The Biography of Empress Menen Asfaw: The Mother of the Ethiopian Nation 0985270306, 9780985270308

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Empress Menen Asfaw The Mother of the Ethiopian Nation

Empress Menen Asfaw Megabit 25, 1983–Yakatit 8, 1954 (April 3, 1891–February 15, 1962).

Empress Menen Asfaw The Mother of the Ethiopian Nation

Compiled, Edited and Revised by

Anjahli Parnell The original book published by the Ethiopian Imperial Family in 1954 EC (1962 GC) was written by Yared Gebre Michael.

Translated from Ge’ez by Abey Chanie

Copyright @ Anjahli Parnell 2011

Front Cover Photograph: Coronation Photograph by Boyadijans Imperial Court Photographers Back Cover Photograph: Children of the Kechene Childcare Center, Ethiopia 1956 All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purposes of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Roots Publishing P.O. Box 1417 Kealakekua, HI 96750 [email protected] Parnell, Anjahli. Empress Menen Asfaw : a biography / Anjahli Parnell ISBN 978-0-9852703-0-8

“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all” (Proverbs 31:29).

Published to commemorate Empress Menen’s 120th Birthday on April 3, 1891, and her 100th Marriage Anniversary on July 27, 1911.

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Contents

Y Foreword by HIH Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Editor’s Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Original Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi List of Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiii

Part One–The Early Years 1 Childhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 2 The Early Marriages of Menen Asfaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 3 The Upbringing of Tafari Mekonnen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 4 The Marriage of Tafari Mekonnen and Menen Asfaw . . . . . . . .11 5 Early Years of Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 6 The Legendary Story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 7 Years as Crown Princess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 1909–1923 EC (1917–1930 GC)

Part Two–Becoming an Empress 8 Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls Opens . . . . . . . . . . . .37 9 The Coronation of Empress Menen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Tikimt 23, 1923 EC (November 2, 1930 GC) 10 The Rastafari Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

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11 The Early Years of Empress Menen Asfaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 12 Second Holy Land Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Part Three–The Italian Invasion and Exile 13 Preparing for War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 14 The Italian Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 15 Exile in England and the Holy Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Part Four–In Service to Ethiopia 16 Return to Ethiopia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 17 Restoring Ethiopia after the Italian Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 1933–1937 EC (1941–1945 GC) 18 The Renowned Service of Empress Menen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 1938–1946 EC (1946–1954 GC) 19 The 25th Anniversary of The Empress Menen School . . . . . . .111 20 The 25th Silver Coronation Jubilee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Part Five–The Final Years 21 The Latter Years of Empress Menen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 1948–1951 EC (1956–1959 GC) 22 Final Tour to the Holy Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 23 The Failed Coup of 1953 EC (1960 GC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Part Six–In Her Memory 24 Empress Menen’s Death Is a Great Loss to Ethiopia . . . . . . . .143 25 National Day of Mourning for Empress Menen . . . . . . . . . . . .153 26 In Memory of Empress Menen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 27 Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

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28 The Children of the Emperor and Empress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 29 Genealogy of Empress Mennen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 Editor’s Afterword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Bibliographical Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

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Foreword by HIH Ermias Sahle Selassie

Y T

he rich, complex and challenging life of Empress Menen has remained obscure for decades. With the first time translation and publication of this new volume of her biography, I trust readers will once again become reacquainted with the life of the Empress and her great contribution to her faith, her country and her family. I believe the constant theme in her remarkable life was her enduring faith. The Empress was a devout Orthodox Christian whose conduct and character was to a large extent influenced by her religion. Her commitment to her humanitarian work is a testimony to her faith. The Empress served the underprivileged by opening up education to girls; she built orphanages and hospitals, and gave freely from her own funds to support monasteries and churches. When Ethiopia fell victim to Fascist Italy during the Second World War, the Empress never lost hope and appealed to the world about the suffering of her Nation. Throughout her life, despite the personal family losses she endured, the Empress remained the major pillar of her family, and alongside the Emperor, her Nation. This new volume I hope will encourage a new generation of readers to learn about the story of a remarkable Lady and her noble journey. I hope readers will be inspired when catching a glimpse of her perseverance, kindness and her faith in humanity and in God. Therein lies a life and a story of hope amidst great personal and national challenges.

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Editor’s Preface

Y Empress Menen, A Shining Light in Ethiopian History Over the years much has been written of the life and times of the last reigning emperor of Ethiopia, His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I, while very little has been written about his wife, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Menen. Empress Menen led her life to become an illuminated example of leadership, generosity, compassion, and motherhood. Above all, she was an exemplary model of faith for her people and demonstrated her devotion to God. The word menen means ‘light’ in Amharic, a common language of Ethiopia, and this word is written as mänän in Ge’ez, the ancient Semitic language still used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. All dates in this book will be represented first according to the Ethiopian calendar (EC) date, with the Gregorian calendar (GC) date following in parentheses. The Gregorian calendar, which is used throughout much of the world, has never been adopted by Ethiopia. The Ethiopian year starts on September 11 and has twelve months of 30 days, plus a thirteenth month of 5 days, or 6 days in a leap year. The Ethiopian names of months have been used throughout this book. For example: Empress Menen was born on Megabit 25, 1883 (April 3, 1891).

How This Blessed Book Came to Light Before leaving on our first tour to Ethiopia, my husband and I planned our trip to Africa with several intentions in mind. My husband is Jamaican and of the Rastafari faith, and although I knew of Haile Sellassie, it

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is through my ‘kingman’ that I became interested in the Ethiopian emperor, who the Rastafari revere. We wanted to see the countryside and the historical sites, and to visit the Jamaican enclave in Shashamene. We were also interested in the Ethiopian coffee culture as we are dedicated organic coffee farmers in Kona, Hawaii, and the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Finally, but most importantly, it was my intention to find out more about the life of such a significant woman, Empress Menen. We arrived in the mile-high capital city of Addis Ababa on a chilly winter’s night in Tahsas 2002 (January of 2009). On our first day in Addis Ababa we visited Holy Trinity Cathedral, and it was here where we met a young university student named Abey Chanie. As he showed us around the magnificent church, we learned that this young man was a deacon from Lalibela and was staying in the capital while he furthered his studies. Understanding our desire to learn about the Imperial Family, he opened two sets of red velvet curtains to reveal the wooden thrones used by Emperor Haile Sellassie and Empress Menen. He then showed us their matching granite sarcophagi in the nave of the church. We also visited the nearby museum, which housed crowns, garments and other memorabilia donated by various members of the Imperial Family. Our next flight took us to the town of Dire Dawa where we met our driver, Anthony. In a white minivan he toured us on winding roads to the ancient city of Harar, located on the eastern rim of the Rift Valley. That day we went to see the house where the Emperor had lived as a child and at dusk, we watched the moon rise as we stood outside the old city wall. As we looked up to the mountaintops that formed the shape of a “W”, we were told that this distant place was where Woizero Yashimabet had given birth to Tafari Mekonnen, the infant who later became Emperor Haile Sellassie I. It was nearly midnight when we returned to the congested city of Addis Ababa. We were up again before dawn to catch a flight to Lalibela, where we were looking forward to attending Timkat, the Christian celebration of Epiphany. Timkat is one of the most colorful and meaningful holy days in the Ethiopian Orthodox calendar, marking the baptism of Jesus Christ. After waiting two hours in a crowded airport, we were bumped off the flight and ended up back in the van with our driver, Anthony, and new guide named Degu for the arduous two-day journey to Lalibela.

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I knew a long dusty drive would aggravate my worsening illness. I’d arrived in Ethiopia with a head cold, but after a few days of breathing the thin, dry air and non-stop touring, my chest ached and I had a terrible cough. At one point along the never-ending road that was under construction, I was catching my breath after an exhausting bout of coughing, when the landscape outside the minivan suddenly appeared familiar. About a month before this trip had begun, I’d had a vivid dream of traveling past a lake surrounded by an expanse of farmland, flanked by a distant mountain cloaked in billowing cloud. Immediately I asked Anthony, “Where are we?” and he replied, “That is Ambassel.” “That is where Empress Menen was born,” Degu added. In that instant it felt as if God had intervened to allow me my own moment of epiphany as we passed the place where Menen spent her childhood. Had I been sitting in an airplane I would have missed this fateful moment, which seemed like a clear confirmation that I was on the right path through Ethiopia. In the light of this experience, much of my anxiety and exhaustion eased. After celebrating the magnificence of Timkat, my husband and I flew on to Axum, where we saw the small Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion that houses the Ark of the Covenant. We continued on the historical route to tour the Simien Mountains, Gondar, and the Lake Tana region, and after three weeks of constantly being on the move, we returned to Addis Ababa. We met up with our young guide Abey Chanie once again after his morning prayers at Holy Trinity Cathedral and greeted him warmly. Excitedly, the young man pulled a red leather-bound book from his backpack and handed it to me. The cover was embossed with a golden crown and I opened it to see an ancientlooking text, together with photographs of Empress Menen. This biography, entitled Her Imperial Majesty Menen Asfaw was written to commemorate Empress Menen’s passing in 1954 (1962). This volume was far more than I had ever expected to find and I was delighted, although I was unable to read what was written in the red leather book. Abey Chanie explained that when he had made enquiries about Empress Menen, on my behalf, a professor of Ethiopian Orthodox History had given this volume to him. The professor had kept this book

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safe after Emperor Haile Sellassie I was deposed by the Derg regime in 1966 (1974), a time when many books about the Imperial Family were destroyed. When the professor learned that both of Abey’s parents had passed away and that he was struggling financially to complete degrees in theology and engineering, the professor decided to entrust the biography of Empress Menen to him. Abey Chanie was given edifying advice, and full rights and responsibility to bring this book to light once again. Abey Chanie had made a copy of the book and passed it over to me. Feeling deeply honored and grateful, and with a keen sense of responsibility and divine guidance, Abey Chanie and I agreed to work together on translating and enhancing this important chronicle of Empress Menen’s life.

Permission and Translation Upon returning home from Ethiopia, I contacted the Imperial Family. After seven weeks of anxious anticipation, I received word from Ermias Sahle Selassie, the current president of the Ethiopian Crown Council in exile, granting me permission to translate and reprint this book. Abey Chanie began the difficult task of translating the classical Ge’ez text, which included a number of biblical terms, to modern Amharic, and then to English. Edward Ullendorf, the man who translated Haile Sellassie’s autobiography, My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress, wrote, “Anyone who has ever tried his hand at translating the convoluted sentence structure of a language like Amharic into a European tongue will be conscious of the extreme complexity of such an undertaking which at times approaches the boundaries of translatability.” Abey Chaney must be commended for completing this complex task in a short amount of time.

Restructuring the Original Book and Additions In order to create an interesting read about the life of this remarkable woman, I decided to place all information in chronological order, as well as to incorporate milestones from the reign of Empress Menen’s

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husband, Emperor Haile Sellassie I. It turns out that a large portion of the original biography that I received from Abey Chanie was taken from a book published in 1950 (1958) to honor Empress Menen’s 67th birthday, which is now widely available on the Internet. This book was entitled Empress Menen, The Wife to His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Memorial for Empress Menen Asfaw’s Birthday. This remarkable record of Empress Menen’s life was written by Yared Gebre Michael and provides the chronological backbone for the present biography. Yared Gebre Michael was a clergyman at The Church of Menbere Leul Kidus Markus (Alter of Princes St. Mark’s) Church, located on the Guenete Leul Palace grounds, where Empress Menen went to pray every day. Yered Gebre Michael wrote in the preface to the 1952 (1960) book, “I had the opportunity to see with my own eyes Empress Menen’s kindness and human deeds from Miyaziya 28, 1933 to 1950 (May 6, 1941 to 1958). Therefore I am very lucky to write this chronicle.” To make a more complete story, I have added some description of historical events mentioned in the biography, and have included features of the geography and culture of Ethiopia to help the reader get a better sense of Empress Menen’s life. Some of the religious practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have been woven in, as the Empress was a devout Christian. Empress Menen has often been compared to the Queen of Sheba, another famous woman in Ethiopian history. Because the story of the Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Solomon of Israel is pivotal to the development of Ethiopia, it has been included. Similarly, since men and women of the Rastafari faith, or Rastafarians, highly revere Emperor Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen, a brief description of this important movement has been added. The Empress, like many Ethiopian women, had a great love for Mother Mary, or Mariam, the mother of Jesus Christ, so some aspects of her life story have been incorporated into this book. Two periods of time not well documented in the original biography have been expanded upon: the exile years of 1928 to 1934 (1936 to 1941) and the coup of 1953 (1960). I have also added certain details that I have been able to find in books written about Ethiopia or the Imperial Family. For ease of reading, all material added to the original Ge’ez volume has been put in italics. [My comments have been placed in brackets.]

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The last portion of the original volume was an account of Empress Menen’s funeral. Two sections, one listing the proposed funeral procession and another reporting on the actual funeral, have been combined into one section. The photographs are not of good quality, but give the reader a chance to view Empress Menen and her family. The Empress will be referred to as Menen Asfaw before her marriage, and as Woizero (Mrs.) Menen thereafter. Concerning her title, the Empress will be referred to as Princess Menen following her coronation in (1909) 1917, Queen Menen after her husband, the Crown Prince Ras Tafari, is crowned King in 1920 (1928), and Empress Menen after her coronation on Tikimt 23, 1923 (November 2, 1930) at which time Emperor Haile Sellassie I was crowned King of Kings. Her husband will be referred to as Tafari Mekonnen before the age of 13, at which time he was given the title of Dejazmach Tafari, or “Commander of the Gate”, a military title which equates to the office of a European Count. Tafari became the Governor of Harar at the age of 18. At 24, he was crowned a Prince and given the title of Ras, which equates to a Duke. At that time he was made Regent and declared to be the heir to the throne of Ethiopia. At age 37, Crown Prince Ras Tafari was crowned Negus, or King. In 1923 (1930), at the age of 39, Tafari assumed his baptismal name Haile Sellassie (Power of the Trinity) when he was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia, or King of Kings. His full title at that time was His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God. In this biography of Empress Menen, I have chosen to spell her husband’s name Sellassie with two of the letter ‘l’. This follows the spelling adopted in his autobiography My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress, rather than the British spelling with one letter ‘l’. Concerning the spelling of Ethiopian names, I have found some variations in the way they are written; although I have made every effort to keep those mentioned consistent, the reader may notice some differences in the spelling of names.

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My Journey with Empress Menen Taking a roughly translated manuscript and then researching the material to create a true and comprehensive picture of the long and remarkable life of Empress Menen has been an absorbing and enlightening process. Empress Menen had a farsighted view, and was exemplary in seemingly every aspect of her life. In Ethiopia she established the Empress Menen School for Girls, funded the construction and upgrading of many churches, assumed the administrative responsibility of Ethiopia while her husband, Haile Sellassie, was on the battlefield, established childcare centers and handicraft schools, and pursued successful business ventures while always attending to the needs of her family. Outside of Ethiopia, Empress Menen built a church and monastery on the banks of the Jordan River. During her lifetime the Empress also experienced a great deal of sorrow and hardship. She endured the loss of seven of her ten children, spent five years in exile during the Italian occupation of her Ethiopian homeland, and coped with the everyday struggle of on-going health problems. This entire project has felt like a gift from God, and so it is offered to the world with that in mind. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to highlight such an extraordinary woman, Empress Menen. May her good works be remembered and treasured.

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Original Preface

Y I

n serving God, the sacred deeds of Empress Menen exceeded those of most empresses. The efforts of the Empress were exemplary in terms of religious purpose, noble endeavors, sympathetic attitudes, respect for the law, and reverence for God. Empress Menen did the work that the disciples taught Christians to undertake, by fighting the spiritual war. [This refers to Empress Menen’s dedicated prayers for Ethiopian liberation during the Italian occupation when she lived in exile.] Empress Menen served her people with the wisdom and the wealth that God had given her by helping the poor and resolving many problems of the Ethiopian people, thus strengthening the Kingdom of God. God heard and responded to her prayers and Empress Menen fulfilled every vow she made to God in accordance with the biblical words of David, “I will go into thy house with burnt offerings. I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was troubled” (Psalms 66:13–14). Empress Menen lives on in spirit and in the hearts of the Ethiopian people, whom she loved and who loved her. What the Empress did in the service of God while on Earth is so great that it is believed that God would repay her with eternal life in heaven. This compels us to declare that she is always with us, as written in David’s Psalms, “their righteousness unto their children’s children” (Psalms 103:17). The prominence and religious enthusiasm of Empress Menen is witnessed in the lyrics of St. Yared (the Ethiopian saint of music), “O woman, your faith is great.” When the eternal deeds of a good person such as Empress Menen are further developed and supported, it is as

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if her life defeats her death. Until the day of the resurrection of the body, the soul’s glory and honor cannot be estimated or measured by worldly intellect. It is great consolation that the earthly deeds of Empress Menen herald the glorious news of her heavenly angelic reception. When referring to the reception that all holy people receive, St. Yared penned, “The angels received her chanting hallelujah, hallelujah, and welcomed her to heavenly Jerusalem.” May this attempt to describe some of the many good works in the seventy-one years of life of beloved Empress Menen serve as a memorial to her, and thus be inherited by future generations.

List of Photographs

Y 1 Empress Menen Asfaw Megabit 25, 1983–Yakatit 8, 1954 (April 3, 1891–February 15, 1962). 2 The house in the background, where Menen Asfaw was born. 3 Tekle Haimanot Church in Egua, Ambassel near the birthplace of Menen Asfaw. 4 Delba Giorgis Church where Menen was baptized. 5 Menen with her children Tenagne Work, Zenebework and Asfa Wossen in 1910 EC (1918 GC). 6 Menen as a princess. 7 Menen, Tafari and Asfa Wossen attending an official reception of foreign guests. 8 Coronation photograph of Emperor Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen. 9 Empress Menen wearing her crown. 10 Empress Menen in royal attire. 11 Coronation photograph of Empress Menen. 12 The prestigious Empress Menen School for Girls. 13 The Empress observing students doing laboratory experiments at The Empress Menen School. 14 St. Hana Church of Furi that Empress Menen had built in 1925 EC (1932 GC).

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15 Princess Tsehay, Princess Tenagne Work, Empress Menen, Princess Zenebework, daughter-in-law Princess Wolete Israel and perhaps, Princess Romanework. 16 Empress Menen, photographed before 1928 EC (1936 GC). 17 Empress Menen preparing bandages for the army during the Fascist invasion. 18 Empress Menen with her daughter Princess Tsehay appealing to the World Women’s Association regarding the Italian Invasion. 19 Empress Menen with her daughter Princess Tenagne Work, while in exile in London, during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia. 20 Empress Menen at Fairfield House while in exile in Bath, England. 21 The Emperor and Empress interviewed by journalists while in exile. 22 Empress Menen while in exile in London. 23 Empress Menen with her children and grandchildren while in exile in England. 24 Empress Menen visiting soldiers wounded at the Battle of Keren. 25 Gethsemane St. Mary’s Church established by Empress Menen in Sebeta. 26 Empress Menen celebrating the New Year in traditional Ethiopian attire. 27 Empress Menen viewing handcrafted products. 28 Empress Menen viewing metal handcrafts. 39 Empress Menen viewing knitted handcrafts. 30 Empress Menen visiting an art school. 31 The Emperor and Empress celebrated their 25th Silver Coronation Jubilee at St. George’s Church in Addis Ababa. 32 Empress Menen presenting a book to a young woman. 33 The Emperor and the Empress officially opening The Empress Menen School in Arsi Negelle in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. 34 Empress Menen visiting administrative districts.

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35 Empress Menen with children and staff of the Childcare Center in Kechene. 36 Empress Menen chatting with young children. 37 Empress Menen visiting St. Paul’s Grammar School in Kolfe. 38 The Emperor and Empress inaugurating an airplane named Nasire Haile Sellassie. 39 St. Ragual Church established by Empress Menen in Addis Ketema. 40 Empress Menen arriving in the Holy Land in 1950 EC (1958 GC). 41 The Empress leaving the burial place of St. Mary at Gethsemane, Jerusalem. 42 Empress Menen being welcomed by the monks at Deir Al-Sultan Medhane Alem Church in Jerusalem 43 Trinity Church in Jordan, which Empress Menen had built. 44 Empress Menen at Christ’s tomb, accompanied by the Armenian Archbishop and Bishops. 45 Empress Menen and daughter, Princess Tenagne Work, receiving guests at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. 46 The Emperor and the Empress celebrating their 50th Marriage Jubilee. 47 Empress Menen receiving His Holiness Abuna Basilios, the first Ethiopian Patriarch. 48 The Empress and Emperor inquiring about the care of patients. 49 The Emperor and Empress leaving Miskaye Hizunan Church. 50 The Emperor and Empress watching their children at a sports event. 51 The Emperor and Empress surrounded by a few of their grandchildren. 52 Empress Menen’s funeral procession moving towards Holy Trinity Cathedral.

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53 The street in front of Holy Trinity Cathedral full of grieving people. 54 Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold laying a wreath. 55 The Villa in Addis Ababa, where Empress Menen passed away. 56 The Emperor and Crown Prince Asfa Wossen at Empress Menen’s funeral. 57 Empress Menen’s duplicate gold crown. She presented her original crown to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ was born. 58 The Royal Insignia of Solomon. 59 The Cordon Medal of Sheba. 60 The Ethiopian Medallion for presentation to empresses and princesses. 61 The Cordon Medal of Solomon. 62 Empress Menen Asfaw.

