Song of Songs . He
13095-550: The son of the tenth-century BCE King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba . To Ethiopians, Haile Selassie has been known by many names, including Janhoy ("His Majesty") Talaqu Meri ("Great Leader") and Abba Tekel ("Father of Tekel", his horse name ). The Rastafari movement employs many of these appellations, also referring to him as Jah , Jah Jah , Jah Rastafari, and HIM (the abbreviation of "His Imperial Majesty"). Tafari's royal line (through his paternal grandmother) descended from
13230-432: The support of the police, remained with Tafari. Ultimately, the Empress relented, and, on 7 October 1928, she crowned Tafari as Negus ( Amharic : "King"). The crowning of Tafari as King was controversial. He occupied the same territory as the Empress rather than going off to a regional kingdom of the empire. Two monarchs, even with one being the vassal and the other the emperor (in this case empress), had never ruled from
13365-402: The theft of a 1,600-year-old imperial obelisk, and condemned the atrocities suffered by the Ethiopian civilian population. He continued to plead for League intervention and to voice his certainty that "God's judgment will eventually visit the weak and the mighty alike", though his attempts to gain support for the struggle against Italy were largely unsuccessful until Italy entered World War II on
13500-691: The trip to Europe was for Ethiopia to gain access to the sea. In Paris, Tafari was to find out from the French Foreign Ministry ( Quai d'Orsay ) that this goal would not be realised. However, failing this, he and his retinue inspected schools, hospitals, factories, and churches. Although patterning many reforms after European models, Tafari remained wary of European pressure. To guard against economic imperialism , Tafari required that all enterprises have at least partial local ownership. Of his modernisation campaign, he remarked, "We need European progress only because we are surrounded by it. That
13635-539: The two kingdoms were never again united. Solomon is associated with the peak "golden age" of the independent Kingdom of Israel and is a legendary source of judicial and religious wisdom. According to Jewish tradition, King Solomon wrote three books of the Bible : The Hebrew word לשלמה appears in the title of two hymns (72 and 127) in the Psalms . This Hebrew word means "to Solomon", but it can also be translated as "by Solomon", thus suggesting to some that Solomon wrote
13770-691: The two psalms. Rabbinical tradition attributes the Book of Wisdom (included within the Septuagint ) to Solomon, although this book was probably written in the 2nd century BCE. In this work, Solomon is portrayed as an astronomer . Other books of wisdom poetry such as the Odes of Solomon and the Psalms of Solomon also bear his name. The Jewish historian Eupolemus , who wrote about 157 BCE, included copies of apocryphal letters exchanged between Solomon and
13905-552: The village of Um Iddla. The standard of the Lion of Judah was raised again. Two days later, he and a force of Ethiopian patriots joined with Gideon Force , which was already in Ethiopia and preparing the way. Italy was defeated by combined forces of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth of Nations , Free France , Free Belgium , and Ethiopian partisans . On 5 May 1941, Haile Selassie entered Addis Ababa and personally addressed
14040-554: The world. Among those in attendance were the Duke of Gloucester (King George V's son), Marshal Louis Franchet d'Espèrey of France, and the Prince of Udine representing King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy . Special Ambassador Herman Murray Jacoby attended the coronation as the personal representative of U.S. president Herbert Hoover . Emissaries from Egypt, Turkey, Sweden, Belgium, and Japan were there. British author Evelyn Waugh
14175-590: The world. He failed, however, to get the diplomatic and matériel support he needed. The League agreed to only partial, ineffective sanctions on Italy, and Selassie was left without much-needed military equipment. Only six nations in 1937 did not recognise Italy's occupation: China, New Zealand, the Soviet Union, the Republic of Spain, Mexico and the United States. It is often said one of the many reasons
14310-609: Was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as the Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia ( Enderase ) under Empress Zewditu between 1916 and 1930. Widely considered to be a defining figure in modern Ethiopian history , he is accorded divine importance in Rastafari , a relatively new Abrahamic religion that emerged in the Colony of Jamaica in the 1930s. A few years before he began his reign over
14445-736: Was a popular place of pilgrimage for London's Rastafari community, until it was destroyed by protestors on 30 June 2020. Haile Selassie stayed at the Abbey Hotel in Malvern in the 1930s, and his granddaughters and daughters of court officials were educated at Clarendon School for Girls in North Malvern . During his time in Malvern, he attended services at Holy Trinity Church, in Link Top . A blue plaque commemorating his stay in Malvern
14580-474: Was a son who became Menelik I , King of Axum , and founded a dynasty that would reign as the Jewish, then Christian, Empire of Ethiopia which lasted 2900 years until Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974. Menelik was said to be a practicing Jew who was given a replica of the Ark of the Covenant by King Solomon; and, moreover, that the original Ark was switched and went to Axum with him and his mother, and
14715-443: Was agreed that because Addis Ababa could not be defended, the government would relocate to the southern town of Gore , and that in the interest of preserving the imperial house, Empress Menen Asfaw and the rest of the imperial family should immediately depart for French Somaliland , and from there continue on to Jerusalem . After further debate as to whether Haile Selassie should go to Gore or accompany his family into exile, it
