The last emperor of Ethiopia, overthrown in a military coup in 1974, Haile Selassie I, was a highly controversial ruler. During his time in power, he was known as an enlightened and active monarch, whose country was not only not a colony of anyone, but also became a full member of the United Nations.
Controversial ruler
Haile Selassie I has held managerial positions since 1906, when he was 15 years old. At the age of 25, he received the title of heir to the crown and regent and, in fact, began to rule Ethiopia autocratically. This autocracy lasted for 58 years.
Over such a long period, Ethiopia has achieved international recognition, has become a party to several international organizations and treaties, and has managed to resist the attempts of occupation by Italy. Haile Selassie I organized and led the Organization of African Unity, which later became the African Union.
For his worthy policy and love of freedom, the people deified their emperor. Born during the years of his ascension to the throne, Rastafarianism considered him the incarnation of the god Jah. The religious movement itself took its name from the name that Haile Selassie bore before his coronation. But not everything wasso clear.
During the reign of Haile Selassie I, Ethiopia remained a poor state, suffering from disease and hunger, despite more than sufficient assistance from both the US and Great Britain, and the USSR. While his subjects were dying of hunger, the emperor was one of the richest people of that time, not only in Africa, but throughout the world. It is not surprising that such contradictions have led to an ambivalent perception of his personality in history.
Names
The name given to the future emperor by his parents is Tafari. This name is translated from the Geez language as "one who should be respected and feared." Being a child from a noble family, the future heir had to have a rank before the name - lij, and after the third followed the name of the father and, sometimes, the grandfather. Therefore, the name of the last emperor was: lij Tafari Makonnyn Voldemikael. At the time of baptism, Tafari received the sacred name of Haile Selassie, which means “the power of the Trinity.”
Having assumed control of one of the regions of Ethiopia, and subsequently becoming the heir to the throne, the future ruler received a new rank - a race, the equivalent of a Russian prince or a Western prince. Now Ras Tafari Makonnyn was addressing him. It was this name that gave the name to Rastafarianism.
After ascending the throne, Ras Tafari had to take on a new, royal rank. He chose the name given to him at baptism and became Emperor Haile Selassie 1. The full title of the autocratic monarch was as follows: King of Kings, Leader of Lords, the lion - the winner of the tribe of Judah, His ImperialMajesty Chosen by God and Light of the world.
Haile Selassie I: biography, early years
The future emperor was born on July 23, 1892 in the small village of Ejersa Goro in the province of Harer. He was the tenth child in the family of Ras Mekonnin, a cousin of the Emperor of Ethiopia, Menelik II. Haile Selassie's father was the governor of Harar, chief commander of the Ethiopian army and adviser to the emperor. The Makonneung dynasty descended from King Solomon himself and the Queen of Sheba.
Due to his high position in society, Ras Makonneung was able to give his son an excellent education. First, the boy was trained by governesses, then a monk from the Capuchin order, and then a scientist from Guadeloupe of French origin. At the age of 13, Tafari received a new title - dejazmatch, which corresponds to the European count. At the same time, Tafari received his first managerial experience and was appointed governor of the tiny province of Salaga. At the age of 15, Tafari took over the province of Sidamo, and at the age of 18 he began to rule his native Harar.
Regency
Having received control of his native province, Tafari decided to stay at the emperor's court for a while. After the ascension to the throne of the new emperor Iyasu V, relations between the head of the country and Tafari cooled noticeably, he even lost the post of governor of Harar.
Emperor Iyasu V began to openly express his sympathy for Islam and even began to wear a turban, threatening to convert Ethiopia - one of the first Christian states in the world - to Islam. Such intentions greatly frightenedcourtiers, and in 1916, taking advantage of the temporary absence of the emperor, they excommunicated him from the church, deposed and elevated his aunt to the throne, appointing Tafari as regent and bestowing on him the title of rasa.