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Errata

Y Page 19

Should Read: Tikimt 17, 1916 (October 25, 1916)

Tikimt 17, 1908 (October 25, 1916)

53–54 Meskerem 6, 1925 (September 16, 1933)

Meskerem 6, 1926 (September 16, 1933)

72

Nehase 19, 1928 (August 25, 1935)

Nehase 19, 1927 (August 25, 1935)

97

Tirr 5, 1937 (Jan 15, 1944)

Tirr 5, 1937 (Jan 15, 1945)

98

Yakatit 15, 1937 (February 22, 1944)

Yakatit 15, 1937 (February 22, 1945)

109

Tirr 9, 1990 (January 17, 1997)

Tirr 9, 1989 (January 17, 1997)

114

Nehase 1948 (August of 1955) 1951 (1955)

Nehase 1947 (August of 1955) 1947 (1955)

168

Tirr 9, 1990 (January 17, 1997)

Tirr 9, 1989 (January 17, 1997)

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Tikimt 5, 1916 (October 15, 1924)

Tikimt 5, 1916 (October 15, 1923)

Part One

The Early Years

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Chapter 1

Childhood

Y A

s noted in the preface, all dates in this book have been represented first with the Ethiopian calendar date, followed in parentheses by the more common Gregorian calendar date. All material added to the original volume has been put in italics. Menen Asfaw was born on Megabit 25, 1883 (April 3, 1891) in Egua, Ambassel, in the Wollo district of Ethiopia. Her father was Jantirar Asfaw Ali, who was the head of the family that held the mountain fortress of Ambassel, a remote area northeast of the capital city of Addis Ababa. Her mother was Woizero Sehin Mikael, the daughter of King Mikael of Wollo. Empress Menen descended from the noble Ethiopian families of Wollo, Gondar, Gojam, Shoa, Lasta and Yedju, and a more complete genealogy can be found at the end of this book. At the time of Menen’s birth, it was common in Ethiopian tradition that a woman went to her mother for the birth of her child. Typically, other women from the area would gather together to support the mother during the delivery, and Mariam, the mother of Jesus Christ, was called upon through chanting to watch over the birth. Butter and some water were usually given to a newborn before breast-feeding to clear the throat. Normally, the mother was taken care of during the first forty days after birth, giving her the opportunity to bond with her child without the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning or other domestic duties.

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The eleven-week-old infant girl was baptized in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Delba Giorgis on Sene 15, 1883 (June 21, 1891). This was eighty days after her birth, the traditional day for girls to be baptized in Ethiopia. Menen was given the baptismal name of Wolete Giorgis, a name that would have been known by the Ethiopian Orthodox priest who officiated at her baptism, and by close family members. At baptism, a child received a “mateb”, or neck cord blessed by the priest, which was traditionally made of three intertwined silken threads of red, yellow and green. This cord was used later to hold a cross to signify that the child was a Christian. Ethiopian children are given a personal name and Menen was a name often given to empresses and great women in Ethiopian tradition. According to a scholar by the name of Abba Giorgis, Menen Zerbiha translates from Ge’ez (the ancient language of Ethiopia) to mean ‘gold of very high value’. Menen Asfaw lived on an amba, a flat hilltop surrounded by cliffs formed by millions of years of erosion during the heavy summer rainfall runoff from the northern highlands. She had a younger brother named Haile Mariam Asfaw. As a child, she might have played with him a traditional Ethiopian count and capture game known as “gebeta”, in which seeds were moved from cup to cup on a wooden board. Menen had symbols of Christian significance tattooed onto her hands during her childhood. Many Ethiopian girls have crosses and other symbols tattooed on their forehead, jaw line, neck, back or hands. After a luxurious childhood, Menen Asfaw was educated in her parents’ home by tutors, as was the tradition among noble families. She began learning to read at the age of five and her teachers of the Amharic language were a scholar by the name of Maidu and a monk named Abba Workineh. She was brought up naturally and with discipline, and when not attending school, Menen Asfaw was taught the ancient art of spinning cotton thread and all aspects of household management, including the care and protection of a family. (As noted in the preface, the author’s comments have been placed in brackets.) [Menen’s mother Woizero Sehin, the daughter of King Mikael of Wollo, brought up her children with respect for Ethiopian tradition and to understand that a position of nobility meant not only a life of privilege,

ch il d ho o d

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but also responsibility for the wellbeing of others.] Menen’s capacity in this regard proved to be an important aspect of her adult life. From a young age everyone could see that Menen Asfaw was beautiful and that she had a sympathetic heart. According to the Ethiopia Mirror magazine published Megabit 1954 (March 1962), “Her superb intelligence coupled with her extraordinary interest in religious affairs was soon noted. She was not against modern civilization but she was particular in adhering to the customs and traditions of the country” (page 28).

Menen’s World: Attending Church Raised in a devout Ethiopian Orthodox Christian home, Menen would have typically awakened early to go to church on a holy day, or on a Saturday or Sunday morning. She would have worn a white cotton dress (kemis) topped with a rectangular white cotton shawl (shamma), perhaps with a colorful silken border, and left before breakfast, as everyone fasted before the church service that began before dawn. As Menen removed her shoes before entering the round Tekle Haimanot Church in Egua, she would have noticed the sweet aroma of frankincense. After going through the southern doorway reserved for females, she would have stood in the women’s section of the outer ring of the church, or Qene Mahelet. The youngster sang hymns and praised God while men, standing in a screened off section of the outer ambulatory, played drums and rattles (sistrum). To receive communion, Menen might have gone with her mother into the second round chamber, or Keddist, to the area reserved for women. Seated on a grass floor mat, the youngster might have studied the scenes painted on the outside wall of the church’s square inner sanctuary, where only priests and deacons in long robes were allowed to enter. This inner sanctuary known as the Maqdes, or the Holy of Holies (Qeddusa Queddusan), was the location of the replica of the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the tablets (tabot) on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed. On some days, Menen and her mother may have sat on benches in the church courtyard, as this was where the faithful gathered who

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did not consider themselves pure enough to enter the church. Often there were as many people sitting in the churchyard as were inside the church. Woizero Sehin would have greeted another woman who she knew by bowing and then kissing her three times on the cheek. Before walking home after church, the priest may have approached young Menen and held forth a metal cross so she might kiss it as he whispered a blessing over her.

Menen’s World: The Importance of Mother Mary Inside the church, Menen would have seen images depicting scenes from Mother Mary’s life, including an illustration of “The Flight to Egypt” showing Mariam, as she is known in Ethiopia, riding a donkey, holding baby Jesus as she journeyed with Joseph to Egypt. Shortly after Christ was born, his parents fled with him in order to avoid King Herod’s soldiers who were commanded to slay all the children in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1–16). As a youngster, Menen might have marveled when she heard the oft-recounted story that Mariam had taken refuge during her journey with baby Jesus in the Lake Tana region of Ethiopia.

Chapter 2

The Early Marriages of Menen Asfaw

Y M

enen Asfaw was first given in marriage in 1892 (1900) to prominent Wollo nobleman Dejazmach Ali of Cherecha, when she was nine years of age. At this time, she became known as Woizero (Mrs.) Menen Asfaw. Menen’s first two children, daughter Belaynesh Ali and son Jantirar Asfaw Ali, were from her first marriage that ended in divorce. Her next two children, son Jantirar Gebre Egziabeher Amede and daughter Woizero Desta Amede, were with her second husband Dejazmach Amede Ali Aba-Deyas, another prominent Wollo nobleman. After the sudden death of her second husband, Menen’s grandfather King Mikael arranged her marriage to Shoan nobleman Ras Leulseged Atnafseged. This marriage ended amicably to allow Woizero Menen to marry Dejazmach Tafari Mekonnen, the Duke of Harar, and the future Emperor. The circumstances of Menen’s marriages are found in the unpublished memoir of Ras Imru (Tafari’s cousin and childhood companion), and are confirmed in the Amharic biography of Tafari, entitled “Tafari Mekonnen, the Long Journey to Power” (Rejimu ye Siltan Guzo), by Zewde Retta.

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Menen’s World: Early Arranged Marriage Early arranged marriages were customary in Ethiopian tradition, and girls born into nobility were often given in marriage in order to form family alliances. The first three marriages of Woizero (Mrs.) Menen Asfaw were of a common form in Ethiopia, a binding civil contract entered into by the parents of the prospective bride and bridegroom. The civil ceremony was followed by several days of lavish feasting and then the bride returned again to her own home for a limited period of time or until she reached the age of puberty. Upon consummation of the marriage, the young couple joined the household of her husband’s parents. Divorce was a common occurrence in Ethiopia when Menen was an adolescent. Major Pearson, a British officer who lived in Ethiopia for two years to survey for a prospective dam of the Blue Nile River, wrote in his book entitled, “Letters From Abyssinia, 1916 and 1917”, that he had a conversation with Woizero Menen (who was at that time married to Crown Prince Ras Tafari) on his way to view the feeding of the black-maned royal lions. Major Pearson reported that Menen had said that she had had her first child when she was eleven years old. Early marriage was an important women’s issue that Menen endeavored to change when she became an empress. Foreseeing that education would be beneficial in helping to change the traditional marriage practices, the Empress made the education of girls a priority, and she established the first school for girls in Addis Ababa. Empress Menen recognized that once a girl married and had children she often stopped going to school, and that this could negatively impact her decision-making capacity and contribute to poverty. Although changes have been made, early marriage is still widespread in Ethiopia. It is often important for a family’s good standing especially in rural communities that a girl marry, and many are promised at birth or when they reach their early teens. These girls often never meet their prospective husband before marriage. Although the current legal age for marriage in Ethiopia is 18, according to a 2004 study, the average age of marriage at that time was 14. As more young women and their parents, particularly in rural communities, become aware of the law, they are able to resist early marriage.

Chapter 3

The Upbringing of Tafari Mekonnen

Y T

afari Mekonnen, who later became Emperor Haile Sellassie I, was born in Ejersa Goro near Harar on Hamle 16, 1884 (July 23, 1892). He was the last of ten children by his mother Woizero Yeshimabet and the only one to live to an adult age. Tafari’s mother died before he reached the age of two. Ras Mekonnen, Tafari’s father, traveled twice to Europe in service to Emperor Menelik II, the Ethiopian ruler who put the country on the path of modernization. Understanding the value of learning a foreign language, Ras Mekonnen hired a French tutor for his son and his nephew, Imru, Tafari’s cousin. According to Paul Henze in his book entitled, “Layers of Time”, Tafari also attended an Orthodox school where he learned religious traditions and to read and write the Ge’ez language. Ras Mekonnen had high aspirations for his son and promoted him at age thirteen to Dejazmach (Dej.), a military title literally meaning ‘Commander of the Gate’. Sadly, in 1898 (1906), when Dejazmach Tafari was fourteen, his father passed away. After his father’s funeral, Tafari was sent to Addis Ababa for the traditional fortieth day memorial, which was held in his father’s honor by Emperor Menelik II.

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The newly sited capital city of Addis Ababa, the name of which translates as ‘new flower’, was little more than a collection of tents and round thatched huts erected on hilltops centered round a mineral hot springs. The aging Emperor was adamant that Dej. Tafari stay at the palace, and that he attend the Menelik II School, the first institution of its kind founded for the sons of noblemen. Menelik’s palace, or Gibi, was a training camp for promising young men. While there, Tafari would have had training in the martial arts, especially Ethiopian-style wrestling, hunting, shooting and horsemanship. Emperor Menelik II enjoyed watching the sport called “gugs”, a type of jousting on horseback, where opposing horsemen, riding at full gallop, threw spears at one another while defending themselves with shields. The young men also played a sort of hockey called “genna” every year at Christmas. Edward Ullendorf noted in his book “The Two Zions” that Tafari’s bearing as a teenager had made quite an impact on foreign diplomats visiting Ethiopia. Emperor Menelik II gave Tafari two successive appointments as titular governor of the Shoa region. When Tafari was sixteen, his half-brother and only surviving sibling Yelma, who held the governorship of Harar, passed away. Dejazmach Tafari become Governor of Harar on Yakatit 25, 1902 (March 3, 1910) and according to Ullendorf, the new governor “reformed land and tax administration, and introduced, carefully and deliberately, many new ideas which were progressive in their effect, yet not so novel as to be disruptive to the traditional fabric of life of Ethiopian society” (“The Two Zions”, page 228). Noblemen in Ethiopia were often known by a horse name or ‘warrior’ name, and Tafari’s was Teqil. Tafari was first married to Woizero Altayech, by whom he had a daughter, Princess Romanework Haile Selassie.

Chapter 4

The Marriage of Tafari Mekonnen and Menen Asfaw

Y I

n 1903 (1911), at the age of 20, Woizero Menen left the Wollo region to reside in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Her journey would have taken several days or even weeks, either on horseback or by donkey. At that time, Addis Ababa had a population of over 70,000 residents. City life may have taken some adjustment as the streets were jammed with flocks of sheep and goats, women carrying loads of firewood, priests in black robes and white turbans, and men going about their business. Menen’s marriage to the future emperor was arranged in Sene (June) by her uncle, Lij Iyasu, after she met the newly installed Governor of Harar, Dejazmach Tafari Mekonnen. Upon this meeting at his home, Lij Iyasu observed that the two young people were quite smitten with one another. Iyasu was the son of King Mikael of Wollo, Woizero Menen’s grandfather, making Iyasu her uncle. The couple married when Dejazmach Tafari was nineteen and Woizero Menen was twenty. Dej. Tafari sent his loyal servant Grazmach Lij Beshah, as well as his cousin Dej. Imru (later Ras) and several others to Addis Ababa to escort Woizero Menen to Harar, along with the materials the bride needed for the wedding. In Sene 1903 (June

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of 1911) these individuals met the bride, and the journey from Addis Ababa to Harar began. As there was no modern means of transportation, they traveled by horse, mule and on foot. It was not fitting for a lady to mount or dismount in full view, so two shawls (shamma) would have been held up when Menen got on or off her steed. The bride and her companions were honorably welcomed along the way as they traveled from Addis Ababa to Harar. [Perhaps Menen was accompanied by her parents and other family members, or a handmaiden from her home in Ambassel.] It was near the town of Awash, about the halfway point of the journey, that the party was received by the army of Harar. The journey from one place to another took time because it was quite typical to stop and camp for a few days to receive delegations and exchange courtesies at the larger towns along the way. The marriage of Dej. Tafari Mekonnen (later Haile Sellassie I) and Menen Asfaw (later Empress) took place on Hamle 20, 1903 (July 27, 1911). It was on this day, after traveling forty-five days that the party reached Hammaressa on the outskirts of Harar. Tafari, accompanied by noble families and residents of Harar, warmly received his demure bride. Theirs was a traditional marriage that took place in church. Unlike her previous civil marriages, this was Menen’s only marriage recognized by the Orthodox Church. A traditional Ethiopian wedding follows an ancient sequence with many spoken prayers. The bride and groom are each robed in a “cloak of unity,” receive their wedding bands, are anointed with holy oils, and have crowns placed upon their heads before the matrimonial oath is administered and they receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. In Emperor Haile Sellassie’s autobiography, “My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress Vol. I,” the marriage date is recorded as Hamle 23, 1903 (July 29, 1911). It is interesting to note that Ethiopian women traditionally retain their father’s name after marriage, instead of taking that of their husband. When Woizero Menen Asfaw married Dej. Tafari, she had four children from two previous marriages and he had one child. It was customary in Ethiopian tradition that when a couple divorced, children under the age of five stayed with their mother, and the others became the responsibility of their father. [Although Tafari’s daughter is later

the m a rr iag e o f ta fa r i a n d m e n e n

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mentioned, I have found no further record or photographs of Menen’s children from her previous marriages. It is likely that their father and his family raised these children.] It is emphasized in many holy books that marriage is a key to good fortune. It is believed that when a wedding takes place in harmony with God’s will, it is blessed with material and spiritual wealth, and many children. As their union was not merely an arrangement, but also the will of God, Tafari and Menen had a marriage full of love, peace and happiness that lasted over fifty years. When life’s challenges intruded into their marriage, Woizero Menen Asfaw turned to God for guidance. The marriage of Tafari and Menen has been compared to the oft-mentioned marriage of Abraham and Sarah. The biblical story, however, was temporarily stained because Sarah was barren and gave her handmaiden Hagar to her husband Abraham, and she bore him a son named Ishmael (Genesis 16:2–11). The marriage of Tafari and Menen had no such stain.

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Chapter 5

Early Years of Marriage

Y I

n 1903 (1911), the newlyweds lived in Harar, an ancient city built on the eastern side of the Rift Valley at an elevation of over 1500 meters (5000 feet), perfect for the cultivation of coffee. The old city was encircled by a medieval stonewall with five original gates and two newer ones that provided entry to camel caravans from the surrounding countryside. As a trading hub, Harar exported coffee, sorghum, the intoxicating chat plant (Catha edulis), ghee, cattle, mules, camels, skins, hides, ivory and tree gums. The warm days and cool nights of Harar would have seemed pleasant to Woizero Menen Asfaw. Menen’s home, the ornate Governor’s Palace, had a lovely view of the distant mountains. The house was located on a hill overlooking dwellings made of stone and mud with flat rooftops often covered with drying coffee. Women, wearing colorful silk tunics and pants, draped in matching gold-trimmed shawls, would pass by conversing in the Adarinya language unique to this area. Although most residents of Harar were Muslim and went to mosque, Menen would have attended the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Christian Church of Medhane Alem (Savior of the World). Dejazmach Tafari wrote this about his wife in his autobiography, “Her character is such that, apart from goodness, there is no evil or malice in her. Ever since we were married we lived together, by virtue of her being fertile, in one family sharing joy as well as sadness” (page 42).

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On a balmy evening, Dej. Tafari might have walked with his new bride down a narrow cobblestone lane stopping for a hot cup of “hasher ka’ah”, a local infusion of boiled coffee skins. The couple might have strolled through a stone gate to stand beneath a giant fig tree, where they could watch a man feeding many of the hyenas that lived outside the city wall. The people of Harar had an extraordinary relationship with the hyenas from the surrounding countryside, which were known to enter the city to scavenge for meat scraps near the tanneries and butcheries. On Tirr 22, 1905 (January 30, 1913) their first daughter Tenagne Work Haile Sellassie was born. The baby was baptized in the Kombolcha Mariam Church and given the Christian name of Fikirte Mariam. She was also given her grandfather’s mother’s name, Tenagne Work (pronounced Te-non-ye, meaning golden). [Since the infant was baptized in Kombolcha, in the Wollo region, it is likely that Empress Menen went to stay with her family for the birth and baptism before returning to her home in Harar.] When their daughter Tenagne Work was almost a year old, far away in Addis Ababa, Emperor Menelik II passed away during the night of Tahsas 21, 1906 (December 12, 1913). Menelik had no acknowledged sons, and his eighteen-year-old grandson, Lij Iyasu, Menen’s uncle, who was known to lack respect for the nobility, was put on the throne. In 1907 (1915), there was a sad time in the lives of Dejazmach Tafari and Woizero Menen when Menen’s younger brother Ras Haile Mariam Asfaw passed away. Menen mourned at her home in Harar and then set out for Addis Ababa on Genbot 30 (June 7th) to join her mother Woizero Sehin in mourning. After traveling with his wife part of the way on her journey, Dej. Tafari and some companions camped on the banks of Alameya Lake. The following day they boarded a rather old boat to go to the other side of the lake. On their return, the boat began to take on water and although passengers used their hats to bail, it became clear that the boat was sinking. Tafari began to swim and with the help of a servant, barely escaped drowning. Six noblemen and Tafari’s childhood tutor, Abba Samuel, perished, and this was surely a great loss to him. Menen, frightened by this incident, cancelled her journey to be with her mother and returned home to Harar to be with her husband.

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In 1908 (1916), Dej. Tafari was summoned from Harar to Addis Ababa by Menen’s uncle, Lij Iyasu, the young ruler of Ethiopia at that time. When Tafari arrived at the palace, he was told that Lij Iyasu had gone to Mount Entoto to pray at St. Mary’s Church and to visit Emperor Menelik’s widow, Empress Taitu, at the old palace. When Lij Iyasu came to visit her, Empress Taitu had a meal laid out in the ornate “mesob” (a covered basket table used to serve food) belonging to her late husband Emperor Menelik. Lij Iyasu had been advised that the food might be poisoned, and so declined the meal. This was surely taken as an insult by Empress Taitu. Soon after Iyasu departed, Dej. Tafari arrived to pay his respects to the Empress and she offered him the untouched food. At first Tafari excused himself, saying he was not worthy to dine from the same “mesob” as that of Menelik the Great, but after reassurance from Taitu that indeed he was worthy, Tafari complied. While he dined, the two may have discussed the intrigue at Iyasu’s court. When Dejazmach Tafari returned to Addis Ababa, he discovered that Lij Iyasu had gone to Harar on Hamle 19, 1908 (July 26, 1916) to seize the governorship. Dej. Tafari was heavily guarded and not allowed to return to his family in Harar. He remained two months in Addis Ababa. According to a letter written on Nehase 20, 1908 (August 26, 1916), it was Lij Iyasu’s intention to transfer Tafari to the gold and coffee-producing region of Kafa, Jimma and Gura-Farda. This royal intrigue saddened the residents of Addis Ababa and triggered suspicions that there might be a conspiracy against Tafari. In Harar, when Woizero Menen heard that Lij Iyasu had taken control of the area, her heart was filled with sadness. The matter was made worse when Lij Iyasu asked his niece, Woizero Menen, to choose allegiance to either himself or Dej. Tafari. When Menen chose her husband, who was still under guard in Addis Ababa, Lij Iyasu consequently ordered Menen to vacate the Governor’s Palace in Harar. Eight months pregnant, she begged to stay until the baby was delivered, and Iyasu reluctantly agreed to let her stay. Menen’s son, MeridAzmach Asfa Wossen (which translated means ‘Expand the Frontier’), was born on Hamle 8, 1908 (July 15, 1916) and christened Amha Sellassie at Adere Tiko Trinity Church in Harar forty days later.

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On Pagume 1, 1909 (September 6, 1916), Woizero Menen, along with her newborn son, two-year-old daughter Tenagne, and Dej. Imru (Tafari’s cousin), were given mules to make their way down from the highlands and return to Addis Ababa. After passing through mountains covered with acacia trees, and land terraced for the cultivation of coffee and other crops, the travelers spent the night in the town of Kersa. On the following day, they rode through a broad plateau planted in maize and sorghum to stay in the town of Dire Dawa. Here they boarded the train to Awash where they stayed overnight, before continuing on by train to the town of Akaki, 23 kilometers (15 miles) from the capital, on Meskerem 1, 1909 (September 11, 1916), New Year’s Day in Ethiopia. The next day Woizero Menen, along with her two small children and Dej. Imru, joined her husband in Addis Ababa. [This must have been a joyous reunion, and the first time Dej. Tafari saw his newborn son Asfa Wossen. Tafari would have welcomed his cousin and childhood companion, Dej. Imru, a man he could trust.] Two weeks later Lij Iyasu was dethroned by popular vote of the Ethiopian noblemen and Orthodox Christian clergy on Meskerem 17, 1909 (September 27, 1916), the holy day of Meskel, or Finding of the True Cross. Lij Iyasu was excommunicated from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church on the grounds that he had converted to Islam. The noblemen of the Shoa region, in which the capital Addis Ababa was located, were followers of Lij Iyasu, and gave the throne to Emperor Menelik’s daughter, Empress Zewditu. At that time Tafari was elevated to a Ras, a title that translates literally as ‘head’, and made the Crown Prince and legitimate heir to the throne. This gladdened Woizero Menen, who received the title of Princess. As a result of the change in government, there was a conflict between Menen’s grandfather, King Mikael of Wollo and his son Lij Iyasu (Menen’s uncle) on one side and those in power on the other. When King Mikael heard that his son had been dethroned, he marched his army from Tigray towards Addis Ababa to challenge Ras Tafari. Preferring a peaceful resolution, Tafari sent monks bearing crosses from the Debre Libanos and Zekala monasteries to meet his adversary. Instead of turning back, King Mikael had the clerics arrested, and continued on to a location known as Tora Mesk, where his army was

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victorious in battle against the Imperial forces. Then on Tikimt 17, 1916 (October 27, 1916) at a site northeast of Addis Ababa known as Segele, King Mikael’s army was caught by surprise and encircled by the Imperial Army, and the king himself was captured. After the skirmish of Segele, some nobles, believing it would be impossible to live with Princess Menen after the war with her grandfather King Mikael, suggested that she and Ras Tafari divorce. When Tafari declined the opposition and their marriage was saved, this was surely seen as a test of Menen’s strength and honesty. Her resolve to stay with her husband, coupled with her fervent Christianity, were to prove instrumental to Menen’s later receiving the highest rank of Empress.