14850-718: Was agreed that he should leave Ethiopia with his family and present the case of Ethiopia to the League of Nations at Geneva . The decision was not unanimous and several participants, including the nobleman Blatta Tekle Wolde Hawariat , strenuously objected to the idea of an Ethiopian monarch fleeing before an invading force. Haile Selassie appointed his cousin Ras Imru Haile Selassie as Prince Regent in his absence, departing with his family for French Somaliland on 2 May 1936. On 5 May, Marshal Pietro Badoglio led Italian troops into Addis Ababa, and Mussolini declared Ethiopia an Italian province. Victor Emanuel III
14985-430: Was also present, penning a contemporary report on the event, and American travel lecturer Burton Holmes shot the only known film footage of the event. One American newspaper report suggested that the celebration had incurred a cost in excess of $ 3,000,000. Many of those in attendance received lavish gifts; in one instance the Emperor, a Christian, even sent a gold-encased Bible to an American bishop who had not attended
15120-505: Was because of these sins that the Lord punished Solomon by removing most of the tribes of Israel from rule by Solomon's house. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore
15255-468: Was called Kitor and whose ruler was the Queen of Sheba. Solomon then sent the bird to request the queen's visit. An Ethiopian account from the 14th century ( Kebra Nagast ) maintains that the Queen of Sheba had sexual relations with King Solomon and gave birth beside the Mai Bella stream in the province of Hamasien , Eritrea . The Ethiopian tradition has a detailed account of the affair . The child
15390-599: Was considered a grievous offense under the Mosaic Law . According to the First Book of Kings , when David was old, "he could not get warm". "So they sought a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunamite , and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not." While David
15525-427: Was crowned Le'ul-Ras and became known as Ras Tafari Makonnen listen . Ras is translated as "head" and is a rank of nobility equivalent to a duke , though it is often rendered in translation as "prince". Originally the title Le'ul , which means "Your Highness", was only ever used as a form of address; however, in 1916 the title Le'ul-Ras replaced the senior office of Ras Bitwoded and so became
15660-413: Was deposed. Contributing to the movement that deposed Iyasu were conservatives such as Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis , Menelik II's longtime Minister of War. The movement to depose Iyasu preferred Tafari, as he attracted support from both progressive and conservative factions. Ultimately, Iyasu was deposed on the grounds of conversion to Islam. In his place, the daughter of Menelik II (the aunt of Iyasu)
15795-458: Was employing chemical weapons on military and civilian targets alike. He pointed out that the same European states that found in Ethiopia's favor at the League of Nations were refusing Ethiopia credit and matériel while aiding Italy. Noting that his own "small people of 12 million inhabitants, without arms, without resources" could never withstand an attack by a large power such as Italy, with its 42 million people and "unlimited quantities of
15930-686: Was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950, and annexed Eritrea as one of Ethiopia's provinces , while also fighting to prevent Eritrean secession . As an internationalist , Selassie led Ethiopia's accession to the United Nations as a charter member. In 1963, he presided over the formation of the Organisation of African Unity , the precursor of the African Union , and served as
16065-667: Was highly symbolic, since the Solomonic Dynasty claimed descent from the House of David . Leaving the Holy Land , Haile Selassie and his entourage sailed aboard the British cruiser HMS Capetown for Gibraltar , where he stayed at the Rock Hotel . From Gibraltar, the exiles were transferred to an ordinary liner. By doing this, the United Kingdom government was spared the expense of a state reception. On 12 May 1936,
16200-404: Was his first descent into sin. According to 1 Kings 11:4 Solomon's "wives turned his heart after other gods", their own national deities, to whom Solomon built temples, thus incurring divine anger and retribution in the form of the division of the kingdom after Solomon's death ( 1 Kings 11:9–13 ). 1 Kings 11 describes Solomon's descent into idolatry, particularly his turning after Ashtoreth ,
16335-592: Was in this state, court factions were maneuvering for power. Adonijah , David's heir apparent , acted to have himself declared king, but was outmaneuvered by Bathsheba and the biblical prophet Nathan, who convinced David to proclaim Solomon king according to his earlier promise (not recorded elsewhere in the biblical narrative), despite Solomon's being younger than his brothers. Solomon, as instructed by David, began his reign with an extensive purge, including his father's chief general, Joab , among others, and further consolidated his position by appointing friends throughout
16470-523: Was ineffective, and so during the last illness of Menelik II, and the brief reign of Empress Taytu Betul , Tafari was made governor of Harar in 1910 or 1911. On 3 August 1911, Tafari married Menen Asfaw of Ambassel , niece of the heir to the throne Lij Iyasu . Menen Asfaw was 22 years old while Tafari was 19 years of age. Menen had already married two previous noblemen, while Tafari had one previous wife and one child. The marriage between Menen Asfaw and Haile Selassie lasted for 50 years. Although possibly
