The last emperor of Ethiopia, overthrown in a military coup in 1974, Haile Selassie I, was an extremely controversial ruler. During his tenure in power, he was known as an enlightened and active monarch, whose country not only was no one's colony, 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 25, he received the title of heir to the crown and regent, and in fact began to rule Ethiopia autocratic. 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 been able to withstand attempts to capture from 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. Rastafarianism, born during the years of his ascension to the throne, considered him the embodiment of the god Jah. The religious movement itself got its name from the name that Haile Selassie wore before the coronation. But not everything was so simple.
During the reign of Haile Selassie I, Ethiopia remained a poor state, suffering from disease and hunger, despite more than enough help from both the United States and Great Britain, as well as 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 led to a dual 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 "the one whom they should respect and fear." As a child from a noble family, the future heir should have a rank-leading in front of the name, and after the third should be the name of the father and, sometimes, grandfather. Therefore, the name of the last emperor was as follows: Tafari Maconne Voldemicael During baptism, Tafari received the sacred name of Haile Selassie, which means "the power of the Trinity."
Having taken control of one of the regions of Ethiopia, and subsequently becoming the heir to the throne, the future ruler received a new rank - the race, the equivalent of the Russian prince or western prince. Now he was contacted by the races of Tafari Makonnyn. It was this name that gave the name to Rastafarianism.
Having ascended the throne, the races of Tafari had to accept a new, royal title. 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, Lord of lords, lion - winner of the tribe of Judah, His Imperial Majesty, Elected by God and the Light of the world.
Haile Selassie I: biography, the early years
The future emperor was born on July 23, 1892 in the small village of Edgers Goro in the province of Harar. He was the tenth child in the family of the race of Makonnyn, cousin of the Emperor of Ethiopia, Menelik II. Haile Selassie's father was the governor of Harar, the chief commander of the Ethiopian army and adviser to the emperor. The Makonnyn dynasty came from King Solomon himself and the Queen of Sheba.
Due to his high position in society, Ras Makonnyn was able to give his son an excellent education. First, the governesses were engaged in the training of the boy, 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 - dejazmach, which corresponds to the European count. Then Tafari received his first managerial experience and was appointed governor of the tiny province of Salag. At the age of 15, Tafari took control of the province of Sidamo, and at age 18 he began to rule his native Harar.
Regency
Having taken 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 noticeably cooled, 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 frightened the courtiers, and in 1916, taking advantage of the temporary absence of the emperor, excommunicated him, deposed and enthroned his aunt, appointing Tafari as regent and granting him the title of race.
As regent until 1930, Ras Tafari carried out many reforms, among which army reforms and transformations in domestic and foreign policy were particularly distinguished. 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 secured Ethiopia's admission to the League of Nations.
Ascension to the throne
At the end of 1930, the regent was crowned and erected on the Ethiopian throne under the name Haile Selassie I. At his coronation was attended not only by the entire Ethiopian aristocracy, but also representatives of the ruling echelons of many European states. In honor of the adoption of the crown, a photograph of Haile Selassie I was published on the cover of the Times magazine.
Emperor Reforms
The reform 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 constitution adopted in 1931, the first in the history of Ethiopia, proclaimed the emperor's power absolute and indestructible.
Haile Selassie I created a bicameral parliament. In the upper chamber, the emperor appointed senators on his own, and in the lower chamber, selection was made among the ruling strata of the aristocracy. No matter how radical the reforms may look, they still have not changed the situation of ordinary citizens of Ethiopia.
Conflict with Italy
In early October 1935, Italy unexpectedly began military operations against Ethiopia, violating its borders, crossing from Eritrea through the Mareb River and from Somalia towards Harare. 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 possess heavy weapons. Against tanks, flamethrowers, explosive bullets and even chemical weapons, 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 with the choice of ruler.
Being in exile, the emperor has repeatedly appealed for help to the United States, Britain and other states. In his speech at the Council of the League of Nations, Haile Selassie, whose quotes later spread over all important publications, strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons by Italy. In 1940, secured the support of Great Britain, he returned to Ethiopia.
Grievances in ethiopia
Since 1941, the returning emperor fought for the liberation of Ethiopia and in 1943 crushed the last uprisings of 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 improve the situation and enlist the support of not only the aristocracy, but also the people, the emperor carried out a number of reforms that completely abolished slavery, allowed the Ethiopians to choose 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 established a frightening repressive apparatus that did not allow the enjoyment of fundamental rights and the protection of political freedoms.
It is not surprising that among the people, as well as among the aristocracy, discontent increased. The prolonged famine in the province of Wallo, which claimed the lives of thousands of Ethiopians, the absence of significant changes in the executive branch and the continuous despotism of the emperor led to a coup d'etat in 1960, to which Crown Prince Asfa Wosen joined. Haile Selassie I managed to crush this uprising, but dissatisfaction with his regime did not cease to boil.
Ethiopian Revolution
Over the next 13 years, the discontent of the people of Ethiopia grew, until in 1974 a tragedy occurred as a result of neglect of the people in the country. The fasting hunger 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 took the place of the secular government, the first decree 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 for unknown reasons. They did not begin the investigation and the body was not given for autopsy. Many suspected that the former emperor Haile Selassie I was strangled by the leader of the rebellion Mengistu Haile Mariam.