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Chapter 6

The Legendary Story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

Y I

t is recorded in historical and sacred books, such as the Bible, the Talmud, the Quran, and the Ethiopian “Kebra Negast” (Glory of the Kings), that in the time of the biblical Old Testament, the Queen of Sheba of Ethiopia went to Jerusalem to observe King Solomon’s wise rule (971–931 BC). As a result of this historic visit, the worship of God was introduced to Ethiopia, as before that time the people of the Axumite Empire, which extended into present-day Egypt, worshipped the god of the sun. This ancient story forms the basis of the Solomonic Dynasty in Ethiopia, of which Emperor Haile Sellassie I was the 226th descendant. To set the scene, one must start with the biblical story of Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt in ancient times. In the Sinai desert Moses received from God the law inscribed on tablets of stone (tabot) and built a box (the tabernacle) to transport the tablets, known as the Ark of the Covenant, across the desert to the Promised Land (Exodus 24:12–30:33). King David, a descendant of Moses, fought many battles to protect and preserve the tabernacle, and his son, Solomon, inherited the resources to build a temple in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant (I Kings 6–9).

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The following narrative has been derived from the 1995 Miguel F. Brooks translation of the Ethiopian classic entitled, “Kebra Negast”. This story begins when an Ethiopian merchant, Tamrin, returns with his caravan from Jerusalem to Axum, the capital of the Ethiopian realm at that time, to inform the Queen of Sheba about King Solomon’s wisdom. Solomon was known throughout Israel to be a great king; one who reconciled complainants, talked with animals, and perhaps used extraordinary means to construct the temple and palaces in his extensive royal compound. In order to learn from Solomon’s vast experience, the Queen of Sheba, or Makeda, as she was also known, embarked on the long journey overland to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem. Hearing of her imminent arrival, the King of Israel, who was known to have many wives and concubines, must have been intrigued to meet the exquisite Queen of the South. On her arrival, Makeda presented to Solomon many precious gifts, including gold and spices, and he gave her a room in his palace near to him. King Solomon was at that time building the temple to house the Ark of the Covenant and was busy with the workmen. During the six months that she spent in Jerusalem, Makeda often went to court to witness Solomon’s wisdom, and he would visit her room to answer her questions about his rulings. During this time in Jerusalem, the Queen of Sheba gained first-hand experience of the way in which the Israelites worshiped God. Before the lovely Queen of Sheba returned home to Ethiopia, King Solomon invited her to observe a banquet at his palace. She was served a lavish, heavily spiced meal, and Solomon invited her to stay and rest if she wished. Concerned for her innocence in the presence of such a powerful man, Makeda made a pact with Solomon. She promised to take nothing from his kingdom that night, and he agreed to not take her by force, and they retired then to separate beds. During the night she woke with an intense thirst, and picked up a bowl of water left out by Solomon, as he reminded his charming visitor of her promise. Sheba released Solomon from his oath, and he allowed her to drink water and then joined her in bed. The Queen of Sheba soon after departed to her homeland. It must have been somewhat of a tiring journey once she discovered that she was pregnant with Solomon’s child. She reached her homeland to

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deliver her son, Bayna-lehkem, or Menelik I, and this child became the source of the Solomonic Dynasty in Ethiopia. When Menelik came of age, he naturally wanted to meet his father, and traveled to Jerusalem with a large delegation. King Solomon accepted his son, made him a king, and encouraged him to remain with him in Jerusalem. Menelik preferred to return to the land of his birth, and accordingly, Solomon sent the firstborn sons of each of his ministers and military officers to depart with him. It is written in the “Kebra Negast” that an angel of the Lord commanded Azariah, the son of the High Priest Zadok, to take the Ark of the Covenant with them to Ethiopia. Up to this day it is accepted by the Ethiopian people that the true Ark of the Covenant remains in the heavily-guarded Church of Our Lady of Zion in Axum, Ethiopia. Every Ethiopian Orthodox Christian church has a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.

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Chapter 7

Years as Crown Princess 1909–1923 EC (1917–1930 GC)

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fter the passing of Emperor Menelik II and the dethronement of Lij Iyasu, Empress Zewditu succeeded her father to the throne. Her coronation was held at St. George’s Church on Yakatit 4, 1909 (February 11, 1917). At this ceremony, 24-year-old Ras Tafari, who was seen as a courteous and competent diplomat by leading noblemen, formally became the Crown Prince and heir to the throne. In accordance with this, his wife became Princess Menen and received a gold crown. [At this time the royal couple lived in a home near Emperor Menelik II’s Palace and Menen may have attended services at the Mekane Sellassie (The Place of the Trinity) Church on the Imperial Palace grounds.] As acting Regent, Crown Prince Ras Tafari reported his actions to Empress Zewditu, a woman with a strict traditional outlook, and took over all decision-making concerning the future of Ethiopia, including administrative appointments, matters of court and foreign affairs. Ras Tafari also established an Imperial Bodyguard trained in modern warfare. In 1909 (1917), the railway from the French-controlled port of Djibouti reached Addis Ababa and became the principle route to the outside world for passengers and cargo. [Princess Menen would probably have attended the festive inauguration of the train station in the capital with Crown Prince Ras Tafari.]

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When her daughter Tenagne Work was age four and her son Asfa Wossen had had his first birthday, Princess Menen gave birth to their third child, Zenebework, on Hamle 18, 1909 (July 25, 1917). This newborn was given the Christian name of Hirute. In 1910 (1918), a deadly influenza epidemic took the lives of over 10,000 residents of Addis Ababa. Ras Tafari was stricken with the illness, but recovered to lead his country. It was during this time that another notable incident in the history of the Imperial Family took place. Empress Taitu, the widow of Emperor Menelik II, passed away on Yakatit 25, 1910 (February 11, 1918). Considered one of the many empresses and queens to have risen in Ethiopia’s ruling class, she did great things. It is well known that Empress Taitu’s courage contributed to the victory in the war of Adwa, fought between the Ethiopians and the invading Italians in 1888 (1896). At the main battle of Adwa, Empress Taitu maintained tactical command of her large army, although it was held mostly in reserve, and also provided logistical support through her massive contingent of women in camp. She is known for her memorable call to the troops, “Courage! Victory is ours. Strike!” One of Empress Taitu’s last requests before she passed away was that Princess Menen finish construction of the Kidane Meheret (Covenant of Mercy) Church located east of Addis Ababa at a place known as Entoto Tigat. As a result, Menen withdrew a large sum from the treasury and allocated it to the completion of this church. It was as if Empress Taitu had foreseen what was to come, because a well-known poem penned at that time stated, “You, Princess Menen, I don’t know you, nor do you know me; but you look like an Empress to me.” In the summer of 1911 (1919), the first Ethiopian diplomatic delegation made headlines in the Unites States. The diplomats who visited America during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson included the Commander of the Imperial Army, Dej. Nadew, along with the Mayor of Addis Ababa, Blatengueta Herouy, and the Mayor of Gondar, Kentiba Gebru. The delegation achieved the primary goal of their trip, which was to renew the lapsed 1896 (1904) Treaty of Amity (Friendship) between the United States and Ethiopia. The delegation visited Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Yellowstone

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National Park at a time when African Americans were by law secondclass citizens. When her children Tenagne Work, Asfa Wossen and Zenebework were aged six, three and two, Princess Menen gave birth to another daughter, Tsehay (Sunshine) on Tikimt 2, 1912 (October 12, 1919). This child was given the Christian name of Wolete Birhan. [What would Princess Menen’s life have been like as the consort of the Crown Prince and the mother of four young children? It is well documented that Princess Menen took particular care in the daily needs of her family, although she had servants to make her life more easeful. Unlike many young mothers who carried water long distances, the Menelik Palace compound had water piped down from the Entoto Mountains. A small kitchen staff would have prepared breakfast (kurs), lunch (mesa) and dinner (erat), and it is likely that Menen cooked on occasion. While a typical lunch eaten in an outlying village might have consisted of a simple lentil stew with bread made from barley, a meal served to the Crown Prince would have been more elaborate. The lentils, cooked with butter, onions, garlic and red pepper, would have been prepared as a sauce for a cutlet of meat and eaten with ‘injera’, or sourdough bread made from the highly nutritious endemic grain, ‘tef’. There would have been other courses and side dishes with various flavor profiles served as well.] [Regarding the education of their children, Menen, along with Tafari, would have overseen an Orthodox Church cleric who visited their home to teach the intricate Amharic alphabet by rote recitation. The older children may have also had lessons in French, which was the ‘lingua franca’ of the world at that time. As the nation had opened to foreigners, and because Empress Zewditu remained largely shrouded from the outside world, she relied upon her regent Ras Tafari and his broad-minded spouse to host foreign ambassadors, advisors, missionaries and other visitors to Abyssinia (the name by which Ethiopia was internationally known at that time).] To further literacy in his homeland, Ras Tafari purchased five printing presses with his own money in 1914 (1922). Together, Their Majesties edited a weekly paper named Berhamenna Salam (Peace and Light), as well as a monthly paper called Kasata Berham (Revealer of

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the Light). Books were printed in Amharic and Ge’ez for distribution to the clergy and soldiers. Also that year, Ras Tafari established a Public Works Department, and roads were built in the cities of Addis Ababa and Gore. In order to qualify for membership in the League of Nations, Regent Ras Tafari proclaimed the end of slavery and established a school for former slaves in Addis Ababa. In 1915 (1923) Princess Menen completed the construction of Kidane Meheret (Covenant of Mercy) Church in Entoto Tigat, as requested by Empress Taitu. On its official inauguration, when the church was given the name Hamere Noah Church, Princess Menen donated a large sum of money and plots of land to support the monastery there.

Princess Menen’s First Tour to the Holy Land It was a tradition among the rulers and nobility of Ethiopia to visit and pay homage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem. The opportunity to visit the Holy Land was given to few individuals. The historical and religious sites visited often included the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, Zion where the Holy Ghost descended upon Jesus, Golgotha (Calvary) where Jesus was crucified, and Debre-Zeit (Mount of Olives) where Jesus ascended. Princess Menen went to the Holy Land for the first time in 1915 (1923) at age 32, by taking the train to Djibouti and boarding a ship to the newly established British Mandate for Palestine and then traveling by train to Jerusalem. After the First World War and the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Jerusalem and the surrounding area was under British rule. The area west of the Jordan River was considered to be Palestine and the sparsely populated area east of the Jordan River was referred to as the Transjordan. At that time Jerusalem had a ‘village feel’, with small stone houses in the city center, and newer residential areas built outside the city walls. There were some fine buildings such as the Citadel, known as the Tower of David, the Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Cross, the green-domed towers of Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Russian Compound, the Augusta Victoria Hospital, the Jewish Agency, and the impressive and luxurious King David Hotel, where

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Princess Menen and her companions could have stayed, located across the street from the YMCA with its high spire, indoor swimming pool and concert halls. Princess Menen toured Egypt before returning to Ethiopia. [Certainly she would have seen the magnificent ancient Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and visited the Greek Orthodox Church in the port city of Alexandria, which was the origin of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.]

Crown Prince Ras Tafari Tours Europe Six months before Ras Tafari left to tour Europe, on Tikimt 5, 1916 (October 15, 1923), Princess Menen delivered their fifth child and second son, Prince Mekonnen Mesfin Hararand, who was named after his grandfather Ras Mekonnen and given the baptismal name of Araya Yohannes. At that time her other children were Tenagne Work aged 10, Asfa Wossen aged 7, Zenebework aged 6, and Tsehay, who was 4 years old. Crown Prince Ras Tafari became the highest-ranking member of the Imperial Family to travel abroad, and it was a momentous occasion when Princess Menen bid him farewell as he departed by train on his tour to Europe on Miyaziya 8, 1916 (April 16, 1924). Several noblemen accompanied Crown Prince Ras Tafari to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem and then went on to Cairo where King Fuad hosted them. Ras Tafari visited Rome and met the new Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini, King Vittorio Emanuele, and Pope Pius XI of the Catholic Church. The Abyssinian noblemen were respected for their impeccable aristocratic manners as they toured Paris, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Britain in an official capacity. The delegation privately visited Sweden and Germany. Up until that time many Europeans were unaware that Ethiopia was the only ancient independent state in all of Africa. The European press applauded Ras Tafari’s desire to bring progress and education to his people. One of the main goals of this trip was to secure a port on the Red Sea from either Italy or France, but neither of these colonial powers had been willing to cede Ethiopia access to the sea.

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As Ras Tafari’s trip was a long one, Princess Menen had the Ark of the Covenant (a replica of the original) brought from St. Mark’s Church so she could pray in her home for her husband’s safe return. [At this time, perhaps Menen took her children with an escort of the Imperial Bodyguard to the market situated not far from her home outside of St. George’s Church.] The homecoming of the Crown Prince and Regent of Ethiopia, and the delegation of noblemen, was surely one of great fanfare on Nahese 29, 1916 (September 4, 1924). Shortly after Ras Tafari returned from Europe, he and his wife arranged the marriage of their twelve-year-old daughter Tenagne Work to Ras Desta Damtew, the son of nobleman Fitawari Damtew Ketana. A lavish and congenial wedding, for which Princess Menen and Crown Prince Ras Tafari gave thanks to God, took place on Hidar 7, 1917 (November 16, 1924) at the Imperial Palace. [As mother of the bride, Princess Menen would have made ‘tej’ (honey mead) for the occasion. On the day, she may have helped her young daughter put on a traditional white cotton dress (kemis) and matching shawl (shamma) with an ornate silken border, or perhaps it was a western style bridal gown brought from Europe by her father. The bountiful banquet, likely held after the ceremony at the Great Hall at the Menelik Palace, would have catered to the local and international tastes of the guests.]

Crown Prince Ras Tafari as Regent In 1917 (1925) Ras Tafari, acting as Regent of Ethiopia, initiated several reforms to advance and modernize his homeland. As education was of primary interest, he founded the French-medium Tafari Mekonnen School in Addis Ababa on Miyaziya 19, 1917 (April 27, 1925). At the opening of this school on Miyaziya 24 (May 2), Ras Tafari acknowledged in his speech that the school was a beginning step in meeting the educational needs of the country, and he appealed to the wealthy among the Ethiopian people to build schools in their regions. An American scientist, James Baum, visited Ethiopia in 1917 (1925) to lead an expedition through the country to collect specimens for Chicago’s Field Museum. In his subsequent book, “Unknown Ethiopia”, Baum described the typical scene at Ras Tafari’s reception

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hall: “thousands of men idled in the courtyard and numbers of saddle mules with red or yellow covers added color to the scene. Chiefs, confidential advisers and important messengers from outlying provinces called upon the Ras. The political life of the country centered around the gibis (palaces) of the joint rulers, Empress Zewditu representing the old reactionary, anti-foreign crowd and Ras Tafari Mekonnen was the champion of the younger generation” (page 21). James Baum also described a diplomatic dinner he attended at the home of the Crown Prince Ras Tafari and Princess Menen. On arriving at an outer stonewall of the compound, Baum’s party was met by a squad of soldiers standing at attention with rifles at the salute. A bugle was blown as the party passed down a eucalyptus tree-lined road. Soldiers were also stationed at an inner gate and at the main entrance to the house. Inside, the spacious drawing room was tastefully decorated with French furniture and draperies. Hanging on opposite walls were paintings of Emperor Menelik II and a Napoleonic battle scene. Crown Prince Ras Tafari and his wife Princess Menen stood to shake hands and cordially welcome each guest including members of the Ethiopian cabinet, Americans from a mission hospital and a Swedish surgeon. Before dinner was served, Ethiopian translators circulated through the room to make conversation effortless. Baum observed that this occasion was comparable to any formal dinner party given in Paris, New York or London, and that the dinner service was made of gold mined in Ethiopia and the china bore the crest of Ethiopia, a marching lion holding a flag. After their expedition, Baum and his party returned for an informal visit with the Crown Prince, and were astounded when a lion cub was brought into the drawing room to cavort with Ras Tafari’s small brown dog. During their discussion of the expedition, Ras Tafari was pleased to find out that the rare mountain nyala (antelope) and Walia ibex (wild goat) were indigenous to Ethiopia. In Addis Ababa at that time, three hundred automobiles circulated the city streets and modern square stone houses with tin roofs were being built by the aristocracy as a result of the booming trade in hides and coffee. Many nobles facilitated commercial agriculture, especially the cultivation and processing of coffee, which is native to Ethiopia,

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thus deriving considerable profit from the sale of business permits and from taxes on coffee sales. Princess Menen, an astute business woman, received income from coffee grown on her own land and it is perhaps from this income that she was able to do so many of the good works in her nation. On Megabit 30, 1919 (April 8, 1927), Princess Menen and her husband were certainly delighted when they received word from their fourteen-year-old daughter Princess Tenagne Work and son-in-law Ras Desta Damtew of their first grandchild, a girl named Aida Desta, born in the Wollo town of Dessie, well north of Addis Ababa. On Ginbot 28, 1919 (June 5, 1927), Princess Menen, in an effort to strengthen her commitment to assist those affected by the abolishment of slavery in Ethiopia, made a donation to establish a school for freed slaves and under-privileged children. Modern medical facilities were scarce in Ethiopia, and the Bet Sayda Hospital in Addis Ababa was established at this time. Sadly, on Tikimt 3, 1920 (October 13, 1927), Princess Menen’s mother Woizero Sehin passed away in Addis Ababa at the age of 56. Menen attended her funeral held at Debra Selam Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Church. Before her passing, Woizero Sehin established one of the first Ethiopian provincial schools for girls located in the town of Dessie. To carry on the tradition of past members of the Imperial Family to establish an Ethiopian presence in the Holy Land, Princess Menen acquired land in Jerusalem situated on Dvora Hanevia Street on Tirr 17, 1920 (January 25, 1928). This was done through the mediation of the Ethiopian Consulate in Jerusalem under the direction of a man named Ato (Mr.) Paulos. The property was legally registered under the names of Crown Prince Ras Tafari Mekonnen and Princess Menen Asfaw. On Sene 30, 1920 (July 7, 1928), Princess Menen went to see the crafts made by students attending the Tafari Mekonnen School and made a monetary donation. On Nehase 15, 1920 (August 21, 1928), Princess Menen’s second grandchild and her first grandson, Amha Desta, was born to her daughter Princess Tenagne Work and husband Ras Desta Damtew.

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In the autumn of 1920 (1928), after a series of plots and counter plots, an attempt was made by conservative elements in the cabinet to arrest Crown Prince Ras Tafari at the Imperial Palace. According to TIME magazine, when Menen heard that her husband had been detained, she commandeered a tank to break through the palace gates and Ras Tafari’s guards were able to liberate him. Unprecedented demonstrations were held on the palace grounds in support of Ras Tafari and in order to appease the angry progressives, Empress Zewditu agreed to promote Ras Tafari to the title of king. On Meskerem 27, 1921 (October 7, 1928), Ras Tafari was crowned Negus, or King, and accordingly Menen became Etege or Queen. The title of Etege literally translates as “The King’s Consort.” For this occasion, Menen prepared an eight-day coronation feast that was pleasing to all guests in attendance. In regards to food preparation, Menen was renowned for the extensive luncheons she served at the palace to her children as well as the nobility, the army, the clergy, society women and commoners. This was mainly attributed to the abundant supply of national drinks, such as tej (honey mead) and tella (traditional beer). Menen demonstrated outstanding skill throughout her life in preparing the national dishes of injera (pancake-like bread made from tef, a fine grain similar to millet), and wat (spicy stew) made with “berbere”, a peppery blend of spices. It was customary in Orthodox Christian practice that Wednesdays and Fridays were fasting days when no animal products were eaten and the faithful concentrated on spiritual activities, such as attending church and visiting those who were ill. On these days vegetarian dishes were prepared. In 1920 (1928) Negus Tafari instigated several initiatives to allow his country to continue along the path of modernization that Emperor Menelik II had begun. At this time Tafari used his personal funds to establish the Bank of Ethiopia, commissioned the writing of a national anthem and, understanding the benefit of air travel, purchased airplanes. At that time Empress Zewditu laid a cornerstone to begin construction of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, and it is likely that Etege Menen attended this ceremony.

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Etege Menen went by train to the French-controlled port of Djibouti for treatment of a health problem, and remained there from Hidar 18 to Tahsas 9, 1921 (November 27 to December 18, 1928). Menen was diabetic, and may have consulted with a doctor for insulin treatment of this disease. The insulin treatment of diabetes was developed by surgeon Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best in 1913 (1921). On Yakatit 5, 1921 (February 12, 1929) Menen relocated the remains of her grandfather King Mikael from Holeta Genet Kidane Mehret (Covenant of Mercy) Church to the newly built St. Michael’s Church in the town of Tenta, in northern Ethiopia, which had been King Mikael’s headquarters. A momentous occasion occurred in Ethiopia in 1921 (1929), when King (Negus) Tafari and Queen (Etege) Menen, along with several priests and members of the nobility, received the first five Ethiopianborn bishops designated by the Egyptian Orthodox Church in Alexandria. They also received Egyptian Orthodox Patriarch, Abuna Yohannes, who visited to conduct a mass attended by Their Majesties.

