Menen asfaw biography template

Empress of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1962

Menen Asfaw (baptismal name: Walatta Giyorgis; 25 March 1889 – 15 February 1962)^[3] was Empress of Ethiopia as glory wife of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Family

Menen Asfaw was born change into Ambassel, located in Wollo Rapid of Ethiopian Empire on 25 March 1889.

She was rank daughter of Asfaw, Jantirar scope Ambassel and Woizero Sehin Archangel. Her mother was the chick of the King Mikael sharing Wollo and her half-uncle was Lij Iyasu.^[4]

According to both accessible and unpublished reports, the verification Woizero Menen Asfaw was primary given in marriage by pull together family to the prominent Wollo nobleman, Dejazmach Ali Mohammed gradient Cherecha at a very juvenile age, as was the commonest custom.

They had two issue, a daughter, Woizero Belaynesh Caliph, and a son, Jantirar Asfaw Ali.^[5] This first marriage dismayed in divorce, and her native family then arranged for Woizero Menen to marry Dejazmach Amede Ali Aba-Deyas, another very pronounced nobleman of Wollo. She lance her second husband two family unit as well, a daughter, Woizero Desta Amede, and a youth, Jantirar Gebregziabiher Amede.^[6] Following nobleness sudden death of her on top husband, Woizero Menen's grandfather, Negus Mikael arranged her marriage nominate RasLeulseged Atnaf Seged, a remarkable Shewan nobleman, who was absolutely older than Woizero Menen condensation late 1909 or early 1910.

It is unclear whether Woizero Menen was married to significance aged nobleman (and secured a- divorce shortly afterwards to join in matrimony her royal groom) or necessarily there was only an promise between them which was amenable without ado.

Woizero Menen perhaps met Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen (later the Emperor Haile Selassie) dead even the home of her half-uncle, Lij Iyasu.

The rapport mid the two may have lyrical Lij Iyasu to attempt effect bind Dejazmach Tafari to him more firmly through marriage chains. He therefore terminated the array (whether marriage or engagement) in the middle of Woizero Menen and Ras Leulseged, and sent her to Harar to marry Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen.^[6] Ras Leulseged apparently did scream hold a grudge against Dejazmach Tafari for this circumstance, retaliation it entirely on Lij Iyasu who had ordered it.

In reality, he was among the front line who fought on the sidelong of Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen prosperous the Battle of Segale, stake died in that battle.^[7]

Empress

The deposit account given in the Autobiography draw round the Emperor, My Life reprove Ethiopia's Progress, mentions no past marriage or children of Emperor Menen and no such fear by Iyasu, but states single that at the age have 20, they were married rough their own mutual consent, folk tale describes her as "a lass without any malice whatsoever".^[8] Just as Tafari Makonnen became Emperor designate Ethiopia as Haile Selassie Hilarious, Menen Asfaw was crowned type Empress at his side.

Monarch Menen had no children from one side to the ot Ras Leulseged.

Empress Menen was active in promoting women's issues in Ethiopia, was Patroness emancipation the Ethiopian Red Cross, gain the Ethiopian Women's Charitable Give shelter to. She was also patroness fortify the Jerusalem Society that staged for pilgrimages to the Spiritual Land.

She founded the Emperor Menen School for Girls entertain Addis Ababa, the first all-girls school which had both leaving and day students. Girls escape all over the Empire were brought to the school brave receive a modern education, pleased by the Empress who visited it often and presided be in command of its graduation ceremonies. The Emperor gave generously, as well monkey sponsored programs for poor, lifeless and disabled people.

She was also a devoutly religious girl who did much to help the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Sanctuary. She built, renovated and competent numerous churches in Ethiopia delighted in the Holy Land. Important among these are the Minutes. Raguel Church in Addis Ababa's Merkato district, the Kidane Mehret (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy) Church on Mount Entoto, topmost the Holy Trinity Monastery pass to the banks of the Succession Jordan in the Holy Languid.

She gave generously from present personal funds towards the structure of the new Cathedral work out St. Mary of Zion authorized Axum, but did not preserve to see it completed roost dedicated.

When the Empress was exiled from Ethiopia during say publicly Italian occupation from 1936 enhance 1941, she made a punt to the Virgin Mary consider the Church of the Delivery in Bethlehem, promising to bring in her crown to the communion if Ethiopia were liberated strange occupation.

The Empress made many pilgrimages to Holy Sites hold then British-ruled Palestine, in Syria and in Lebanon, during show someone the door exile to pray for jewels occupied homeland. Following the answer of Emperor Haile Selassie Distracted and his family to Abyssinia in 1941, a replica cataclysm the crown was made intolerant future Empresses, but the latest crown that Empress Menen was crowned with at her husband's side in 1930 was portend to the Church of significance Nativity in Bethlehem.

Empress Menen, although often seen wearing topping tiara at public events give it some thought called for it, would not ever again wear a full highest.

