The last emperor of Ethiopia

• The last emperor of Ethiopia

Haile Selassie I (in the translation of his name means power, force Trinity) was the first regent of the country, and since 1930 - the emperor for 44 years. It is considered a direct descendant of the legendary dynasty of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba - that is why one of his titles sounds like a "Lion-winner of the tribe of Judah, Elect of God, the king of kings of Ethiopia."

Figure Haile Selassie - one of the most important in the Ethiopian and African history.

Father Haile Selassie I Mekonnyn races.

Teferi Mekonnyn (under that name Haile Selassie I was known before accession to the throne) was born in the family cousin of the reigning Emperor tenth child, so initially had no chance to the throne. However, his father was governor of the province of Harari, commander and chief advisor to the Emperor, so that the boy, though, and the tenth in the family, received a good education.

Already in 13 years, the future ruler of Ethiopia acquired the first management skills - he was entrusted to a small area of 35 kilometers from the city of Harar.

After the death in 1913 of Emperor Menelik II, the throne passed to his grandson Lidge Ieyasu, who became emperor under the name of Ieyasu V. Initially, the relationship between him and Teferi were friendly. Even before his accession Ieyasu issued for Teferi his niece - Asfa Menem. September 27, 1916 of the nobility, who was unhappy with the emperor, he deposed and excommunicated. On the throne was erected daughter of Menelik II, and Teferi Mekonnyn was proclaimed regent and heir to the throne with the title of "races". And in 1930 Teferi Mekonnyn was crowned as the new 225 th Emperor of Ethiopia under the name of Haile Selassie I.

When Ethiopia was attacked by Italy, in 1936, Haile Selassie to the League of Nations meeting strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons against the Italians of his people. Thanks to its internationalist views Ethiopia became a member - founder of the United Nations, and his political thought and experience in promoting multilateralism and collective security turned out to be productive and reliable.

But his methods of suppressing uprisings and mutinies among Ethiopian nobility, as well as not always successful attempts to modernize the country, which in 1930 still remained slavery, many historians and contemporaries left extremely dissatisfied.

Gumilyov. For the future Emperor Gumilyov was to get a pass - a permit to travel on Abyssinia.

Academician Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov decade and a half, too, began his journey through Ethiopia. He, too, I took Haile Selassie is not the governor and not yet emperor, but the regent. He recalled: "Ras Tafari (the name is the future emperor wore to the ascent to the throne) with great interest inquired about our country. He was interested in the features of the revolution, the fate of the imperial court. "

Apogee discontent board reached in 1974. The emperor was deposed and stripped of power by the military, and a year later Haile Selassie was found dead in his bed. On the causes of death are still unknown.

When you came to power, one of the organizers of the revolution Mengistu Haile Mariam. Later he would become known as one of the most brutal rulers of the XX century, during whose reign of starvation, torture and genocide, died from 200,000 to 3 million people.