Menen’s World: The Coffee Ceremony Ethiopia is thought to be the original source of the coffee plant, and the coffee (bunna) ceremony has been integral part of the culture and tradition since ancient times. After a delicious meal, it is customary that a woman conducts the coffee ceremony. In preparation, she gathers fresh grass to cover the floor, and places some incense on a burning coal. She then sits on a stool to roast green coffee beans in a flat pan over a low charcoal stove until they are dark and oily. The roasted beans are then shaken so everyone can enjoy the delectable aroma before they are pounded in a mortar and pestle. The coffee grounds are slowly stirred into hot water in a black clay coffee pot with a round bottom, slender spout and a lid made of straw. The freshly brewed coffee is strained and the first cup is served in a small china cup to the eldest person present. Everyone is served and it is typical to drink three cups of coffee with sugar while snacking on popcorn.

Part Two

Becoming an Empress

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Chapter 8

Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls Opens

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n Meskerem 24, 1923 (October 4, 1930) Menen opened the door to the civilized world by introducing Ethiopian women to European education. The first school of its kind, the Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls provided Ethiopian girls with equal access to a modern education, which had previously only been available to boys in Ethiopia. Now in addition to learning household skills, young women were given an education that allowed them the opportunity to stand side by side with their male counterparts as active life partners. Some of the young women educated at this school went on to further their education abroad and become administrators, company directors and members of parliament. To raise the standard of handicrafts in the country, Menen later expanded the school to include training in useful trades such as rug making, spinning and dying of wool and cotton, weaving, silverwork, woodwork and basket making. The Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls was located in an extensive park near the Imperial Palace. The classrooms were first rate, with built-in blackboards, good desks, and a platform with a table for the teacher. Classes were taught in French and subjects included the sciences and mathematics, as well as household management, dressmaking, and physical training. Girls from all over the Empire

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were brought to the Empress Menen School to receive a modern education. The Empress often visited the school to encourage the students and preside over the graduation ceremonies. When the girls’ school was established, there was strong opposition to women’s education in Ethiopia. Richard Pankhurst included in an article entitled “Educational Development in the 1930’s” a quote from Dr. Merab, a Georgian from Eastern Europe and the personal physician of Emperor Menelik II, who observed that “very few, even among rich families, were willing to employ a priest or lay cleric to educate their daughters. This was due to popular opinion that an educated woman would not look after the house, while prejudice held that the husband of a literate wife would not live long as his spouse would resort to curses and other wicked practices to kill him.” [It is widely recognized that many people throughout Africa, and in Ethiopia, believe in the primitive practice of witchcraft, or superstitious beliefs in curses, omen and certain medicines that can influence the outcome of events.]

Chapter 9

The Coronation of Empress Menen Tikimt 23, 1923 EC (November 2, 1930 GC)

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fter being gravely ill with typhoid fever and complications of diabetes, the reigning monarch Empress Zewditu passed away on Megabit 24, 1922 (April 2, 1930) in Addis Ababa. On the following day, her heir, King (Negus) Tafari Mekonnen, ascended to the throne and was given the title Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God. While initial planning for a grand coronation ceremony was taking place, Menen’s third grandchild named (Ruth) Hiruta Mariam was born on Miyaziya 12, 1922 (April 20, 1930) to her daughter Princess Tenagne Work and husband Ras Desta Damtew. The preparations for the coronation ceremony of Emperor Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen Asfaw were quite elaborate. According to the National Geographic Magazine of June 1931, several streets in the capital were asphalted for the occasion, electric lights were installed, and eucalyptus fences were constructed to hide round “tukul” huts. Arches were erected along the route that the Emperor and Empress were to take, and flags and bunting were strung up for the celebration. The police and Imperial Bodyguard were transformed with new khaki uniforms. A triangular coronation monument was erected to commemorate

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Emperor Haile Sellassie I, whose name translated means Power of the Trinity. The upcoming grand coronation would have provided an opportunity for many relatives of both Menen and Tafari to journey to Addis Ababa. This would have been a busy time for the imminent Empress, as she ensured that her visitors were comfortably accommodated. There were several photographs of the immediate and extended family taken at this time by Armenian court photographers, Haigaz and Tony Boyadjians. To provide seating for 700 guests, a large auditorium was constructed on the western side of St. George’s Church. Inside, two thrones were placed one third of the way into the hall and some distance apart. His Majesty’s throne was decorated in red and gold, while Her Majesty’s was decorated in blue and gold. For seven days and nights prior to the coronation ceremony, forty-nine bishops and priests in groups of seven chanted the nine Psalms of David at seven stations around St. George’s Church. On Tikimt 22, 1923 (November 1, 1930), the day before his coronation, Emperor Haile Sellassie I, in a lengthy speech, paid tribute to the deceased Emperor Menelik II. In the circle in front of St. George’s Church, the visiting Duke of Gloucester of Britain unveiled a gilded statue of Emperor Menelik II riding a horse. On that same day, at midnight, the Emperor, Empress, family members and nobles attended a church service at St. George’s for devotional prayer. On the following morning, Tikimt 23, 1923 (November 2, 1930), at 7:00 AM the foreign guests arrived, many accompanied by Ethiopian nobility, and were seated in the church.

Coronation of Emperor Haile Sellassie I At 7:30 AM on Tikimt 23, 1923 (November 2, 1930), Their Majesties, dressed in white silken communion robes, emerged from the church behind the incense bearers. Once the Emperor was seated on his throne in the temporary auditorium, the silence was broken by His Holiness Abuna Kyrilos, who proclaimed, “Ye princes and ministers, ye nobles and chiefs of the army, ye soldiers and people of Ethiopia, and ye doctors and chiefs

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of the clergy, ye professors and priests, look ye upon our Emperor Haile Sellassie the First, descended from the dynasty of Menelik the First, who was born of Solomon and of the Queen of Sheba, a dynasty perpetuated without interruption from that time to King Sehale Sellassie and to our times.” The Emperor then gave his sacred vow to uphold the Orthodox religion, to uphold and administer the laws of the land for the betterment of the Ethiopian people, to maintain the integrity of Ethiopia, and to found schools for developing the spiritual and material welfare of his subjects. In a ceremony lasting five hours, Emperor Haile Sellassie I was covered in gold-embroidered scarlet vestments, and was then presented with a gold sword studded with precious stones and an imperial scepter made of gold and ivory. In addition, a golden globe of the world, a diamond-encrusted ring, and two traditional lances filigreed in gold were bestowed upon His Majesty. With each of these presentations, an anointment of sacred oil was made to the imperial head, brow, and shoulders. The magnificent crown, made of gold and encrusted with diamonds and emeralds, was then placed upon his head and Abuna Kyrilos proclaimed, “That God may make this crown a crown of sanctity and glory. That by the grace and the blessing, which we have given you, may you have an unshaken faith and a pure heart, in order that you may inherit the crown eternal. So be it.” The new Emperor’s fourteen-year-old son Asfa Wossen then bowed down before his father, pledging his support, as he became the Crown Prince. The Emperor’s second son, six-year-old Prince Mekonnen then paid his respects to his father. The national anthem was played while 101 cannons roared and thousands of loyal subjects surrounding the church cheered in admiration.

Coronation of Empress Menen After the ceremony for the Emperor, the Empress entered with her attendants to take her throne. [Perhaps her attendants were her daughters, seventeen-year-old Tenagne Work and thirteen-year-old Zenebework.]

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The following reading from the Psalms of David (Psalms 45:9–11) was made as a prayer. “Kings’ daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.” The Empress was presented with a ring encrusted with diamonds, and then the red and gold coronation robes were placed upon her. The new Emperor received the Empress’s crown from the Archbishop and spoke the following words about his Empress, “As I, with the will of God, have received this crown from your Holiness, I request the Empress to receive this crown and partake in the honor with me. Therefore, I request your Holiness to put the crown on Empress Menen.” Abuna Kyrilos took the crown from the Emperor and placed it on the Empress’s head as he made a prayer that the crown be one of knowledge and wisdom, sympathy and goodness. In accordance with this prayer, Empress Menen used her crown to serve the people and to help the poor. After receiving her crown, the Empress went to bow before the Emperor and returned to sit on her throne. Again the anthem was played, the cannons roared and the multitude of women outside the church ululated in appreciation for Empress Menen. The newly crowned Emperor and Empress then took a grand tour around the inside of St. George’s Church, escorted by bishops and priests, their children, high dignitaries, assistants and others all carrying palm branches and chanting, “Blessed be the King of Israel.” After this, Their Majesties removed their crowns and royal vestments to attend mass inside St. George’s Church in their traditional white silken clothing. Later they donned their regal robes and crowns once more in order to present themselves to the waiting multitude outside before entering a coach drawn by six bay horses, which conveyed them to the Imperial Palace for a state dinner.

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On that day, silver medallions bearing the likeness of the new Emperor and Empress were presented to their honorary guests. In attendance were the Duke of Gloucester as envoy of the King of England, the Prince of Udine representing Italy, Marshal Franchet d’Esperey of France, and emissaries from Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Turkey and the United States. European nobles and ministers present on the occasion expressed their appreciation for the loveliness of Empress Menen. [It is interesting to note that the thirty-nine-year-old Empress was more than five months pregnant with her last son when the lengthy coronation events took place.] Two days after the coronation, Their Majesties, attired in their coronation robes but without their crowns, traveled by motor coach to visit the major Orthodox Churches in Addis Ababa. The procession was lead by warrior chiefs on horseback, wearing lion mane headgear and capes of monkey fur, and brandishing gilded rhinoceros hide shields. After them, came the mounted red-robed war drummers beating out a march, followed by older soldiers and khaki-clad regular forces. Cavalry troopers escorted the royal coach, followed by a mile long line of cars carrying important dignitaries, and other troops came along behind. Soldiers dressed in white shamma (shawls), who had been stationed along the route, came last. Other activities to commemorate the coronation included several receptions, a horse racing meet and a military review.

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2 The house in the background, where Menen Asfaw was born.

4 Delba Giorgis Church where Menen was baptized.

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Menen as a princess.

3 Tekle Haimanot Church in Egua, Ambassel near the birthplace of Menen Asfaw.

5 Menen with her children Tenagne Work, Zenebework and Asfa Wossen in 1910 (1918).

7 Menen, Tafari and Asfa Wossen attending an official reception of foreign guests.

8 Coronation photograph of Emperor Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen.

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Empress Menen in royal attire.

12 The prestigious Empress Menen School for Girls.

9 Empress Menen wearing her crown.

11 Coronation photograph of Empress Menen.

13 The Empress observing students doing laboratory experiments at The Empress Menen School.

14 St. Hana Church of Furi that Empress Menen had built in 1925 EC (1932 GC).

16 Empress Menen, photographed before 1928 EC (1936 GC).

15 Princess Tsehay, Princess Tenagne Work, Empress Menen, Princess Zenebework, daughter-in-law Princess Wolete Israel and perhaps, Princess Romanework.

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Chapter 10

The Rastafari Movement (Rastafari is preferred to Rastafarian, although the latter is acceptable.)

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his brief section has been added to the original book because the coronation of Haile Sellassie I was recognized as a momentous event to many Jamaicans, and to the world at large. The fact that Empress Menen was crowned at the same time as her husband was significant to the establishment of equal treatment for all women, and to the women of the Rastafari movement, she is a strong role model. The origin of the Rastafari movement dates back to the 1920’s when a Jamaican man, Marcus Garvey (1887–1940), known for the ‘Back to Africa Movement’ in the United States, prophesied that a black king would be crowned in Africa. When his followers in Jamaica read reports that Ras Tafari was crowned His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I on Tikimt 23, 1923 (November 2, 1930), they became the first Rastas, or Rastafarians, to believe, first, that Ras Tafari was the Messiah, or Jah, and second, that Ethiopia was the birthplace of mankind and was therefore the Promised Land, or Zion. As biblical support for Garvey’s prophesy, Rastas (Rastafarians) cite Psalm 68:31, “A Prince shall come out of Egypt, and Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hand unto Jah.” Further Biblical evidence that points to Haile Sellassie I as the Rastafari savior is revealed in

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Revelation 5:5, 19:16, 22:16; Psalms 9, 18, 76, 87:4; Ezekiel 30; Epistle to Timothy; and Isaiah 9. Emperor Haile Sellassie I descended from the Solomonic Dynasty of the line of King David, which is the same lineage as Jesus Christ. The six-sided Star of David and the Lion of Judah are symbols revered by those of the Rastafari faith. Red, yellow, and green are the colors of the Ethiopian flag and have been adopted by the Rastafari. The red symbolizes the blood spilled by African people in their fight for freedom from oppression, the yellow represents the gold stolen from the African continent, and the green signifies the lost lands of Africa. Rastafari is a way of life with principles of self-reliance and selfempowerment, or ‘livity’. The Rastafari movement is dynamic in nature and most Rastas do not claim any sect or denomination, and encourage one another to find faith and inspiration within themselves. Many belong to one of the three most prominent “mansions of Rastafari” - the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti, and the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Rastas generally eat natural food, or ‘ital’, and prefer not to consume animal products, although some do eat fish. The Rastafari movement incorporates themes such as the spiritual use of cannabis (also known as marijuana, ganja or herb), which is used as a holy sacrament by Rastas in many ways. Legend says that the Holy Herb, symbolizing the burning bush, was found growing on King Solomon’s grave. Rastas smoke cannabis to meditate as well as for the curative properties of the plant. It is noted, however, that the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church does not recommend the use of cannabis. According to the book, “Chant Down Babylon,” by Nathaniel Samuel Murrell, the Rastafari movement became well known by the mid-1970s largely due to reggae music legend Bob Marley, who captured the essence of Rastafari in his lyrics. Today, awareness of the Rastafari movement has spread throughout much of the world, and by 1997 there were approximately one million Rastafari faithful worldwide. About ten percent of Jamaicans identify themselves as Rastafari.

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The coronation of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I in 1923 (1930) marked the fulfillment of Marcus Garvey’s prophetic statement of 1912 (1920), “Look to Africa, when a black king shall be crowned, for the day of deliverance is at hand”. It was a great day when the Emperor visited Jamaica on Miyaziya 13, 1958 (April 21, 1966), when Rastafari followers were able to see their lord and king in the flesh.

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Chapter 11

The Early Years of Empress Menen Asfaw

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nly three months after her coronation at the age of 39, Empress Menen’s last child, a son named Prince Sahle Sellassie, was born at the Imperial Palace on Yakatit 20, 1923 (February 27, 1931). The Prince was given the Christian name of his grandfather Sahile Sellassie Aba Dina and was baptized at Mekane Selassie (House of Trinity) Church in Addis Ababa. Soon after his son was born, Emperor Haile Sellassie I introduced the first written constitution to further advance the administration of Ethiopia on Hamle 9, 1923 (July 16, 1931). This document borrowed heavily from the Meiji Constitution of Japan, a nation also ruled by an Emperor of an ancient bloodline. Although power remained in the hands of the nobility with the Emperor in full control, a budget, a judiciary, and a bicameral legislature were introduced. At this time, the Emperor established ministries of education and public works, built roads, opened hospitals, acquired more aircraft, and established a radio station. Primary and secondary schools were established throughout the country and the Haile Sellassie I University (known today as Addis Ababa University) was founded. According to the National Geographic Magazine in June 1931, during the first year after the coronation, the Emperor and his family

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enjoyed private screenings of silent films such as “Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ” and “The King of Kings”. These films were chosen for their religious significance. On Nehase 23, 1923 (August 29, 1931), Princess Tenagne Work gave birth to Menen’s fourth grandchild, SamlaWangal (Sybil) Desta, by husband Ras Desta Damtew. On the first anniversary of the coronation, Tikimt 23, 1924 (November 2, 1931) Empress Menen attended the opening of the new parliament with Emperor Haile Sellassie I. The parliament had two houses, an Imperial Senate, which was an upper house comprising high nobles and dignitaries, and a House of Deputies, which was a lower house comprising landowners, who were all appointed by the Emperor. It was recorded that Empress Menen appointed the following representative governors: Azazj Haile Sellassie Megeno (later Abba (reverend)), Azazj (later Dejazmach) Fikre-Mariam Nadew, Dejazmach Tesfu, Blatta Tirfe Shumidqe, Bejrond (later Fitawrari) Reta G/Amlak, and Fitawrari Negede Zegeye. Some of these officials later led the national army against the Italian invasion under the authority of the Emperor, and others worked to improve the lives of the Ethiopian people. The administrative procedures of the Empress were all in accordance with the nation’s laws and regulations and she used money from her earnings to benefit the majority of her citizens. From Yakatit 3–10, 1924 (February 10–17, 1932) Empress Menen went on tour to Djibouti. [She would have taken a train on the 800-kilometer (500-mile) long journey from Addis Ababa to Djibouti, which was a French controlled port where the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden meet. The Imperial Family had a special railway car for train travel and as per tradition, wherever she went the red royal umbrella was held over her.] On Miyaziya 30, 1924 (May 8, 1932), Empress Menen arranged the marriage of her fifteen-year-old son the Crown Prince Merid-Azmach Asfa Wossen to Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum, daughter of the then hereditary prince of Tigray, Ras Seyoum Mangasha. After their wedding, Prince Asfa Wossen and his wife took up residence in the spacious Palace of the Crown Prince set in lovely gardens, which had been built as a residence for Lij Iyasu when he was Crown Prince. Within two months, there was another royal wedding. On Hamle 7, 1924

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(July 15, 1932), Menen’s daughter Princess Zenebework was married to a prince of eastern Tigray Province, Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa, a great-grandson of Emperor Yohannes IV, who had ruled Ethiopia in the 1800s. Princess Zenebework was married in Addis Ababa ten days before her fifteenth birthday. On Hidar 11, 1925 (November 20, 1932) Empress Menen completed the building of St. Hana Church on her private estate in an area known as Furi, located in the southeastern outskirts of Addis Ababa. The Empress donated a vast parcel of land to the church and its priests. Shortly after experiencing the joy of the marriage of two of her children and the birth of her fifth grandchild, Sofia Desta on Tahsas 23, 1925 (January 1, 1933) to her daughter Princess Tenagne Work, came the shocking news of her newly married daughter’s death. Sadly, Princess Zenebework died suddenly at age fifteen on Megabit 15, 1925 (March 24, 1933). An unsubstantiated account reported that the distraught Emperor ordered his daughter’s body be immediately flown from Mekele to Addis Ababa, because it was suspected that her death might have had something to do with the Princess repeatedly complaining of ill treatment by her husband, Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa, and his family. Princess Zenebework was buried in the royal crypt at Holy Trinity Cathedral and to commemorate her passing, the Imperial Family distributed gifts of money to several churches and monasteries in the capital city. At this time His Majesty asked the clergy to preach that traditional practices such as the cutting of hair, beating of the chest and wearing of special clothing to mourn a death be eased. The estranged son-in-law, Dej. Haile Selassie Gugsa, later sided with the Italians when they invaded Ethiopia in 1928 (1936) and he was eventually declared a traitor to Ethiopia.

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Chapter 12

Second Holy Land Tour Inauguration of the Trinity Monastery on the Jordan River Meskerem 6, 1925 to Tikimt 22, 1926 EC (September 16 to November 1, 1933 GC) Adapted from a book entitled Be-idime Mesenbet, a part of the original manuscript.

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mong the queens and empresses in the time of the New Testament, there were many who donated large sums of money to support spiritual activities in the Holy Land. Empress Menen also excelled in this regard by donating 80,000 birr (Ethiopian currency) from her personal account to begin construction of a church and monastery in the Holy Land near the Jordan River. This was done as a gesture of gratitude in thanks to God for her coronation as empress. The funds were sent to Ato (Mr.) Paulos, a member of the Ethiopian Consulate in Jerusalem, who was given the responsibility of dealing with contractors to build the monastery. He kept the Empress informed of the building process, from the initial architectural plans to the completion of construction.

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At the age of 42, Empress Menen, through the guidance of God, visited the Holy Land for the second time to attend the official inauguration of the new church and monastery and to pay tribute at the blessing ceremony for the replica of the Ark of the Covenant to be installed there. She was accompanied by two of her children, nineyear-old Prince Mekonnen, the Duke of Harar, and fourteen-year-old Princess Tsehay, and their honorary companions. Shortly after the Ethiopian New Year, their journey to Jerusalem began by train from Addis Ababa on Meskerem 6, 1925 (September 16, 1933). From Djibouti the royal party proceeded by ship arriving in Port Sa’id on Meskerem 15 (September 25). The Empress was received by dignitaries sent by King Fuad of Egypt and Sudan. Abuna Kyrilos, who was the last Egyptian born Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, was also there to meet the Empress and accompanied her to a service at an ancient Egyptian Orthodox church. Here many people had gathered to welcome Empress Menen with flowers. Afterward, a telegram from King Fuad invited the Empress to lunch, and she was received at the Montazah Palace. At 7:00 PM the Empress went from Port Sa’id by a special train reserved by King Fuad, in which she traveled through Gaza and Belda to Jerusalem. Abuna Kyrilos accompanied Empress Menen to Jerusalem to officiate at the blessing of the newly-built church.

Empress Menen in Jerusalem The Governor of British-controlled Palestine, along with other dignitaries, waited for Empress Menen at the substation in Jerusalem. When the train arrived, the Governor went on board to greet the Ethiopian Imperial Family. It was reported that some fifty thousand people lined the streets that day to see Empress Menen, and masses of people were waving Ethiopian and British flags to hail the Empress as she walked across a red carpet toward a guesthouse in the Ethiopian Consulate. The Governor of Jerusalem conveyed the Empress and her two children to the city in an automobile decorated with Ethiopian flags. As they arrived at the Jaffa gate, the main entrance to the old city of Jerusalem, the Empress was received by Abba Gebre Giorgis, the

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Archbishop of Gebre Giorgis Monastery of Jerusalem, (later consecrated as His Holiness Abuna Basilios), who was accompanied by several monks holding crosses and olive branches. They proceeded to Golgotha (Calvary) where they paid tribute to the burial place of Jesus. Afterwards, the royal party returned to their guesthouse. Meskerem 16 (September 26) was the eve of the traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Christian celebration of Meskel, or The Founding of the True Cross. Empress Menen and her children went to Deir Al-Sultan (The King’s Monastery), where Archbishop Abba Gebre Giorgis, dressed in ecclesiastic robes, led the ceremony in honor of the day. A large number of people turned out to participate and to see the Empress and her children. Deir Al-Sultan was the original home of Ethiopian monastic life in the old city of Jerusalem. According to oral tradition, Deir Al-Sultan was founded by the Queen of Sheba when she visited King Solomon in Jerusalem (circa 980 BC). In the 4th century, legend has it that Queen Helen, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, excavated the cross of Christ and handed it over to Ethiopian Orthodox Christian monks. As a result, Ethiopians annually celebrate the holy day of The Founding of the True Cross by lighting bonfires. On the following day, Meskerem 17 (September 27), which was the holy day of Meskel, a Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church sent an Archbishop to inform the Empress that a place would be prepared for her at the Golgotha celebration of The Founding of the True Cross, if she wished to attend. The Empress accepted the invitation, and when she took her place, twelve Archbishops and thirteen representatives of the Patriarch, each wearing ecclesiastic robes, presented flowers to Her Majesty. On Meskerem 18 (September 28), Empress Menen visited Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ and his father, St. Joseph, were born, and then Gethsemane, where St. Mary, Christ’s mother, was buried. The Empress visited the church where Jesus Christ prayed on Holy Thursday at the mass of the Last Supper (John 13). While touring the surrounding area, Empress Menen was presented with an olive branch by a church leader and invited, along with her daughter and their companions, to enjoy an evening with the clerics. Other guests present that evening included the consuls of several countries, British and Ethiopian aristocrats, Abuna Kyrilos, and Abba Gebre Giorgis.