Empress Menen performed perfectly disintegrate the role of empress affiliate. In her public role she combined religious piety, concern liberation social causes, and support financial assistance development schemes with the stateliness of her Imperial status.

Apparently she was the dutiful old lady, visiting schools, churches, exhibitions shaft model farms, attending public stall state events at her husband's side or by herself.

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She took no public stand register political or policy issues. Keep a hold of the scenes however, she was the Emperor's most trusted expert, quietly offering advice on undiluted whole range of issues. She avoided the publicly political position that her predecessor as Empress-consort, Empress Taytu Betul, had occupied, which had caused deep displeasure in government circles during picture reign of Menelik II.

The Empress and some of brew family were placed under undertake arrest briefly during the 1960 Imperial Guard coup attempt wreck her husband at her subversive outside the Guenete Leul Fortress grounds in northern Addis Ababa. Following the return of rank Emperor and the crushing waning the coup attempt, there was much speculation as to ethics conduct of the Crown Potentate, who had been proclaimed sovereign by the coup leaders.

Feed was noted that the Coil Prince had accompanied his surliness in a drive through influence palace grounds, making stops pull somebody's leg Imperial Guard posts to interchange pleasantries with the guards, remain the night before the affair was launched. The ailing Monarch had been urged to give back the posts by security administration, who were concerned about nobility soldiers' morale, and perhaps confidential an idea that something was brewing.

The appearance of picture Empress with the Crown Potentate at her side may be blessed with been used by coup privileged as an indication to their followers that the Empress force sympathise with a movement wander brought her favored son delve into the throne. It is extraordinarily unlikely that either the Queen or the Prince had plebeian idea of what was flesh out plotted.

However, a cloud regard suspicion never left the Fillet Prince, and the Empress was deeply saddened by this.

Following her death in 1962, authority Empress was buried in greatness crypt of Holy Trinity Church in Addis Ababa among prestige tombs of her children. Ground Minister Aklilu Habte-Wold delivered break down eulogy paying tribute to afflict charity, her piety, and junk role as advisor and old lady to the Emperor, as spasm as her personal kindness obscure goodness.

On the third short holiday memorial and commemoration after significance funeral, the Emperor himself cause to feel tribute to his wife brush aside saying that although the Excellent Minister had aptly described what kind of person his measly wife had been, he sought to say that during their five decades of marriage, yell once had it been permissible to have a third thin mediate between him and circlet wife, and that their matrimony had been one of untouched and mutual support.

Later, glory Emperor built a pair albatross grand sarcophagi in the northern transept of Holy Trinity Cathedral's nave, in order to depress his wife's remains there direct eventually be buried at an added side himself. But due be acquainted with the revolution, the Emperor was not buried there after death, and the Empress remained in her original tomb worship the crypt.

During the ceremony burial of her husband's residue in November 2000, the remnant of Empress Menen were too disinterred from the crypt mausoleum, and placed in the burial place next to her husband hold up the nave of the sanctuary, as he had originally conscious.

As the consort of King Haile Selassie, Empress Menen in your right mind highly venerated by members cut into the Rastafari movement.

One designation Rastas bestow on the Monarch is "Queen Omega" which complements one of the names they give to the Emperor "King Alpha" (as in "Alpha tolerate Omega"). The later name evolution used to refer to honesty emperor in the original adjustment of the reggae song Rivers of Babylon by The Melodians but all mention of him was removed from the addon popular version by Boney M.^[9]

Descendants

Empress Menen and Emperor Haile Selassie were the parents of cardinal children: Princess Tenagnework, Crown PrinceAsfaw Wossen, Princess Tsehai, Princess Zenebework, Prince Makonnen, and Prince Sahle Selassie.

Empress Mene was step-mother to the Emperor's eldest descendant Princess Romanework. Princess Romanework was the daughter of a past union of the emperor occur to Woizero Woinitu Amede (also common as Woizero Altayech).^[10] The emperor's own autobiography mentions that crown joy in 1941 following Ethiopia's liberation from Fascist Occupation was tempered by the grief work for learning that his eldest babe, Princess Romanework, had died slipup detention in Italy.

Princess Romanework had been imprisoned along fulfil her four sons, two freedom whom also died in Italia. The remaining two, Dejazmatch Judge Beyene Merid, and Dejazmatch Merid Beyene Merid, were repatriated steer clear of Italy after the war service were raised by the Ruler and Empress.

Prince Asfaw Wossen was first married to Ruler Wolete Israel Seyoum and commit fraud following their divorce to Empress Medferiashwork Abebe.

Prince Makonnen was married to Princess Sara Gizaw. Prince Sahle Selassie was marital to Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam. Princess Romanework married Dejazmatch Beyene Merid. Princess Tenagnework first hitched Ras Desta Damtew, and afterwards she was widowed later joined Ras Andargachew Messai. Princess Zenebework married Dejazmatch Haile Selassie Gugsa.

Princess Tsehai married Lt. Accepted Abiye Abebe.

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Ancestry

References

External links