As regent until 1930, Ras Tafari carried out many reforms, among which army reforms and changes in domestic and foreign policy were especially notable. Tafari Makonnyn raised the level of education, established basic infrastructure and ensured the partial abolition of slavery. He concluded treaties with many states of the region, as well as world powers, and achieved the admission of Ethiopia to the League of Nations.
Ascension to the throne
At the end of 1930, the regent was crowned and elevated to the Ethiopian throne under the name of Haile Selassie I. His coronation was attended not only by the entire Ethiopian aristocracy, but also by representatives of the ruling echelons of many European states. In honor of the assumption of the crown, a photograph of Haile Selassie I was published on the cover of Times magazine.
The Emperor's reforms
The reformist policy of the new emperor has been criticized more than once for much more traditional values and a conservative focus on maintaining an absolute monarchy. Even the first constitution in the history of Ethiopia, adopted in 1931, proclaimed the authority of the emperor as absolute and inviolable.
Haile Selassie I created a bicameral parliament. In the upper house, the emperor appointed senators on his own, and in the lower house there was a selection among the ruling layers of the aristocracy. No matter how radical the reforms may look, they are stilldid nothing to change the situation of ordinary Ethiopian citizens.
Conflict with Italy
In early October 1935, Italy unexpectedly launched hostilities against Ethiopia, violating its borders, crossing from Eritrea across the Mareb River and from Somalia towards Harar. Haile Selassie announced a general mobilization.
Despite the fact that massive army reforms were carried out, the Ethiopian army was extremely unprepared for large-scale battles and did not have heavy weapons. Against tanks, flamethrowers, explosive bullets and even chemical weapons, the Ethiopians were armed only with small arms. Many of the irregulars went into battle with spears and swords.
Despite the fact that the emperor personally led his troops into battle, in mid-1936 the Ethiopians were defeated, and Haile Selassie I, children, grandchildren and close associates of the emperor fled abroad. The Ethiopian people were discouraged and disappointed by the choice of the ruler.
Being in exile, the emperor has repeatedly turned to the United States, Great Britain and other states for help. In his speech at the council of the League of Nations, Haile Selassie, whose quotes were later distributed to all important publications, harshly condemned the use of chemical weapons by Italy. In 1940, with British support, he returned to Ethiopia.
Discontent in Ethiopia
Since 1941, the returned emperor fought for the liberation of Ethiopia and in 1943 crushed the last uprisings of the Italian troops and the Ethiopian tribes supporting them. However, the reputation of Haile Selassie was undermined, and his power was shaken. In an attempt to rectify the situation and enlist the support of not only the aristocracy, but also the people, the emperor carried out a series of reforms that completely abolished slavery, allowed the Ethiopians to elect representatives of the lower house of parliament, and declared freedom of speech and assembly.
However, Haile Selassie I was not ready to part with absolute power, so he set up an intimidating repressive apparatus that did not allow the enjoyment of basic rights and the protection of political freedoms.
It is not surprising that among the people, as well as among the aristocracy, discontent has increased. A prolonged famine in the province of Wollo that claimed the lives of thousands of Ethiopians, the lack of significant changes in the executive branch and the continuous despotism of the emperor led to a coup d'état in 1960, which was joined by Crown Prince Asfa Wasen. Haile Selassie I succeeded in crushing this rebellion, but dissatisfaction with his regime did not cease to boil.
Revolution in Ethiopia
Over the next 13 years, the dissatisfaction of the people of Ethiopia grew, until in 1974, as a result of a negligent attitude towards the people in the country, a tragedy happened. The growing famine claimed the lives of more than 200 thousand people, and the rest were on the verge of survival. The military from all over the country demanded an increase in maintenance, they were supported by workers and students. As a result of the constitutional assembly, Haile Selassie I was deprived of actual power, and his government apparatus was overthrown. The military government took the place of the secular government, the first decision of which was the arrest of the entire imperial family.
In August 1975, the military government announced the sudden illness of the former emperor. He died on August 27 at the age of 83 of unknown causes. The investigation was not carried out and the body was not given for an autopsy. Many suspected that former emperor Haile Selassie I was strangled by rebellion leader Mengistu Haile Mariam.