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On Meskerem 19 (September 29), Empress Menen went to Jordan to check on the final construction of the newly built church before the formal blessing on Meskerem 21 (October 1). The Archbishops, British nobles and consuls in Jerusalem received formal invitations to attend the opening of the church. The Ethiopian Patriarch Abuna Kyrilos and Abba Gebre Giorgis spent the night of Meskerem 20 (September 30) at the Jericho Monastery on the Jordan River along with many Ethiopian monks. They, along with the nuns who arrived early on the following morning, proceeded to the new church for the blessing ceremony. On Meskerem 21 (October 1), Empress Menen left Jerusalem at 5:00 AM to arrive in Jordan two hours later to attend morning prayers conducted by Abuna Kyrilos, Abba Gebre Giorgis and several Ethiopian priests and deacons. Special guests included the Patriarch of Armenia and an Armenian Archbishop, a Greek Archbishop representing the Patriarch of Greece, the Patriarch of Moscow, the Patriarch of Syria, a representative of the Patriarch of England, and other priests. For many of these clerics it was their first experience of an Ethiopian Orthodox church service, and it certainly created a strong impression on them. In the middle of the prayer ceremony, the invited nobles and officials, along with their wives, arrived to take their seats in the church. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church retains the ancient church services of the Early Christian Church. There is a reading of the Gospel, a sermon, and hymns, which are sung in various modes and rhythms by clerics, at which time the congregation may join in. The Deggua, or hymnal, is attributed to Saint Yared, a scholar who lived in Axum in the 6th century. The Orthodox Christian service is long and often begins before dawn, so Europeans and special guests were often invited to attend after the service had begun. Had there been an Ethiopian such as St. Yared (the saint of song) living at that time, he would have sung in Amharic, “The angels and humans intermingled today”. As a priest carried the Ark of the Covenant to be installed in the new church in a final procession, everyone did sing in Amharic, “I went round the monasteries of Jordan and saw the beauty of the buildings.” When the Ark of the Covenant was at the gate to the sacred chamber in the new church, the guests of honor took

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their seats. Using a translator, the Ethiopian Patriarch, Abuna Kyrilos, made the following speech: “In the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, on this holy day we speak about a Trinity Church built at the personal expense of Empress Menen. This has always been a holy place because our Lord Jesus Christ was here. When God the Son was baptized by John the Baptist, God the Father witnessed that he was his beloved son, and the Holy Spirit came to him in the symbol of a dove seen at this place. “The Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to witness King Solomon’s wisdom. Menen, however, built a house for the God of Solomon and came to see the glory of God. The worldly rulers and kings rely on the greatness of their empires and their soldiers. Their Majesties Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen, however, in accordance with St. Paul’s advice, rely only on God. “Empress Menen has built many churches in Ethiopia, and always goes to church on holy days. Not being entirely satisfied with the spiritual works done in her country, the Empress built this magnificent church in the Jordan desert. “The mother of imperial constancies, Empress Helen’s name will be hailed forever in Jerusalem because she discovered the True Cross of our Lord. Empress Menen’s name should also be hailed forever, as she has come all the way from Ethiopia to build this church. May God repay you in heaven for what you have done. Long live the throne of Emperor Haile Sellassie I. May God protect the heir, Prince Merid-Azmach Asfa Wossen and his princes and princesses, brothers and sisters.” Then Ato (Mr.) Paulos Menameno, the man responsible for receiving funds from the Empress, coordinating the design of the building, and engaging the contractor to build the church, made the following speech: “Your Highness Empress Menen, Your Excellencies the nobilities; Jerusalem is the country of God, a holy place, a

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e m pr es s m en en a s faw place of peace and reconciliation, and a place of heavenly and earthly blessings. A place described in the Old Testament by prophets as, “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). It is a site where prophecies have taken place in the Old Testament. A place where Christ sacrificed his body and shed His blood, and reconciled God and man. Upon His resurrection after completing His work, it is the place where He ordered His disciples saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). It is also the place where the disciples preached that the gates of heaven were reopened, when Christ the savior of the world died and was resurrected. It is the place where prophecies were realized, the gospel originated, and the unity of the trinity was revealed. “It is for that reason that any Christian who is able would like to come here. Those who cannot come here, however, make donations. All the works done in this town, the churches, the monasteries, the hospitals and schools, have been built by the gracious contributions of kings. “The special love that the people of Ethiopia have for this Holy Land can be substantiated by the fact that they have lived here since the time of King Solomon, and never stopped visiting this place. This is indicated in the holy books. The houses that Ethiopian emperors and noblemen have built in this town within the last fifty years are more than what other emperors have ever done. “I would like to remind you of the good fortune of Empress Menen. Those who came before, Empress Taitu and Queen Zewditu, were eager to see what was done with their personal expenses, but never managed to do so. None-the-less, they have done many unforgettable things. “Empress Menen, however, has managed, with God’s will, to come here twice in a decade. When you visited the first time, even foreigners were fascinated, and Ethiopians wished to call you the second Queen of Sheba. The story of the Queen of Sheba coming here has always been told because of her

s ec o nd ho ly la n d t o u r submission, not only to the worldly wisdom, but also to spiritual wisdom and the true worship of God. If it had been only for her physical desires, she would never have been appreciated by our Lord. “Empress Menen, who has come for spiritual matters, deserves appreciation, and will receive repayment in heaven. What is greater among your deeds is that you have built a church at the Jordan Monastery. This will be something greater than the strength of the Queen of Sheba for the next generations. It is better to say that you have built a church and done something unforgettable, than to say you have visited the Holy Land. “Almighty God has inspired you, the Empress, to do this work. When I came to Addis Ababa in 1921 (1929), you told me of your decision to build a church and monastery here. Then I received your instructions that you had sent money and the work should begin. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to undertake this work. I would also like to thank His Majesty, King of Kings, Emperor Haile Sellassie I without whose support I would not have been able to execute this work. “Your Highness, the Empress, you have done something unforgettable and lasting here that has been overlooked before this. This place where you have built this church is holy and revered land, where the secret of the Unity of the Holy Trinity was revealed. God the Son, by taking human body and flesh, was baptized in the hands of a man, and when the Holy Spirit descended upon him, God the Father witnessed that he was his beloved son. All of these events took place in this holy place. “Your Highness, the Empress, your outstanding good deeds please God. Helping the needy pleases God. The holy books also tell us that God receives sacrifices when helping the poor. [This refers to the ancient tradition of presenting an animal to the priests for sacrifice, and the meat being distributed to the clergy of the church and to the poor in that area.] The scripture orders us to help those who have no property, no livelihood, no shelter, the orphaned, and the widower.

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e m pr es s m en en a s faw In addition, Prophet Isaiah indicated that feeding the starved, clothing the naked, and providing shelter for the homeless was what pleased God. “What are referred to as the poor and the homeless are these monks and nuns. It is written that those who become homeless and starve for sake of being humble are blessed. St. Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews, also orders us to do good deeds by sharing what we have with the needy. The congregation of Philip helped Paul when the Romans imprisoned him, and in praise of their good deed he said, “With such sacrifices, God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16). In the gospel Jesus also said, “I was starved and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was naked and you provided me with clothing” (Mathew 24:35–36). These examples emphasize that good deeds done for those in need are considered to be done for the Lord. “This desert of Jordan has three problems. The first is the scorching sun, the second is the pests and mosquitoes; and the third is the problem of scorpions and snakes. You have built this monastery for the Ethiopian monks and nuns to serve as a shelter from the scorching sun during the summer, and from the freezing cold, rain, and wind during the winter season. In addition, you have built a church to satisfy spiritual needs which are more demanding than physical needs. May this deed both serve the needs of the monks and nuns and Empress Menen’s humble service. May this work be accepted by God, and may it be a holy sacrifice. Long live the Empress. May God bless the heirs. May God hear our prayers. Long live His Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I. Long live heir Prince Merid Azmach Asfa Wossen and your princes and princesses, sons and daughters.”

After the speeches, the Ark of the Covenant was taken into the holy chamber. Empress Menen and the guests of honor went to an eastern gate for photographs, and then proceeded to a guesthouse where everyone enjoyed festive food and drink, before departing at noon.

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Empress Menen remained until 1:00 PM to visit the newly-built twelve-room dormitory that housed the monks. Each room had a bed, a carpet, electric light and a bathroom. It was built with the problems of high temperatures and malaria taken into consideration. The kitchen and ablution block were built in accordance with the country’s tradition. Two days later, Meskerem 23 (October 3) was the holy day of St. Giorgis, the patron saint of Ethiopia, and the royal party went to the St. Giorgis Church in Lida for a prayer service. On Meskerem 26 (October 6) Empress Menen paid tribute at Debre Zeit (Mount of Olives) where Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and Tsirha Zion where the Holy Spirit descended upon his disciples. The Empress also went to Ain-Kerim to visit a Russian-built Monastery, on to Kebron where biblical persons Abraham, Sarah, and their grandson Jacob were buried, and then to the place where Abraham received the Holy Trinity. That evening Empress Menen visited an Egyptian Monastery in Jerusalem. The Patriarch of Ethiopia, Abuna Kyrilos, and Abba Gebre Giorgis, met the Empress at the gate while Egyptian priests and deacons, dressed in ecclesiastic robes, honored the Empress with hymns. After Empress Menen took her place in the hall, Abba Gebre Giorgis made the following speech: “Your Highness the Empress, our hearts are filled with happiness for you have come to our monastery as invited. The thought of the monastery you have built in Jordan impresses us very much. Our spiritual brother the Patriarch of Ethiopia, Abuna Kyrilos, has given similar comments earlier. Many people have witnessed the historical similarity between Your Highness and the Queen of Sheba so there is no need to repeat the same. The song of the priests and deacons while you were arriving reminds us of the reception of Jesus Christ when people held olive branches to honor him when he came to Jerusalem. The orthodox believers and lovers of Christ did the same as we waited for you. May you live a long life, and we pray for the long lives of His Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I, and you the Empress, and the heir, and all your children. May God be with you and we wish your safe return to your home country.”

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After the speech, an invitation to tea followed and then the Empress and her children, Prince Mekonnen and Princess Tsehay returned to their guesthouse.

From Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv When it was announced that the Empress was coming to Jerusalem, the mayor of Tel-Aviv requested that she visit his city. After a twentyminute journey from Jerusalem on Meskerem 28 (October 8), the royal party reached the town of Rama where the Prophet Samuel had lived, and then crossed through a lush green area known as Ramle to Yafah. On approaching the city, the Empress and her retinue were received by the mayor of Tel-Aviv and an Ethiopian, Dr. Faytilowitch, accompanied by two motorcycle guards. On arrival at the Platin Inn, many people waited to present flowers to Empress Menen. The mayor requested that the Empress tour the beautiful town and its main avenues before sunset. In addition, local major personalities requested that the Empress attend a dinner in her honor. After touring the city, they returned to the hotel at 6:00 PM. While the guests enjoyed champagne after dinner, the mayor made the following address in Hebrew: “Your Highness the Empress, I would like to welcome you on behalf of the residents of Tel-Aviv. The people of Israel wish to thank you for honoring our request and visiting this town. It reminds us of the visit of the founder of the Ethiopian ruling dynasty, the Queen of Sheba, to King Solomon. The visit of Queen Sheba will remain as a major historical event in an era when the people of Israel were respected. “After a millennia of Diaspora, today, we have returned to our homeland and have begun to rebuild its towns and cities. We welcome your coming from Ethiopia, a country that is in our hearts. We hope that your visit will be a sign of good fortune, as that of Queen Sheba’s was to the glory and prosperity of the land of Israel.

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“We do not have an Israeli King to receive you with honor; nonetheless the Israeli people receive you with honor and great hailing. Our reception to you is also in honor of your people and your country. Our people have great respect and praise for the government of Ethiopia and the 226th descendent of the line of Solomon, King of Kings, Emperor Haile Sellassie I. We wish that the good will and friendship that has existed between the people of Ethiopia and Israel since antiquity will continue and enhance the mutual benefits and peace between the new Israel and the new Ethiopia.” The mayor concluded his speech by presenting Empress Menen with a painting of a scene from the book of Solomon done by a Hebrew artist and a book about the history of Tel-Aviv. Dr. Faytilowitch then translated the mayor’s address from Hebrew to Amharic. Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Bilatengeta Herouy Wolde Sellassie then gave a speech in Amharic thanking the mayor and all the Israeli residents of Tel-Aviv on behalf of Empress Menen for the warm reception she had received. He concluded his address by toasting the health of the Empress and everyone present. Dr. Faytilowitch translated the speech from Amharic to Hebrew. After dinner, Empress Menen went to an opera. The beautiful voice of a German singer impressed everyone and as a result, Empress Menen presented her with a gold bracelet.

From Tel-Aviv to Beirut On Meskerem 29 (October 9) at 10:00 AM, Empress Menen began the journey by train from Tel-Aviv to Haifa along the Mediterranean Sea. She viewed the trench built by European crusaders, and passed through the town of Caesarian, built by the Romans when they ruled Palestine. At 1:00 PM the Empress arrived in Haifa where the Governor and Mayor welcomed her on behalf of the Governor of Jerusalem. After lunch at the Grand Hotel Nasir, the royal party went to Mount Carmel, the historical location where the Prophet Elijah tested

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the priests (I Kings 18). Climbing this hill had been difficult until the Catholics built a road to access their monastery. The Governor and Mayor followed the Empress to the magnificent Catholic Church built inside a cave. In the main chamber of the cave were paintings of Mother Mary and Jesus Christ, a mosaic painting on animal hide depicting Prophet Elijah reviving the son of a woman, and another mosaic of an eagle bringing meat to Elijah. The royal party proceeded onward and at 4:00 PM they reached the border checkpoint at Ras’el Nakura in the mountains between Palestine and Lebanon, where English officers asked for their passports. At the next checkpoint, French officers checked their passports and the official in charge approached and saluted Empress Menen, telling her that he had received an order from the Governor of Beirut to welcome her upon entry. At 5:00 PM the royal party arrived at the town of Tyre in Lebanon. This is where King Kiram had once cut wood from the mountain’s trees for the construction of King Solomon’s temple and palace. Tyre is also the place where Jesus Christ expelled the evil spirits from a young girl (Matthew 15:21–28). They passed Sidon on the left. In ancient times, both Tyre and Sidon were major towns, but in 1926 (1933) these towns were more like country villages. The Lebanon Mountains stretch from the northeast to the southeast some 150 kilometers (94 miles), with a width of 300 kilometers (188 miles). At the time of Menen’s journey the mountains were dotted with impressive villages and covered in conifer and olive trees. The royal party finally arrived in Beirut, the major port of Lebanon, where a representative of the governor welcomed Empress Menen. They went to the recently-built St. George Hotel, which had a beach for swimming and boating. On their second day in Beirut a French ship captain, Admiral Xabel, came to greet Empress Menen. Admiral Xabel, a temporary resident of Beirut responsible for surveillance of all Syrian ports, had met Emperor Haile Sellassie previously in Addis Ababa. With Empress Menen’s permission, he accompanied her to the Lebanon Mountains. As the road was paved, the journey to the crest of the mountains was not difficult. The drive was spectacular, with stunningly beautiful

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views of flowers, trees, streams, and magnificent houses built on both sides of the road. After touring the Lebanon Mountains, the royal party returned to their hotel in Beirut. On the following day, the governor’s representative invited Empress Menen, the nobility and the ship’s officers to the palace for a lunch in her honor. Toward the evening, Admiral Xabel similarly invited the nobility, the ship’s officers and high government officials to dine in honor of the Empress. Empress Menen concluded the long day with prayers at St. Georges Church in Beirut at 2:00 AM.

Biblical References to the Lebanon Mountains In the bible, Solomon sang of his beloved Lebanon describing her beauty in great detail. “The smell of garments is like the smell of Lebanon” (Song of Solomon 4:11) translates into Ge’ez as, “the smell of frankincense” and refers to the local tradition of climbing the mountain of Lebanon to enjoy the pleasant aroma of the flowers and trees. “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” (Song of Solomon 4:12). This locked paradise and the “sealed stream”, which referred to the locked water well, were measures intended to keep cattle away and to prohibit people from fetching water or from plundering the garden. According to local custom, the verse, “Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon” (Song of Solomon 4:8) refers to a newly-married man taking his bride to a wild area among the flowers and trees to express his love for her during their honeymoon, and they would have fun all day long. King Solomon called to his wife, the Queen of Sheba, whom he loved very much, “Return, Return, Oh Shulamite” (Song of Solomon 6:13). Shulamite was a district of Galilee adjacent to the Lebanon Mountains. The Lebanon cedar tree (Cedrus libani) is mentioned in a Psalm of David which states, “The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; where the birds make their nests” (Psalms 104:16–17). This biblical reference is possibly based on oral information, as David was a shepherd with no modern means of transportation, he could not have seen the Lebanon Mountains because they were distant to Jerusalem. There is also no mention in

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the biblical books of Samuel or Kings of David traveling to Lebanon after he became a king.

From Beirut to Damascus On Tikimt 1 (October 11) at 2:30 AM the Imperial Family began the journey from Beirut through the Lebanon Mountains to Baalbek. At the crest of the mountain the Empress saw the St. George River from a distance and was shown the place where St. George killed a dragon to save a woman of Beirut. On descending into the vast plain of the Biqa Valley that lies between the Lebanon Mountains and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, the travelers saw the French airport at Biqa Field. They arrived in Baalbek and stayed at the Polmera Hotel. The following day Empress Menen spent an hour visiting the ancient Roman temples of Baalbek with the Governor of Lebanon who described the design and quality of the carpets there. At 9:00 AM they began their journey through the Anti-Lebanon Mountains to reach the ancient Syrian town of Damascus where they went to the grand Omayyad Hotel. After a three-hour break at the Omayyad Hotel, Empress Menen toured the major sites of Damascus with the governor’s secretary. First, they drove along an avenue named Righteous Street, which is the Biblical street along which St. Paul journeyed when God ordered him to meet with Ananias (Acts 9:10–12). The Empress was shown through the eastern gate and turned right to find a door sealed in iron with a window at the top. This was where the Jews had conspired to kill St. Paul, but he escaped through the window when some Christians put him in a basket and lowered him by rope to the ground (Acts 9:25). Among those who helped St. Paul was an Ethiopian named Giorgis. He was put to death for what he had done, and buried under the window through which St. Paul had escaped. When Empress Menen heard this story, she decided to visit the church built over the place where Giorgis was buried. Both the Christians and the Muslims later acknowledged Giorgis as a martyr. Continuing their tour, Menen and her guides visited a church, which was the house and cave of Ananias, the man of God who

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baptized St. Paul. Three magnificent paintings hung in the holy chamber of the cave. One depicted the revelation of Christ to Saul (Paul’s pre-Christian name), when Christ asked, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4–5) The other paintings portrayed the baptism of St. Paul by Ananias, and the escape of St. Paul in a basket. On the following morning, the governor’s secretary took Empress Menen to see the magnificent Grand Mosque and the grave of Sultan Saladin, the powerful leader of Egypt during the 12th century. They also went to see the Church of the Patriarch of Antioch. At that time two churches used the name Patriarch of Antioch - the Greek Orthodox Church and the Syrian Orthodox Church. Upon hearing the news of Empress Menen’s visit, an Archbishop of the Syrian Patriarch invited the Empress to their church. When she arrived, the priests and deacons were singing in Arabic and she marveled at the beauty of their voices. After the song and a prayer, the Patriarch made a speech mentioning His Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I, Empress Menen, and their heir. The Patriarch invited the Empress to his residence for tea and then the Empress returned to her hotel.

From Damascus to Jerusalem The return journey from Damascus to Jerusalem began at 2:00 PM on Tikimt 3 (October 13). Fifteen kilometers (10 miles) from Damascus, the royal party reached Mount Hermon, where the conversion of St. Paul had occurred (Acts 9:1–20). At the Jordan River, the boundary between Syria and Palestine, first the French and then the British officials honorably welcomed the Empress. By order of the Palestinian Governor, the guards then received her as she entered Palestine. At 6:00 PM the Empress arrived in Kfar Nachom, an ancient town with ruins of several mosques. The Empress and her companions proceeded through Betha-Sa’ida and Magdala to arrive at a hotel in Tiberius, on the Sea of Galilee. The journey resumed at 7:30 AM on the following day. Empress Menen visited a church in Kana-Zegelila, traveling on through the plains of Samaria toward Nazareth. Upon her arrival in Jerusalem, many people were gathered in front of the Ethiopian Consulate to

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catch sight of the Empress. On Tikimt 15 (October 25), the ship named Andrelibon arrived in Port Sa’id to take the Empress to Djibouti. The captain and crew were happy to see her again as she boarded the ship at 3:30 AM. Empress Menen was warmly welcomed upon her return to Addis Ababa on Tikimt 22, 1926 (November 1, 1933) in time to celebrate the third anniversary of Their Majesties coronation on Tikimt 23, 1926 (November 2, 1933).