16605-541: Was known as the " Christmas Offensive ". During this offensive, the Italians were forced back in places and put on the defensive. In early 1936, the First Battle of Tembien stopped the progress of the Ethiopian offensive and the Italians were ready to continue their offensive. Following the defeat and destruction of the northern Ethiopian armies at the Battle of Amba Aradam , the Second Battle of Tembien , and
16740-554: Was met by forces loyal to Negus Tafari and was defeated at the Battle of Anchem . Gugsa Welle was killed in action . News of Gugsa Welle's defeat and death had hardly spread through Addis Ababa when the Empress died suddenly on 2 April 1930. Although it was long rumored that the Empress was poisoned upon her husband's defeat, or alternately that she died from shock upon hearing of the death of her estranged yet beloved husband, it has since been documented that Zewditu succumbed to paratyphoid fever and complications from diabetes after
16875-469: Was named Empress Zewditu , while Tafari was elevated to the rank of Ras and was made heir apparent and Crown Prince . In the power arrangement that followed, Tafari accepted the role of Regent Plenipotentiary ( Balemulu 'Inderase ) and became the de facto ruler of the Ethiopian Empire ( Mangista Ityop'p'ya ). Zewditu would govern while Tafari would administer. While Iyasu had been deposed on 27 September 1916, on 8 October he managed to escape into
17010-607: Was particularly troublesome. The revenues he remitted to the central government did not reflect the accrued profits and Tafari recalled him to Addis Ababa. The old man came in high dudgeon and, insultingly, with a large army. The Dejazmatch paid homage to Empress Zewditu, but snubbed Tafari. On 18 February, while Balcha Safo and his personal bodyguard were in Addis Ababa, Tafari had Ras Kassa Haile Darge buy off Balcha Safo's army, and arranged to have him replaced as Shum of Sidamo Province by Birru Wolde Gabriel – who himself
17145-530: Was proclaimed as the new Emperor of Ethiopia . On the previous day, the Ethiopian exiles had left French Somaliland aboard the British cruiser HMS Enterprise . They were bound for Jerusalem in the British Mandate of Palestine , where the Ethiopian imperial family maintained a residence. The family disembarked at Haifa and then went on to Jerusalem. Once there, Haile Selassie and his retinue prepared to make their case at Geneva. The choice of Jerusalem
17280-434: Was replaced by Desta Damtew . Even so, the gesture of Balcha Safo empowered Empress Zewditu politically and she attempted to have Tafari tried for treason . He was tried for his benevolent dealings with Italy including a 20-year peace accord that was signed on 2 August. In September, a group of palace reactionaries including some courtiers of the Empress made a final bid to get rid of Tafari . The attempted coup d'état
17415-446: Was still "semi-feudal", and the Emperor's attempts to alter its social and economic form by reforming its modes of taxation met with resistance from the nobility and clergy, which were eager to resume their privileges in the post-war era. Where Haile Selassie actually did succeed in effecting new land taxes, the burdens were often still passed by the landowners onto the peasants. Between 1941 and 1959, Haile Selassie worked to establish
17550-587: Was taken into captivity with her children, and she died in Italy in 1941. His daughter Tsehai died during childbirth shortly after the restoration in 1942. After his return to Ethiopia, Haile Selassie donated Fairfield House to the city of Bath as a residence for the aged. In 2019, two blue plaques commemorating his residence at Fairfield and his visits to nearby Weston-super-Mare were unveiled by his grandson. British forces, which consisted primarily of Ethiopian-backed African and South African colonial troops under
17685-427: Was taken into custody by Gugsa Araya Selassie . On 11 February 1917, the coronation for Zewditu took place. She pledged to rule justly through her regent, Tafari. While Tafari was the more visible of the two, Zewditu was not simply an honorary ruler, but she did have some political restraints due to the complicated nature of her position compared to other Ethiopian monarchs, one was that it required that she arbitrate
17820-536: Was the fourth monarch of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah , according to the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament . The successor of his father David , he is described as having been the penultimate ruler of all Twelve Tribes of Israel under an amalgamated Israel and Judah . The hypothesized dates of Solomon's reign are from 970 to 931 BCE. According to the biblical narrative, after Solomon's death, his son and successor Rehoboam adopted harsh policies towards
17955-418: Was to manage its finances, defense, and foreign policy. Despite his centralisation policies that had been made before World War II, Haile Selassie still found himself unable to push for all the programmes he wanted. In 1942, he attempted to institute a progressive tax scheme, but this failed due to opposition from the nobility, and only a flat tax was passed; in 1951, he agreed to reduce this as well. Ethiopia
18090-483: Was tragic in its origins and comic in its end. When confronted by Tafari and a company of his troops, the ringleaders of the coup took refuge on the palace grounds in Menelik's mausoleum. Tafari and his men surrounded them, only to be surrounded themselves by the personal guard of Zewditu. More of Tafari's khaki clad soldiers arrived and decided the outcome in his favor with superiority of arms. Popular support, as well as
18225-456: Was unveiled on Saturday, 25 June 2011. As part of the ceremony, a delegation from the Rastafari movement gave a short address and a drum recital. Haile Selassie's activity in this period was focused on countering Italian propaganda as to the Ethiopian resistance and the legality of the occupation. He spoke out against the desecration of houses of worship and historical artifacts, including
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