Part Three

The Italian Invasion and Exile

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Chapter 13

Preparing for War

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n Ginbot 19, 1926 (May 27, 1934), Empress Menen went to Harar to attend the ceremony for her ten-year-old son, Prince Mekonnen, as he became Duke of Harar. [This must have been a proud moment for the Emperor and Empress, as they witnessed their son receive the title held by both Haile Sellassie I and his father Ras Mekonnen.] Ras Andargatchew Messai was the representative for the underage Prince Mekonnen, and later married Empress Menen’s daughter, Princess Tenagne Work. To provide teachers for provincial schools opening throughout the country, a Teacher Training School was established in Addis Ababa at this time. Also a French-medium Boy Scout School offering academics and typical scouting activities was opened, and Empress Menen’s sons participated in scouting. One of the first hospitals, the Zewditu Hospital, built by Swedish missionaries in Addis Ababa, was opened under the administration of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. 1926 (1934) also saw the beginning of construction on the Guenete Leul (Paradise of the Princes) Palace. The design was influenced by the palaces of several sovereigns the Emperor had visited on his trip through Europe. A German architect by the name of Kametz drew up the plans for the building. The new palace was constructed on the site of an older house inherited from Sellassie’s father Ras Mekonnen.

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Within a month of one another, a boy named Iskander Desta was born to Princess Tenagne Work and her husband Ras Desta on Hamle 30, 1926 (August 6, 1934) and a granddaughter, Ijigayehu, was born on Nahase 29, 1926 (September 4, 1934), to Menen’s son Crown Prince Asfa Wossen’s wife, Woizero Walatta Israel. At that time, Italy controlled the land to the east of Ethiopia known as Italian Somaliland (Eritrea today). Zealous for more land in Africa, Italian troops crossed the border into southeast Ethiopia to build a fort in the Ogaden region. On Hidar 14, 1927 (November 23, 1934) an Anglo-Ethiopian border survey team met the Italian force encamped at the remote well site known as Wal Wal. The British withdrew to avoid an international incident, but a clash ensued between the Ethiopians and Italians. As a result, the Emperor applied for resolution to the League of Nations while the Italians continued to build up troops on the border. In Addis Ababa, the first occupants of the Emperor’s newly completed Guenete Leul Palace were Crown Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden and his wife, during their state visit to Ethiopia in Tirr 1927 (January of 1935). Subsequently, Emperor Haile Sellassie and his family moved from their residence in the Menelik Palace (the Great Gibi) compound to the Guenete Leul Palace (the Little Gibi). Their new home had elaborate gates, western-styled indoor plumbing, lovely formal gardens and extensive grounds. The Menbere Leul Kidus Markos (Altar of the Princes St. Mark’s) Church was built in the compound to serve the Imperial Family and their large palace staff. Following the border incident in Wal Wal, the Italian army prepared to invade Ethiopia. At this time, Empress Menen provided a great deal in terms of logistical support during Ethiopia’s preparations for war. She mobilized other women to donate contributions, prepare rations, make bandages and ammunition, and equip the Red Cross, established by the Emperor on Hamle 1, 1927 (July 8, 1935). The widespread national support by women before and after the war was the sole initiative of Empress Menen. On Nehase 19, 1928 (August 25, 1935), a two-hour mass was held at St. George’s Church. The congregation on that rainy Sunday included government officials, dignitaries, deacons, foreign missionaries and

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members of the media, as well as common citizens. Towards the end of the service chanted in the ancient Ge’ez language, the Emperor moved to the west side of the church, the Empress to the south, Abuna Kyrilos to the east and the Etchege Abba Gebre Giorgis (the second highest ranking Ethiopian Orthodox dignitary) went to the north of the church. Each prayed out loud for peace before four icons. [Surely it was before a painting of St. Mary and Jesus that Menen entreated God for freedom from the looming conflict with the Italians.] Following the ceremony, Their Majesties returned to the palace by motorcar.

Update: The Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls Mrs. Christine Sandford, an Englishwoman, who was the wife of Brigadier Daniel Sandford, and a resident at Malu Farm in Ethiopia, reported at that time that there were eighty girls attending the Empress Menen Girl’s School, and a new French headmistress, Madame Garricoix, commenced her duties in Nehase 1927 (August of 1935).

Empress Menen Appeals to the Women of the World In regards to the impending invasion by the Italian Fascists, the Empress presented the following appeal to the World Women’s Association on Meskerem 13, 1928 (September 23, 1935). The first portion of Empress Menen’s speech was made in Amharic, and her daughter, Princess Tsehay gave the remainder in English. These addresses were also broadcast on Ethiopian Radio. “I am pleased to be able to make my voice heard by all women across the world. I would like to thank the World Women’s Association for its determination to stand by Ethiopia at this time when the enemy is getting ready to invade our country and fight our people. In order to make what I am saying understood by all listeners, our beloved daughter Tsehay will now read my speech in the English language.”

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Princess Tsehay read the continuation of her mother’s speech as follows: “At this very moment, when a disastrous war is intended and planned against us, I would like to make clear that all women across the world should make their voices heard and express their opinions. Even though we live in different countries and different climates, all women are related in their stand for the peace of the world. It is obvious that war is the worst evil and brings much suffering to mankind. Even though the women of the world are different in race, religion and nationality, yet all of them hate war because it causes the loss of lives of their beloved husbands, brothers and sons. “I know that the very intention of war worries the Italian women, too, whether or not they have sons. Therefore, all women of the world have to stand to make their voice heard against the bloodshed and loss of human lives in war. Ethiopia is not willing to take any military action. Ethiopia is always ready for peace and has been doing every necessary activity in the past months to avert the intended war. “The people of Ethiopia have shown a friendly attitude to foreigners who have come here for various reasons. The people have an ancient tradition of welcoming guests. However, a government is planning to control Ethiopia in order to satisfy its own selfish needs. It is mobilizing its army on the border of Ethiopia and planning to cause great losses. “I have no doubt that the peace association, which the women of the world have established, would do everything in its power to protect mankind and lead the leaders towards a peaceful way. I also pray to God for help in this challenging task. I have strong conviction that this association proceeds with its task and achieves fruitful success. “However, if the war becomes inevitable, we women have to undertake our duties by nursing the wounded and easing the sufferings of war as much as possible. It is a great consolation for us to have women who have stood by us for peace

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during peaceful times and also during times of hardship. I have full confidence that these women would give their support in treating and nursing wounded soldiers and those sacrificing themselves for their country. “I request all women of the world to join me in prayer to God for truth, justice and peace on earth, and for God’s guidance in the works of the leaders of the world.” Women across the world listened in admiration to Empress Menen’s radio broadcast requesting assistance and raising awareness of the suffering and oppression of the Ethiopian people.

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Chapter 14

The Italian Invasion

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n Meskerem 23, 1928 (October 3, 1935), without issuing a declaration of war, General De Bono led Italian troops into Ethiopia from Italian Somaliland (Eritrea today). Ethiopia declared war with Italy in its own defense, but before striking, Emperor Haile Sellassie I went to Lalibela, the highland Holy Land of Ethiopia, to ask God for guidance in this conflict. On Hidar 18, 1928 (November 28, 1935), the Emperor left for the northern battlefield, while the Empress remained in the capital, and provided supplies for the army. While Emperor Haile Sellassie I was on the front line, TIME magazine acknowledged him as ‘Man of the Year’. The Tahsas 28, 1928 (Jan 6, 1936) issue of the magazine stated, “Without quibble or qualification the best and wisest ruler ancient Ethiopia has ever had is the present Man of the Year” (page 14). In Megabit 1928 (March 1936), while the Emperor was engaged on the battlefield in Mai Chew, Empress Menen was in charge of the throne and the administration of the capital. Unlike her predecessors who were interested in being concealed, confined, escorted and sustained, Menen was admired for monitoring and morally supporting the people of Addis Ababa. When the enemy hovered over the threatened city in bombarding aircraft, the determined Empress had herself driven around the city to speak with residents. She directed people to stay within the caves instead of risking their lives by roaming around

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terrified. Her tenacious guidance resembled that of great military leaders. It has been said that the Empress was in spiritual combat with the enemy as she prayed day and night for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The Ethiopians fought the larger, better-equipped Italian force valiantly, although the invaders resorted to propaganda, chemical warfare, and the bombing of clearly marked Red Cross field hospitals and ambulances. Near the town of Mai Chew in Megabit 1928 (March 1936), the enemy attacked with bombs and used chemicals, systematically spraying mustard gas not only on soldiers but also on civilians and their livestock. The Emperor gave the final command to survivors to withdraw. On his way to Addis Ababa the Emperor secretly detoured to offer prayers in the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. He even traveled to distant Mt. Asheten to pray at the Mariam Church, before proceeding out of the Wollo region. It was reported in TIME magazine that the Empress addressed British and American listeners over short wave radio during the third week of Miyaziya (April). As the Empress began to speak in faltering French, the Fascists simulcast gibberish and Morse code to make her words impossible to understand. Her words that day were: “Emperor Haile Sellassie may not win the war, but he is still undefeated and will struggle to the bitter end. But even if he loses, he deserves to win, for he has fought against every means modern science could devise.” The Emperor returned to Addis Ababa on Miyaziya 22, 1928 (April 30, 1936). Recognizing that the capital could not be successfully defended against the heavily armed Italian forces, the consensus was that the Emperor should leave the country to present the case of the invasion of Ethiopia to the League of Nations, in the hope of securing assistance from the allies. Emperor Haile Sellassie I appointed his cousin, Ras Imru, as Prince Regent in his absence, and the seat of the government was moved to the southern town of Gore.

Chapter 15

Exile in England and the Holy Land

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n Miyaziya 24, 1928 (May 2, 1936) the Emperor left Ethiopia to appeal to the League of Nations in Europe. The Empress and her family accompanied him by train to reach the port of Djibouti on the following day. On Miyaziya 26 (May 4), they boarded the British warship HMS Enterprise bound for Jerusalem in the British Mandate for Palestine. As the Solomonic Dynasty of Ethiopia had descended from the House of David, Jerusalem was a fitting destination for Haile Sellassie I and his family. The Illustrated London News magazine reported that only half the people waiting to get away on the wharf in Djibouti were allowed to board the British warship, and that eye-witnesses observed that Empress Menen was sobbing behind a veil that covered her face. As the Imperial Family sailed the Red Sea on Miyaziya 27 (May 5), the Italian Martial Pietro Bodoglio led the fascist forces into Addis Ababa to claim Ethiopia as an Italian province. The Emperor wrote in his autobiography of how after passing through the Suez Canal on the way to Port Sa’id in Egypt, he watched a boatload of Ethiopian expatriates flying the tricolor Ethiopian flag, and how this brought sadness to his fellow refugees.

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In Haifa, the Imperial Family was met by a line of soldiers and transferred by train to Jerusalem. According to a TIME magazine report, crowds assembled at the station square, burst into roars of ‘Long Live Ethiopia!’ ‘Long Live Emperor Haile Sellassie!’ Although the taxi drivers were on strike in Jerusalem, the union conceded to provide ten vehicles to convey the Ethiopians first to offer prayers at Christ’s tomb at Golgotha, and then on to the prestigious King David Hotel. There was a photograph published in The Illustrated London News of Menen’s son’s Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Prince Mekonnen, as well as a few of her grandchildren in the garden at the King David Hotel. On the following morning, the Emperor and Empress and their family went to the Debra Gannet Monastery to attend an Ethiopian Orthodox Church service in the ancient Ge’ez language. After the service, the Ethiopian monks and nuns living in Jerusalem began to weep when they heard of the horrendous invasion of their homeland. While the Imperial Family was in Jerusalem, it was not known to them that in Ethiopia, Haile Sellassie’s daughter, Princess Romanework (from a previous marriage), and her four young sons Lij Getachew, Dejazmach Merid, Dejazmach Samson, and Lij Gideon were captured by the Italians, taken to Italy and imprisoned. Empress Menen remained in Jerusalem and prayed devoutly for the Ethiopian people and for liberation from the yoke of foreign colonization. The Empress, along with her five-year-old son, Sahle Sellassie, her eldest daughter Princess Tenagne Work with her six young children, and their courtiers settled into an old and elegant hotel known as the Orient House, in the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem. Meanwhile the Emperor went on to London with sons Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Prince Mekonnen, and daughter Princess Tsehay. They traveled aboard the HMS Capetown to Gibraltar, where they transferred to a regular liner, the Orford, so that the Emperor and his family would arrive in England as private visitors, sparing the British government the expense of an official reception. The Emperor and his children arrived at Waterloo Station in London on Ginbot 26, 1928 (June 3, 1936). Waiting at the station to receive Emperor Haile Sellassie I was Jamaican Marcus Garvey, as part of a delegation representing the Black Community in London.

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The Emperor, however, declined to meet with the black delegation, preferring instead to appeal to the nobility of Britain for assistance. Sir Elie Kadoorie invited the Emperor and his children to stay at his home in Princes’ Gate while the Emperor prepared his speech to present to the League of Nations. On Sene 23, 1928 (June 30, 1936), the Emperor traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to address the League of Nations. In an eloquent speech in his native language of Amharic, he detailed the Italian aggressions in Ethiopia. His speech was translated into French and English. Although many nations were sympathetic to the situation in Ethiopia, Britain shied away from their just cause and other countries followed Britain’s lead. When the Emperor returned from Geneva, he stayed again briefly with Sir Kadoorie before moving his family to the town of Bath during Hamle 1928 (July of 1936). His Majesty found Bath to be a congenial, elegant community well suited to his old-world outlook and more reasonably priced than London, yet close to the capital. While staying at the Bath Spa Hotel, the Emperor received treatment for mustard gas wounds to his hands and befriended influential residents and visitors. While in exile, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen studied at Liverpool University and Princess Tsehay attended nursing school in London. The Emperor found a home for his family near Bath and Fairfield House, a six-bedroom residence with extensive grounds, was purchased in Meskerem (September). The house had a large drawing room with two fireplaces, a dining room and pantry, a morning room, a small office with a telephone, a cloakroom with a bathroom, and a conservatory. There were three servant’s rooms in the attic and the basement had a kitchen, scullery, boot room, servant’s hall, staff room, a bathroom, strong room and a wine cellar. A cottage on the property was remodeled to house six people and another apartment was located above the three-car garage. The view from the house was reminiscent of the rolling hills of Harar. After the house was refurbished in grand style, the Empress, along with the children and grandchildren who had remained with her in Jerusalem, and a few Ethiopians who served the Empress, arrived from Palestine on Meskerem 29, 1929 (October 9, 1936). In total, perhaps

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twenty-five people lived at Fairfield House, including Sellassie’s Foreign Minister, Blatengueta Herouy, a doctor, an Ethiopian butler, a cook and several other servants, plus an English governess, a gardener-chauffeur and later a few Orthodox monks. The cost of running the household, even modestly, was considerable. Although it had been reported by the media that the Imperial Family had fled with boxes of gold and silver coins, this was not the case, and much of the resources they had brought with them went to help Ethiopians who had taken refuge in Jerusalem and Kenya. Princess Tenagne Work managed the residence and paid the bills with the help of an English-speaking retainer. As the bleak winter weather in 1929 (1936) took hold in Bath, the Imperial Family took action to alleviate their financial situation and arranged for the Imperial Silver Plate to be sold at auction. Shortly after this, the Empress fell ill and returned to the milder climate of Palestine until she was well enough to return to England. In Yakatit 1929 (February 1937), the family received a shipment of their personal effects including articles of clothing and carpets that had been stored at the British Legation in Ethiopia. Coping with the damp, cold English climate, which was so different than that of either Addis Ababa or Palestine, and managing in a foreign language and culture had to be a challenge to Empress Menen who spoke very little English. The formalities of royal protocol were maintained, not only with visitors to the house attending fundraising garden parties, but also in everyday family life. It is reported that although Empress Menen rarely appeared in public, the Emperor was easily recognized in Bath. He often took walks wearing plain dark suits and a knee-length cape, black in winter and white in summer. He always wore one of his hats, which included a bowler, a Homburg and even a cap. In a photograph of the Pitt River Museum collection in England, Empress Menen’s son, six-year-old Sahle, and grandchildren, nineyear-old Amha, and ten-year-old Aida look relaxed dressed in public school uniforms sitting atop horses with James Duck, the riding master of Marlborough College. These children later attended Wellington College, and the school of St. Clare in Alverton. News from Ethiopia reached the Imperial Family regularly and it was a devastating day when they heard that, after an unsuccessful

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attempt on his life, the Italian Viceroy, Graziani, had ordered masses of Addis Ababa residents killed including children, old women and men. During the three-day rampage that started on Yakatit 12, 1929 (February 19, 1937), residents were beheaded and disemboweled by Italian soldiers. After hearing about this horrific massacre, the Empress might have felt that God had seen her tears, similar to the tears of Rachel mentioned in the Bible (Mark 2:18), and that somehow these tears would help Ethiopia to eventually regain freedom. At this time Princess Tenagne Work learned that her husband, Ras Desta Damtew, had been captured and executed by the Italians on Yakatit 17, 1929 (February 24, 1937). Also put to death was Dej. Beyene Merid, the husband of Haile Sellassie’s daughter from his previous marriage, Princess Romanework, who was imprisoned in Italy. In addition, large areas of Addis Ababa had been put to the torch and burned, including the interior of St. George’s Church, where the coronation ceremony had taken place. Following the tragedies of Yakatit (February), the Emperor requested that Ethiopian Orthodox clergy and religious materials be sent from Jerusalem to Bath. On Miyaziya 21, 1929 (April 28, 1937), the Imperial Family welcomed the clerics who brought a sacred tabot (replica tablet on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed) from an Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem. From then on, Orthodox Christian rituals, which require two monks and three deacons to officiate, were observed in accordance with Ethiopian tradition at Fairfield House to allow the family to worship faithfully. In Ginbot 1929 (May 1937) the Emperor and Empress received more heartbreaking news from their homeland. The Debre Libanos Monastery, located northwest of Addis Ababa, which had harbored a few resistance fighters, was raided and over 350 clerics and monks were put to death. On Tahsas 16, 1930 (December 25, 1937), the Emperor was in London on his way to make a radio broadcast when his taxi was involved in a traffic accident, and his knee was fractured. Rather than cancel the broadcast to thank his American supporters, he proceeded on in much pain to make the Christmas Day address. In his speech, Haile Sellassie linked Christianity and goodwill with the Covenant of the League of Nations, asserting that, “War is not the only means to

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stop war.” The Emperor was well enough to return to Bath on Tirr 9, 1930 (January 17, 1938), allowing the Empress to travel to Jerusalem on Tirr 10, 1930 (January 18, 1938) in time to observe the Timkat (Epiphany) celebration in the Holy Land. On Miyaziya 30 (May 8, 1938), the Emperor and Empress unexpectedly crossed paths at a train station in Paris. Here they were able to spend two hours together before the Empress, returning from Jerusalem, went on to London, and then to Fairfield House in Bath. The Emperor continued on to Geneva, and appeared before a meeting of the Council of the League of Nations in Geneva on Genbot 1 (May 9). Sadly, after a long illness, the Emperor’s closest confidant, Blatengueta Herouy, passed away in England on Pagume 4, 1930 (September 9, 1938). Their Majesties attended his funeral, where Haile Sellassie gave the eulogy. It was reported in the Tirr 1, 1931 (January 9, 1939) issue of TIME magazine that during the previous Christmas season in Bath, Their Majesties had attended a Nativity Play in which their fifteen-yearold son, Prince Mekonnen, portrayed the part of the King of Ethiopia. In 1931 (1939), the Empress returned to Palestine for a period of time and traveled back to Bath in good health. At this time finances were a constant concern for the Imperial Family, although they did receive help from a private benefactor. Bath journalists noted that the Emperor took delivery of a Morris 10, a rather modest vehicle by royal standards, in Megabit 1932 (March of 1940). While staying in Bath in Miyaziya 1933 (April 1941), Princess Tenagne Work gave birth to a daughter who she named Emebet Tsige Mariam (Mary). This child was from a brief union with Ato (Mr.) Abebe Retta, who later served in ambassadorial and other positions in the Ethiopian government. Throughout her years in exile, Empress Menen offered her tears for the liberation of her country. By fighting the enemy through her prayers, the Empress fought alongside the Ethiopian military corps, and this surely helped to ensure that victory was eventually gained on the war front. In an effort to secure Ethiopian liberation and the survival of the Empire, the Empress made a sacrifice by offering her crown, which symbolized the highest rank in Ethiopia, to The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which is the sacred birthplace of Jesus Christ.

17 Empress Menen preparing bandages for the army during the Fascist invasion.

18 Empress Menen with her daughter Princess Tsehay appealing to the World Women’s Association regarding the Italian Invasion.

20 Empress Menen at Fairfield House while in exile in Bath, England. 19 Empress Menen with her daughter Princess Tenagne Work, while in exile in London, during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia.

21 The Emperor and Empress interviewed by journalists while in exile.

23 Empress Menen with her children and grandchildren while in exile in England.

22 Empress Menen while in exile in London.

Part Four

In Service to Ethiopia

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Chapter 16

Return to Ethiopia

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hile the Imperial Family was living in exile in England, Italy declared war on Britain during the reign of King George VI on Sene 3, 1932 (June 10, 1940). Ten days later Emperor Haile Sellassie and his sons, twenty-five-old Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and sixteenyear-old Prince Mekonnen, parted from Empress Menen. They flew from London via Malta to Egypt and on to the Sudan, which borders western Ethiopia. It had to have been an anxious time for the Empress, not knowing if her husband and children were in harm’s way or if she would ever be able to return to her homeland. Due to required security, the Empress had no news from the Emperor until Hamle (mid-July) when she heard that he and the boys were living at the “Pink Palace” on the Nile north of Khartoum, and that the boys were enrolled to attend the Sobat Military Academy. In Sudan, Haile Sellassie summoned the Ethiopian noblemen taking refuge in Jerusalem to meet with him in Khartoum on Meskerem 28, 1933 (October 7, 1940). Then at the end of Tikimt (October), a general plan to gain Ethiopia’s independence was agreed upon at a conference with senior military officials including the British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, South African Gen. Jan Smuts, Chief of the Middle Eastern Command, Archibald Wavell, Lieut-Gen. Platt and Lieut-Gen. Cunningham. On Tirr 12, 1933 (January 20, 1941) the Emperor and his two sons went by plane to Gojam in western Ethiopia, where Sellassie took command of the resistance groups.

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The strike force to free Ethiopia included troops from the British African colonies and Ethiopia fighting from the air, from the sea, and through the valleys, mountains and deserts. Col. Orde Wingate created the Gideon Force made up of British, Sudanese and Ethiopian soldiers to harass Italian forts and supply lines, while troops led by Lieut-Gen. Alan Cunningham advanced from Kenya to go up against the main Italian forces. By Megabit 1933 (March of 1941), the Italians were defeated near the town of Keren in Italian Somaliland (present day Eritrea), which was the road and railway link from the Red Sea to northern Ethiopia. Soon after, the remaining Italian forces surrendered.

Empress Menen’s Telegram Upon his arrival at the Guenete Leul Palace in Menagesha, Addis Ababa, on Mayaziya 27, 1933 (May 5, 1941), His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I received a congratulatory telegram from Empress Menen as follows: “Myself and all members of your family would like to congratulate your Majesty for the victory you have achieved. I would like to greet also the Crown Prince and Prince Mekonnen.” In England, some sixty people attended the victory party hosted by the Empress at Fairfield House in Bath on Ginbot 7, 1933 (May 15, 1941). Princess Tenagne Work and Princess Tsahay served champagne to their guests, who included the Mayor of Bath, Aubrey Bateman.

Restoration of the Guenete Leul Palace While the Empress was still in England, during Hamle (July), a friend of the Imperial Family approached Della Hanson, a Seventh-Day Adventist who, with her husband, ran a mission school near Addis Ababa, to help renovate the Guenete Leul Palace. Mrs. Hanson met with the Emperor and after taking stock of the situation, began to restore the glory of the Grand Palace. Three Italian viceroys had resided there during the occupation and used the first floor as offices, so the first

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task was to remove and dispose of office partitions and furniture. The beautiful palace carpets, which had been thoughtfully stored by someone during the occupation, were returned in good condition. Leading to the second floor of the palace was a broad blue-marble staircase covered in plush red carpet that opened to a wide corridor leading to the family dining room, the state dining room, two bedroom suites, and a large reception hall. The family dining room had two adjoining bedrooms, as well as private salons and bathrooms. The palace kitchen was in the basement and had a large wood burning stove, one small refrigerator, a shallow sink for washing pots and pans, and a bakery with an electric oven, a bread mixer and a food mixer, which the Italians had installed. Five Ethiopian cooks and several assistants worked in the kitchen. Mrs. Hanson agreed to oversee the running of the royal palace, and her duties included caring for the rooms and the linens, supervising the servants, preparing menus, advising the cooks, and whenever possible, uplifting the morale of the palace staff who were often required to work long hours preparing for banquets. A month before the Empress and her daughter Princess Tsehay were expected to return, the Emperor asked Della Hanson to prepare their rooms. During World War II, Ethiopia was cut off from imports, so very little was available to complement the mismatched furniture she found in their rooms. Mrs. Hanson had some furniture brought from a storeroom, had other items made and purchased cloth to make drapes.

Empress Menen Returns to Ethiopia After the last remnants of the Fascists were swept out of Addis Ababa and the light of freedom shone again, the Empress along with her daughter Princess Tsehay left England and went by ship to South Africa and on to Kenya, arriving in Mombasa on Nehase 21, 1933 (August 27, 1941). They proceeded to Nairobi and then flew by British airliner to arrive in Addis Ababa on Nehase 23 (August 29). That very morning, Mrs. Hanson had managed to locate and purchase mattresses and was finally able to make up their beds, while the palace servants busily prepared for the arrival of their Empress and her daughter.

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[As Empress Menen stepped out of the airliner, she might have stood for a moment to smile and wave to her husband, the Emperor, and her two sons, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Prince Mekonnen, as well as the crowd assembled there to greet her and daughter Princess Tsehay. Then, at last surrounded by family and friends who spoke her native tongue, she might have thanked God that she was home, and looked up to notice that the sky was heavy with impending rain.] Several soldiers were posted along the route from the airport, where thousands of people gathered to catch a glimpse of beloved Empress Menen. It began to sprinkle as the motorcade, accompanied by the Mounted Imperial Guard, drove through the capital and a joyous chant of “lu-lu-lu-lu” rose from the ululating crowd assembled along the streets. In her book entitled “For God and Emperor”, Della Hanson writes, “When the Empress arrived outside the palace, the servants lined up along the corridors and out onto the veranda. As the Empress and Princess Tsehay entered, the servants prostrated themselves on the floor, and, if possible, kissed their feet” (page 117). This was an Ethiopian traditional form of respectful greeting. Della Hanson waited in the corridor of the second floor and after being introduced by the Emperor, Empress Menen expressed her pleasure at being home, thanked Mrs. Hanson for all that she had done, and welcomed her to the palace. The Empress had been studying English privately for a number of years, and had a good understanding of the language, but preferred to speak in Amharic, which Della spoke fairly well. Upon meeting Princess Tsehay and showing her to her room, Mrs. Hanson became immediately fond of her charming personality. She also admired the fact that the princess had earned a nursing degree while in London, and saw her as an example to other young Ethiopian women. Della noticed the princess’s fine features and petite figure. [Her father, the Emperor, was slight in stature at five feet two inches, and her mother, the Empress, was shorter than he, at perhaps five feet in height.] For the first time in over a year the family happily sat down to lunch together, discussing their many experiences while in exile. Oldest daughter Tenagne Work and youngest son Sahle were not at the table as they were still in England.

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Empress Menen Returns to Wollo After the autumn of 1933 (1941), the Empress visited her birthplace in Wollo and made the following speech to the people there, which her daughter Princess Tsehay delivered. [Menen rarely spoke in public, requesting others to deliver her addresses.] “First of all, I would like to thank God that His will reunited us all after the dispersion (due to the war) and we were able to regain our freedom. I would also like to express my happiness for being able to see you and my birthplace again after being separated for thirty-one years. I would like to thank you all, my fellow countrymen and women for your warm reception. “It is known to you all that Ethiopia, the most beautiful and richest country in natural resources in Africa, has always been governed only by her own kings for millennia. However, many have risen against her at different times, being attracted by her beauty and natural endowments. Yet, our forefathers have never allowed their national flag to be disgraced by these enemies. “After several unsuccessful attempts, Italy, seeing that conquest by force was impossible, used false allegations and propaganda as an alternative means to divide our people. Through these means, Italy finally managed to invade our country and exploit our people harshly. “Who among you has not lost a relative by machine-gun, axes or the sword? Observing all these atrocities, God helped us regain independence in our Motherland within our lifetime. What repayment could we possibly give to God for this? “Now, learning from past experience, standing together as children of one mother, our concern for freedom should be a prime subject among us all. You have seen in the past five years that the exploitation and dishonor of not uniting led to the loss of our freedom. It is clear that what happened was not because of our people’s hatred for their own leaders, but rather due to the maliciousness of the Fascist Italians. It is evident that our people have fought courageously with the enemy, and others have left their own country to live in exile (as refugees).

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e m pr es s m en en a s faw “Our country Ethiopia lost her independence of 3000 years and recently again managed to regain her freedom and independence with the support of the British and the strength of her children. Therefore, let us all unite and love our country, our flag and our King for the sake of our Motherland. “The Crown Prince Merid Azmach Asfa Wossen is also among you and is one of your own children. I believe it pleases you to be governed by your own son. I am confident that when you serve him honestly, he will also respond to your problems with justice and supportive hands. I ask you to continue to advise and support him. “May God make our country ever-green, and preserve our flag forever.”

[How incredible for the Empress to visit her birthplace after being married, becoming a princess, crowned an empress, visiting the Holy Land, and then leaving Ethiopia under duress to live exiled in Jerusalem and Europe before returning to her homeland. In her speech, Empress Menen refers to her son’s appointment as Governor of Wollo. Certainly she must have visited with his family and attended church in the area. It has been written that Asfa Wossen and his mother were similar in character, and that she favored him.]

Chapter 17

Restoring Ethiopia after the Italian Invasion 1933–1937 EC (1941–1945 GC)

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lthough it must have been exhilarating to be back in the capital city of Addis Ababa, Empress Menen would have noticed many changes. The city center had been renamed the Piazza, and the market, previously located near St. George’s Church, had been moved further north to an area known to this day as the Merkato. Many of the monuments in the capital were missing; the Lion of Judah had been taken from in front of the train station and erected in Rome, not to be returned until 1959 (1967), after the Empress had passed away. The gilded statue of Emperor Menelik II riding a horse, as well as the crown that had adorned the dome of St. Mary’s Ba’eta Monastery where Menelik II was laid to rest, were removed and also later restored. The Imperial Archives, plus several crowns of previous monarchs, an airplane named after Princess Tsehay, many pieces of artwork and countless gold coins had been looted by the Fascists. In distant Axum one of the enormous ancient stone stele had been cut into pieces, shipped overseas and reassembled in Rome. The stele was finally returned and unveiled in Axum on Nehase 29, 2000 (September 4, 2008).

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In 1933 (1941), the Emperor resumed the construction of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, which had been halted by the Italians. The Emperor’s daughter, Princess Romanework, born before his marriage to Empress Menen, had passed away in 1932 (1940) while imprisoned by the Italians. Romanework’s body was returned to the Imperial Family in 1933 (1941) and buried in the cemetery at Holy Trinity Cathedral. One of the many changes that followed the restoration was that Their Majesties abandoned the every day use of the imperial red umbrellas, which had been held over them everywhere they went. This practice was maintained only on very special occasions after this. Della Hanson revealed in her book “For God and Emperor” that, as mentioned before, Empress Menen suffered from diabetes, although she took very good care of herself. [The Empress must have watched her diet, would have taken insulin regularly and perhaps used a traditional herbal remedy for diabetes.] The Empress had several maids in attendance, one responsible for her rooms and another who looked after her adequate wardrobe. Della, who was often asked to assist the Empress in choosing an outfit for a special event, noted that the Empress enjoyed nice clothing, but dressed modestly. The Empress also had a personal assistant who served in her office, and another woman who accompanied her to church.

Update: The Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls It must have been heartbreaking for Empress Menen to realize that so much work was needed to restore Ethiopia to its former glory. In 1933 (1941), the Empress repaired and reopened the Empress (Etege) Menen School for girls, which had been closed during the occupation. The new director of the school was the first Ethiopian woman to hold this position, Woizero Senedu Gabru, who later became the first woman to become a member of parliament. On Hidar 15, 1934 (November 24, 1941) Empress Menen went to Harar by train to visit various government departments, returning to her home in Menagesha, Addis Ababa on Tahsas 5 (December 14).

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In the spring of 1934 (1942), twenty-four-year-old Princess Tsehay was to marry Colonel Abeye Abebe, who was later promoted to Lieutenant General. The Princess asked family friend and palace supervisor Della Hanson to help her prepare for her wedding. As Ethiopia was cut off from foreign imports during World War II, Mrs. Hanson scoured the capital to locate white satin and trim for a wedding dress, and then found suitable netting for a veil, which was skillfully embroidered and decorated to hide the join of two pieces. Before the wedding, Della hosted a surprise bridal shower for the princess. She invited Empress Menen and Princess Tsehay to visit her home at the mission station, and when Princess Tsahay was ushered in, she was surprised to see many of her friends, including several British nurses working in Addis Ababa who had studied with her in London. After an hour of socializing, refreshments were served and Princess Tsehay opened her gifts and thanked her friends, before she and her mother returned to the palace. Mrs. Hanson, who with her husband attended the wedding held on Miyaziya 18, 1934 (April 26, 1942), described the traditional marriage service. Prayers were first said and then the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church robed both Princess Tsehay and Colonel Abebe, with “the cloak of unity.” More prayers were spoken, and the priest blessed the marriage rings and placed them on the fingers of the bride and groom. They were anointed with holy oils and then crowns were placed upon their heads. The matrimonial oath was administered to the couple and they were blessed by the priest and given the sacrament of Holy Communion. Following the service, a breakfast was served to sixty guests in the Green Room, which was Empress Menen’s waiting room at the Guenete Leul Palace. That evening, at a buffet for a hundred guests, Their Majesties stood with the newlyweds at one end of the reception hall while first the Ethiopian guests and then the European guests were presented. The Emperor, Empress and the newlyweds then led the way to the sumptuous feast. After the meal, a beautiful wedding cake (which had fallen over earlier and had to be pieced back together) was rolled in on a cart and cut while photographs were taken. There was dancing to the accompaniment of an orchestra. On this occasion, Their Majesties must have thanked God

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for the beautiful wedding ceremony. After their honeymoon, Colonel Abeye took up a post as Governor of Wollega, and the newlyweds moved to Lekempti, about 320 kilometers (200 miles) west of Addis Ababa. Princess Tsehay, who had been educated in Switzerland and trained as a nurse in England, began to work with the local women to better the state of their health care. On Ginbot 26, 1934 (June 3, 1942), the Empress visited the newly re-established Ethiopian Women’s Charitable Works Organization and made a donation. She also went to a school for the under-privileged in Gullele, a poverty-stricken area in Addis Ababa.

Update: The Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls Recognizing that cultural handicrafts were an important part of Ethiopia’s heritage, the Empress officially inaugurated the Empress (Etege) Menen Handicrafts School on Hamle 1, 1934 (July 8, 1942) for the young people of Addis Ababa. This school taught useful trades such as rug making, silverwork, woodworking, dying and spinning of wool and cotton, weaving and basket making. Less than four months after her marriage to Colonel Abeye, Princess Tsehay sadly passed away on Nehase 12, 1934 (August 18, 1942) due to complications of pregnancy. Overnight, her body was brought to the capital by her grieving husband. As per tradition, the Empress and the Emperor were only told the heartbreaking news of their daughter’s death on the following morning, shortly before the funeral procession left the palace. Princess Tsehay’s funeral was held at the Ba’eta Le Maryam (Presentation of the Virgin Mary to the Temple) Church, where Emperor Menelik II and his wife Empress Taitu were entombed. After the service, the Empress and Emperor sat in chairs on the chapel stairs to receive condolences before they returned home to the palace. When the Empress entered the dining room where Della Hanson waited to serve her, Della shook her hand in sympathy and the Empress began to weep. Their Majesties stayed for some time in a small house on the palace grounds to mourn the loss of their daughter. [Sadly, this was Their Majesties’ second daughter to pass away, as Princess

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Zenebework had died nine years earlier.] At a celebration for the completion of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa on Tirr 7, 1937 (January 15, 1944), the Emperor and Empress also attended a memorial service for Princess Tsehay. Empress Menen’s strong devotion to God must have surely helped her through times of grief. Devotional prayer is a daily practice for the faithful, and she may have found comfort in the Orthodox Christian tradition of praying upon arising, at the third hour (9:00 AM), six (noon), nine (3:00 PM), in the evening, before sleeping, and lastly at midnight. (The Ethiopian clock begins at 6:00 AM.) Only a few weeks after Princess Tsehay’s death, near the end of the rainy season in 1935 (1942), the Empress invited Della Hanson to accompany her on a short holiday to Bishoftu (Debre Zeit), a resort town located some 48 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa, at a much lower elevation. Mrs. Hanson prepared sugarless cakes for the Empress to enjoy on the limousine journey, as the Empress was mindful of her sugar intake. Several palace guards and cooks had been sent ahead to the hotel so that when they arrived in Bishoftu, the two ladies could enjoy a meal together before taking a rest. Later when Empress Menen and Della Hansen were driven out of the hotel gate on their way to see the crater lakes and hot springs in the area, several people waited with written requests of a personal nature, which the Empress graciously accepted. [The horse-drawn wagon, or “ghari”, was the typical mode of transport all over Ethiopia at that time, and it certainly would have been a sight to see the royal limousine rolling past.] During their short holiday, Della Hanson prepared some tasty dishes to complement those of the cooks, and she and the Empress dined together. After the evening meal they talked about the current events of World War II and enjoyed a book of Bible illustrations together. On their return trip to the capital, five people threw themselves in front of Her Majesty’s vehicle and the Empress stopped to hear their concerns, which were perhaps grievances about land disputes. The Empress promised to refer their problems to the attention of the Emperor. On Hidar 11, 1935 (November 20, 1942), the Empress again visited the Ethiopian Women’s Charitable Works Organization to give guidance on its expansion. During the occupation, the Italians had

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closed Ethiopian schools, bombed most of the country’s mission stations with hospitals, and sprayed lethal gas on civilians and livestock. Empress Menen bolstered humanitarian efforts in Addis Ababa and throughout the country. In 1935 (1943), the Empress established St. Paul’s Grammar School in the Kolfe area northeast of Addis Ababa for under-privileged, blind children, and those orphaned by the war. On Tikimt 5, 1936 (October 15, 1943) the Empress visited Empress (Etege) Menen School to encourage the students to study hard. For the first time since the royal couple’s return from exile in England, Their Majesties went on a ten-day trip to Harar in 1935 (1943). Emperor Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen were jubilantly welcomed as they entered the city. The Imperial Family including nineteenyear-old Prince Mekonnen the Duke of Harar visited several places of interest and entertained guests during their stay. The Empress must have had many memories of Harar, as this was where she had lived as a newlywed before her husband was called to Addis Ababa to become Regent in 1908 (1916). On Hidar 14, 1936 (November 24, 1943) Empress Menen welcomed her youngest son, Prince Sahle Sellassie, and her oldest daughter, Princess Tenagne Work, with her six children, Aida, Ruth, Sybil, Sofia, Iskander and Mariam, home from exile in England. [With the return of these family members, all of Empress Menen’s children and grandchildren were again in Ethiopia.] Sadly, Princess Tenagne Work’s sixteen-year-old son Amha Desta had passed away from tuberculosis shortly before the family left England to return to Ethiopia. On Yakatit 15, 1937 (February 22, 1944), the Empress visited the Empress (Etege) Menen Handicraft School. The Empress witnessed the improvement in the quality of handcrafted products and must have been pleased that many young adults would be able to support themselves with these new skills. According to Harold G. Marcus in an article entitled, “Revisiting Haile Selassie’s Leadership”, the Emperor attended Army Sports Week in Megabit 1936 (March 1944) and it is likely that the Empress accompanied him. It is also mentioned in this article that on the third anniversary of the Emperor’s return to Addis Ababa, Miyaziya 27 (May 5), Liberation Day, Haile Sellassie I stated in his address at the opening

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of the National Library, “As we celebrate the liberation of Our people, We lay the foundations for the liberation of their minds”. Two royal weddings and a birth took place at this time. Thirtyone-year-old Princess Tenagne Work married for the second time on Meskerem 7, 1937 (September 17, 1944) at the Miskea Hazunan Medhane Alem (Savior of the World, Consoler of the Bereaved) Church. (As previously mentioned, Tenagne Work’s first husband, Ras Damtew, was killed during the Italian occupation.) Her new spouse, the Minister for Justice, Andargatchew Masai, took an appointment as Governor-General of Beghemidir and Simien Province, and Princess Tenagne Work and her family moved to the town of Gondar. Just over seven months later, on Megabit 30, 1937 (April 8, 1945), Menen’s oldest son, thirty-year-old Crown Prince Asfa Wossen married for a second time to Medferiash Work, the youngest daughter of Major-General Dej. Abebe Damtew. (The Crown Prince had divorced his first wife Princess Woleta Israel while in exile in Miyaziya 1933 (April 1941).) Also at this time, Prince Mekonnen fathered a daughter, Meheret Mekonnen, although there is no record of his spouse. In Tirr 1937 (January of 1945), Emperor Haile Sellassie I went by invitation of the United States to meet with President Roosevelt at the Great Bitter Lake near the Suez Canal. Later that year, on Tahsas 21, 1938 (December 30, 1945), the Emperor, recognizing that an Ethiopian air service would provide a sense of national unity and aid in the development of remote areas, issued a proclamation to establish Ethiopian Airlines. The American corporations Transworld Airlines and Boeing Corporation were involved in the start-up of Ethiopian Airlines, supplying pilots and technicians.

Menen’s World: Celebrating Christmas at the Palace During the Christmas season, a large tree was set up at the Guenete Leul Palace. On Christmas day, which is celebrated in Ethiopia on Tahsas 29 (January 7), the Emperor and Empress attended church before sunrise and later in the morning received students and teachers from the schools in Addis Ababa. Every year a parade of students marched to the palace, with bands playing and carrying banners. Each

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school was called to pass before the Empress and the Emperor, who took a keen interest in the development of the students. Then members of the royal family handed out presents to all the children. Afterwards, the teachers enjoyed a buffet luncheon set up for them on the palace grounds. After liberation in 1934 (1942), two thousand students attended this occasion, and in only a few years the number had risen to fifteen thousand students. In the afternoon on Christmas Day a party was held for the children of diplomats, foreigners, and a few Ethiopians. A tent was erected on the palace grounds for Their Majesties and umbrellas shaded the guests while acrobats and magicians provided entertainment. ‘Father Christmas’, a foreign concept to Ethiopians, arrived to the children’s delight, to deliver specially selected gifts to each youngster. At the end of the party, each child passed before the Emperor and Empress.

Chapter 18

The Renowned Service of Empress Menen 1938–1946 EC (1946–1954 GC)

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n Yakatit 3, 1938 (February 10, 1946) the Empress laid a foundation stone to begin the construction of additional rooms at the Empress (Etege) Menen School for Girls. This effort would enable the admission of three hundred additional students. Also on this day in Addis Ababa, her twenty-two-year-old son Prince Mekonnen, the Duke of Harar, married Princess Sara Gizaw, the daughter of Gizaw Abera, a beautiful woman and a nurse trained in Edinburgh, Scotland. Theirs would have been a traditional marriage that most likely took place at Holy Trinity Cathedral, with a lavish reception following the wedding. Later in 1938 (1946), Empress Menen’s grandchild, Princess Aida Desta, the daughter of Princess Tenagne Work and Ras Damtew, married Leul Ras Mangasha Seyum of Tigray. The wedding ceremony took place at Holy Trinity Cathedral and a small reception was held directly after the service for the royal family and select members of the nobility. A total of more than a thousand guests attended several receptions that evening in massive tents, where everyone enjoyed culinary delights at buffet tables decorated with red, gold and green ribbons. The entertainment on this evening was provided by jugglers, belly dancers, an

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Egyptian magician, and there was dancing to the music of a six-piece ensemble. On Nahase 11, 1939 (August 21, 1947), Prince Mekonnen and his wife Princess Sara Gizaw had their first child, a boy named Pawlus Wossen Seged who later became the Duke of Harar.

Menen’s World: Mealtime at the Palace According to Della Hanson, members of the Imperial Family were sometimes able to be alone together at mealtimes. At the table in the 1940’s (1950’s), the Empress was seated to the right of the Emperor, and to her right sat her daughter Princess Tenagne, and her two daughtersin-law, the Crown Princess Medferiash Work and the Duchess of Harar, Princess Sara Gizaw. Next at the table were her granddaughter Princess Aida, Della Hanson and granddaughter Princess Ruth. To the left of the Emperor sat the Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, Prince Mekonnen the Duke of Harar, Prince Sahle, and Dr. Zervos, the family physician. Before the meal, each person was called by the servants and entered according to their rank. If someone was late or absent, apologies were given to the Emperor. After everyone was seated, the meal was served in courses with the European dishes first followed by Ethiopian delicacies. The conversation featured an endless variety of subjects, and was friendly and animated. At this time, the Emperor had two great Danes and some smaller dogs, and his canine companions were fed in a corner of the dining room. The Emperor also had a stable of horses that he occasionally went to see, and since the king of beasts was his favorite animal, there was a large cage of black-maned Abyssinian lions (panthera leo abyssinica) on the palace grounds, as well as birds and deer in the palace park. All members of the Imperial Family loved animals. On Nehase 18, 1938 (August 24, 1946), the Empress went to Dire Dawa and areas in and around Harar to visit various government offices. The Empress accompanied the Emperor to Gondar by plane for the first time from Meskerem 24 (October 4) to Meskerem 27, 1939 (October 7, 1946). While there, Empress Menen toured the

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historic town and Lake Tana, and held talks with the women of Gondar. Empress Menen made this tour at the time when her son-in-law was governor, and her daughter Princess Tenagne Work lived in Gondar with her family. Gondar was the capital of Ethiopia in the 17th and 18th centuries, when splendid castles, palaces, churches and even a bathing palace were built. The interior of the medieval church of Debra Berhan Selassie (Light of the Trinity) is famous for the endearing faces of eighty angels on the ceiling beams and exquisitely rendered paintings depicting Christian history. Empress Menen would also have toured the Kweskwam Complex, which was built to honor St. Mary in the 18th century by renowned Ethiopian Empress Mentewab. On Hamle 10, 1939 (July 17, 1947), in accordance with the promise the Empress had made to St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, while praying for the independence of Ethiopia during the Italian occupation, Empress Menen sent her gold crown, and many other gifts, to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, located near Jerusalem. This church was built at the birthplace of Jesus, and is one of the oldest churches and most revered Christian sites in the world. It is interesting to note that a small image of Mother Mary holding baby Jesus is depicted on the front of Empress Menen’s crown. After the Empress presented her crown to the Church of the Nativity, she was never again seen wearing a crown, preferring a tiara instead. Emperor Haile Sellassie I had another crown made for future Ethiopian empresses. This is the crown that can be seen resting on her casket in photographs of Empress Menen’s funeral.

Menen’s World: The Covenant Between Jesus and Mary Much myth surrounds Mary, the mother of Jesus. According to a paper entitled, “Asterio Mariam, Kidane Mihiret and Assumption of St. Mary as told by St John” retrieved from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church website, Epiphanius, a Bishop of Cyprus in the 4th Century described Mary as someone who spoke little and only when necessary, but then boldly and with clarity. Mary listened readily, was dignified in her actions, respected everyone and could be addressed easily.

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She was of middle stature and some said that she was taller than the average woman. Her skin tone was the color of ripe wheat; she had auburn hair, bright brown and olive green eyes, and an oval face. She was slow to anger, unpretentious and wore un-dyed homespun garments. In the same paper Mariam is described as a divine intercessor in the Orthodox tradition as Jesus promised his mother, “whosoever shall celebrate her commemoration and shall call upon her name, and shall give alms unto the poor and needy, even if it be a cup of cold water only, shall receive his or her reward.” Simply put, what is asked in Mary’s name shall be given in Christ’s name. When one understands the depth of the love for St. Mary in the hearts of the faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one can better understand Empress Menen’s actions when she prayed to Mariam for the freedom of Ethiopia during the Italian occupation, and then according to her spiritual promise, presented her golden crown to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Empress Menen’s Humanitarian Outreach In 1939 (1947), the Empress donated land and a large sum of money to begin construction of a church in Sebeta, 23 kilometers (15 miles) from Addis Ababa. The Church of Gethsemane (St. Mary) was officially inaugurated on Megabit 25, 1940 (April 3, 1948), which was Empress Menen’s 57th birthday. Also during this year, the Empress donated land to help expand a school named after her daughter Princes Zenebework, which was located in a place known locally in Addis Ababa as Urael. On Ginbot 21, 1940 (May 29, 1948), the Empress visited the Empress (Etege) Menen School in Addis Ababa to witness the academic progress of the students and see the handcrafts that the girls had produced. On Ginbot 29, 1940 (June 6, 1948), she visited Ambo, a spa town west of Addis Ababa with European style hotels and a few villas that were maintained for important guests and the royal family. Their Majesties took their annual tour to Harar during the rainy season from Sene 22 to Hamle 5 (June 29 to July 12), because the climate was dryer and warmer there. So that Ethiopian tradition would not fade away, on Meskerem 1, 1941 (September 11, 1948), the Emperor instructed the people of

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Ethiopia to celebrate Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) by wearing traditional costume. The Empress and her children celebrated the New Year in traditional white cotton clothing. On Tahsas 15, 1941 (December 24, 1948), the Empress, an exemplary figure in spiritual matters, visited the Theological College of Holy Trinity Cathedral. The school, established by Emperor Haile Sellassie I in 1934 (1942), provided sound religious and secular education to clergy and to those intending to take a position in one of the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. On Tirr 24, 1941 (February 1, 1949), the Empress flew by special aircraft to Gondar for a second tour of the historical sites. She donated clothing and money to many monasteries in the area, and visited her daughter Princess Tenagne Work and her family. Her family grew when on Tirr 22, 1942 (January 30, 1950), a second grandson for Empress Menen, Mikael Amaha Made Yesus, was born to Prince Mekonnen and daughter-in-law Sara Gizaw. Also that year, Menen’s granddaughter Aida Desta and husband Ras Mangasha Seyum had a son named Mikael Sehul Mangasha. Daughter-in-law Medferiash Work and Crown Prince Asfa Wossen had their first child, another granddaughter for Empress Menen, named Mariam Sene, who was born on Tahsas 2, 1943 (December 11, 1950). In 1942 (1950), the Empress ordered the translation and publication of fourteen sacred books. The proceeds of the 3800 copies sold which amounted to 12,000 Ethiopian birr were donated to St. Paul’s Grammar School for disadvantaged children. The Empress also donated a large plot of land and houses from her mother’s estate in the Kolfe area to this school. Also that year, Their Majesties opened the first teaching hospital in Ethiopia, which was named in honor of their deceased daughter Princess Tsehay. The successful launching of the Tsehay Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa was largely due to the fund-raising efforts of Englishwoman Sylvia Pankhurst, a staunch supporter of Ethiopia who had met Princess Tsehay when she was a nursing student in London. Mrs. Pankhurst and her son Richard later resided in Addis Ababa at the invitation of the Emperor. On Miyaziya 22, 1942 (April 30, 1950) the Empress attended the inauguration of Haile Sellassie I Bridge, the first to span the Blue Nile

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River. The bridge was a magnificent feat of engineering and featured the widest span of any bridge erected in Africa up to that time. From Hamle 8 to 27, 1942 (July 15 to August 3, 1950), Their Majesties went on their yearly trip to Harar to avoid the worst of the rainy season in the capital. During this time the Empress visited Yerergota district to hold talks with the local population. A few days later, on Hamle 16, 1942 (July 23, 1950), the Emperor returned to Addis Ababa by plane to attend his fifty-eighth birthday celebration at the Guenete Leul Palace. On the following day, the Emperor returned to Dire Dawa to rejoin the Empress and invited Della Hanson to join them for a short break. Mrs. Hanson was transferred to the Governor’s Palace in Dire Dawa, built by the Italians during the occupation, and invited to breakfast with Their Majesties before being taken to her hotel. On the following morning, Della was asked to accompany the Imperial Family to Harar. After first stopping to offer prayers at the Orthodox Church there, the royal party visited the country estate of the Emperor’s father, Ras Mekonnen, and paid their respects at his memorial. They then toured an army headquarters and a police school before returning to the Governor’s Palace for lunch. In the afternoon, they visited three hospitals and various government buildings. A few days later, Their Majesties went to the town of Error, located 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Dire Dawa, where the Emperor had large fruit orchards. In Meskerem 1943 (September 1950), after years of negotiation, Ethiopia gained the port of Massawa on the Red Sea. The former Italian colony of Eritrea, then under British administration, became a federated state of Ethiopia. During 1943 and 1944 (1951 and 1952), the Empress toured Ethiopia contributing to the development of her country. She gave a large sum for the maintenance and renewal of St. Mary’s Church of Gishen in Wollo, and for the construction of a road to make the previously tiresome journey to this church easier. Also in Wollo, the Empress donated an amount of 53,000 birr for the reconstruction of St. Trinity Church of Boru, which had been destroyed during the Italian invasion. On Tirr 8, 1943 (January 16, 1951) the Empress accompanied the Emperor to Harar Meda near the town of Debre Zeit (Bishoftu), to

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observe a show of military tactics performed by graduating officers at the Haile Sellassie I Air Force Academy. On the holy day of Timkat (Epiphany) on Tirr 11, 1943 (January 19, 1951), the Emperor and Empress received and welcomed the first Ethiopian Archbishop, His Holiness Abuna Basilios. Before this, all Ethiopian Orthodox Archbishops had been sent from the Orthodox Church of Alexandria in Egypt, and were unfamiliar with Ethiopian customs. Abuna Basilios had been educated at the Debra Libanos Monastery, served as Archpriest of the Monasteries and Churches in Jerusalem, and became Etchege Gebra Giorgis in 1925 (1933). Abuna Basilios became the Patriarch of the Church of Ethiopia in 1951 (1959). On Yakatit 20, 1943 (February 27, 1951), the Empress accompanied the Emperor to attend the inaugural ceremony of the newly constructed University College of Addis Ababa. (This institution was later known as Haile Sellassie I University and is today Addis Ababa University.) On Megabit 20, 1943 (March 29, 1951), the Empress inaugurated another Childcare Center at Gebre Mariam School. The Kindergarten school here would later be named after her granddaughter, Princess Azeb Asfa Wossen. On Sene 7, 1943 (June 14, 1951), the Empress visited the Empress (Etege) Menen School to encourage the students there. There were further additions to the Imperial Family. On Hamle 20, 1943 (July 27, 1951) Empress Menen’s great-grandson Yohannes Mangasha was born to her granddaughter Aida Desta and husband Ras Mangasha Seyum. Empress Menen’s daughter-in-law, Medferiash Work, the wife of the Crown Prince gave birth to daughter Sehin Azeb on Tahsas 1, 1944 (December 10, 1951), and on Tirr 22, 1944 (January 30, 1952) another grandson, Dawit Mekonnen, was born to Menen’s son Prince Mekonnen and daughter-in-law Sara Gizaw. A Childcare Center in Kechene located in the north end of Addis Ababa for orphans and impoverished children was opened on Megabit 8, 1944 (March 17, 1952) by Empress Menen near Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Church. The Empress had donated 200,000 birr and 29,600 square meters (318,610 square feet) of land and buildings to construct this center.

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On Megabit 11, 1944 (March 20, 1952), the Empress went to Ambo for recreation and to visit various government offices. [The Empress must have enjoyed the relaxing and restorative quality of the warm mineral springs in Ambo.] On Ginbot 1 (May 9) and again on Sene 17 (June 24), the Empress visited schools in the town of Nazareth, the capital of the Oromia Region. The Empress visited patients at the Princess Tsehay Memorial Hospital on Sene 26 (July 3). On Meskerem 24, 1945 (October 4, 1952), the momentous occasion of the reunification ceremony of Eritrea with Ethiopia occurred. Empress Menen traveled to Asmara with Emperor Haile Sellassie I and her children, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, Prince Mekonnen the Duke of Harar, and their wives. The husband of Princess Tenagne Work, Betwoded Andargatchew Messai, was the newly appointed Viceroy to Eritrea. Also attending the reunification ceremony were Ethiopian ministers, nobility, clergy, and ambassadors of the United States, Britain, France and Italy. In Asmara, the Empress was warmly welcomed and heard to comment that the climate was much hotter than in her highland home of Addis Ababa. Menen held talks with the ladies of Eritrea and presented many gifts. While in Asmara, members of the Imperial Family would have stayed at the Asmara Palace, which had been built as the seat of government of the previous Italian Colony of Eritrea, and at that time was the home of Empress Menen’s daughter Princess Tenagne Work, and her family. The Empress proceeded to Dessie on Tikimt 8 (October 18), and visited the surrounding area, returning to Addis Ababa on Tikimt 18 (October 28). While Their Majesties were away, their great-grandson, Estifanos (Stephen) Mangasha was born to their granddaughter Aida Desta and her husband Ras Mangasha Seyum. During 1945 (1953) the Empress continued to travel. On Tirr 14 (January 22), Empress Menen went to Eritrea for a second time and was involved in resolving several problems of the people there. As part of her effort to develop artisanship in Ethiopia, on Miyaziya 16 (April 24) the Empress visited a craft school to give maternal advice to the young people there. On Ginbot 1 (May 9), the Empress led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the St. Raguel Church, at a place in the Merkato (market) district of Addis Ababa known as Fitawurari

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Habte-Giorgis. The Empress visited various official departments in Harar on Hamle 19 (July 26), where she once again helped to resolve issues presented to her by the local people. Prince Zara Yakob was born to Menen’s son Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Medferiash Work on Miyaziya 10, 1945 (August 15, 1953). Zara Yakob was later appointed the Crown Prince of Ethiopia by Emperor Haile Sellassie I and succeeded his father, His Imperial Highness Amha Sellassie I (Crown Prince Asfa Wossen) on Tirr 9, 1990 (January 17, 1997), to become the Head of the Imperial House of Ethiopia. From Tirr 18 to Yakatit 3, 1946 (January 26 to February 10, 1954), the Empress visited Eritrea for a third time, and received the Eritrean ladies at the Asmara Palace. [It is likely that her daughter Princess Tenagne Work, whose husband was posted there, organized this social gathering. There is no doubt that many Eritrean women would have been delighted to meet Empress Menen and her daughter, and the Empress may have used this function to promote family issues such as the improvement of education and medical care.] Shortly after her return from Eritrea, the Empress visited a newly opened department of handicrafts at the Empress (Etege) Menen School on Yakatit 16, 1946 (February 23, 1954), which had been established by a donor organization. Prince Mekonnen and Princess Sara Gizaw had their son Prince Phillip (Fileppos) Tafari on Nehase 9, 1946 (March 18, 1954).

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Chapter 19

The 25th Anniversary of The Empress Menen School

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n Miyaziya 18, 1946 (April 26, 1954), after two and a half decades of delivering education and vocational training to countless deserving students, the Empress (Etege) Menen Girls’ School celebrated its 25th Anniversary. The Emperor and the Empress, as well as thousands of others, attended the celebration. On this occasion Minister Tsehafi Te’ezaz Teferawork Kidanewold delivered the following speech on behalf of the Empress: “With strong conviction, His Imperial Majesty, King of Kings, believed that there is nothing better for a country’s progress and advancement than education. In this regard he built many schools for boys. But if girls are left behind without having regular education, they will be at a disadvantage. Therefore, I opened this school for the teaching of girls aged twenty-five years old and younger, since I believe girls should have the same educational opportunities as boys. “After beginning to make significant progress, this school’s operation was interrupted by enemy invasion. By the grace of

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e m pr es s m en en a s faw God, the school resumed operation after victory. Since then, many girls have managed to complete their education here and have proceeded to attend higher education and gain employment in governmental offices and in the private sector. “It is known that, if provided with the necessary education, girl students can contribute to the developmental effort of their country. Twenty-five years ago when this school was established, the total number of students was no more than fifty. At present, I am pleased to see that enrollment has risen to more than 1,500 students. I would like to thank God for enabling us to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Empress Menen School. “I would also like to thank the director of the school, herself a woman, and the women teachers here for doing their best in all areas of this school’s development.”

[What a joyful occasion for Empress Menen, to know that so many young women from all over Ethiopia had been educated at a school with first-rate facilities, and that several alumni of the school had contributed to the development of the country. The school’s curriculum exposed women for the first time to the sciences, while the art and handicraft departments of the school were instrumental in improving and expanding the traditional heritage of painting, as well as fabric and garment production.]

The Emperor Visits America In the spring of 1946 (1954), the Emperor accepted an invitation from President Eisenhower to visit the United States of America. Empress Menen went to the airport on Ginbot 11, 1946 (May 19, 1954) to see off her husband, along with their youngest son Prince Sahle and granddaughter Princess Sybil Desta. Others who went on this trip to America included Justice Minister Wolde Giorgis, Foreign Minister Aklilu Habtewold, Gen. Abeye Abebe, and advisor John Spencer. While in Washington D.C., Haile Sellassie I addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Ginbot 18 (May 26).

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While the Emperor was away, Empress Menen’s daughter Princess Tenagne Work stayed with her mother at the Guenete Leul Palace. Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, Prince Mekonnen the Duke of Harar, and their wives ate most of their meals at the palace with the Empress. The Empress and her family celebrated the Emperor’s sixty-second birthday at the Guenete Leul Palace on Hamle 16 (July 23). The Empress met the Emperor at the airport on his return from his two and a half month tour of the United States, Canada, and Mexico on Hamle 27 (August 3). The streets of the capital city were festively decorated with red, yellow and green streamers, and a twenty-one-gun salute was sounded in Addis Ababa as airplanes dropped leaflets to celebrate the Emperor’s return. Their Majesties stopped first to pray at Holy Trinity Cathedral, before attending a reception held at the Imperial Palace for 800 guests. After this celebration, Their Majesties went to the Guenete Leul Palace, where joyful ululation of the staff welcomed the Emperor home. Surrounded by his family at the lunch table, the Emperor told them about his trip to America.

Menen’s World: The Assumption of St. Mary On Nehase 8, 1946 (August 14, 1954), the Empress celebrated the end of the fasting days of Filseta in Addis Ababa and went to Harar to celebrate the second feast day. In Harar, the Empress visited several monasteries and made donations. After a three-week stay in Harar, she returned to Addis Ababa on Pagume 4 (September 9). Filseta is the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian celebration of the Assumption (Ascension) of St. Mary. Preceding the feast days is a fourteen-day fast. At that time the faithful abstain from meat, eggs and other animal products out of concern for their physical purity. To attend to their spiritual purity, the devoted solemnly pray and carry out good works, and time is given to resolve any differences in the community. At evening services, hymns honoring Mariam are sung, and readings are given from the “Book of Miracles of Mary”. On the fifteenth day, people prepare for the three-day feast by shopping for new clothes and food, and by cleaning and cooking. There is a joyous evening service to commemorate Mary’s burial, followed by an all-night vigil

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before people return home to celebrate and feast. Three days later, the Ascension of Mary is celebrated. It is chronicled that many miracles occurred at the time Mary, the Mother of Jesus, ascended to heaven.

The Emperor Visits Europe The Emperor and an Ethiopian delegation left for Europe in Tikimt 1946 (October 1954) by invitation of several European governments. Empress Menen stayed at home and celebrated the Coronation Day in Ethiopia on Tikimt 23 (November 2). After visiting Britain, France, West Germany, Yugoslavia, Greece, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria, Emperor Haile Sellassie I was warmly welcomed home on Hidar 27 (December 6). On Yakatit 15, 1947 (February 22, 1955), the Empress accompanied the Emperor to attend the annual event held at Harar Meda Air Force Academy in Debre Zeit. On Yakatit 23 (March 2), the Empress and Emperor presented certificates to nurses at a graduation ceremony at the Empress Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa. On Yakatit 24 (March 3), the Empress visited the Empress (Etege) Menen School to encourage the students there. On Megabit 23 (April 1), two days before her sixty-fourth birthday, the Empress visited the town of Nazareth. On Sene 3 (June 10), the Empress visited schools and clinics in Ambo. The Empress presented certificates to nursing school graduates on Hamle 7 (July 14). [This may have taken place at the teaching hospital named after her deceased daughter, Princes Tsehay.] In Nehase 1948 (August of 1955), Della Hanson, who had worked in the Guenete Leul Palace for fourteen years, returned to America because the high altitude was taking a toll on her husband, Herbert’s, health. For Their Majesties, it must been a sad day to see friends such as the Hansons leave Ethiopia. Also in 1951 (1955), Empress Menen’s granddaughter, Princess Ijigayehu, the daughter of Crown Prince and his first wife Princess Wolete Israel, married Dej. Fikre-Selassie Hapte Mariam in Addis Ababa.

Chapter 20

The 25th Silver Coronation Jubilee Tikimt 23, 1948 EC (November 2, 1955 GC)

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he Emperor and Empress attended the 25th Silver Jubilee Coronation celebration ceremony at St. George’s Church in Menagesha, Addis Ababa on Tikimt 23, 1948 (November 2, 1955). To catch sight of Their Majesties as they passed by in an open motorcade, thousands of people lined the streets of Addis Ababa. That day, the Empress wore a long, gold-trimmed red cape, and was attended by her granddaughters, Princess Aida and Princess Sybil. On this special occasion, the traditional red umbrella was once again held over the Empress as she entered the church. After the church service there was a state dinner that evening at the Guenete Leul Palace. In honor of the jubilee celebration, the Emperor introduced an amended constitution, which promised the Ethiopian people equal rights under the law, including the right to vote for government representatives. However, the document retained the traditional prerogatives of the Emperor, as reflected in the following clause: “By virtue of His Imperial Blood as well as by the anointing which He has received, the person of the Emperor is sacred.

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e m pr es s m en en a s faw His dignity is inviolable and His Power indisputable. He is, consequently, entitled to all the honors due Him in accordance with tradition and the present constitution. Anyone so bold as to seek to injure the Emperor will be punished.”

A Silver Jubilee Exhibition to showcase the diversity of Ethiopian life and national achievements, as well as exhibits from nineteen other countries, was opened in Addis Ababa by Their Majesties on Tikimt 20 (November 5). [If you view the film footage of this occasion, you may wish to know that Empress Menen wore a large hat and moved slowly, perhaps exhausted by the jubilee festivities.] The Haile Sellassie I Theater (later renamed the Ethiopian National Theater), which seated an audience of 1260, was completed and a performance was lead by musical director, Franz Zelwecker. Also at this time, ground was broken for the Imperial Family’s future residence, the Jubilee Palace, as well as the adjacent Ghion Hotel. Emperor Haile Sellassie initiated the construction of a new Church of St. Mary of Zion next to the old church in Axum. This new church was completed in 1964 and allowed entrance to women.

24 Empress Menen visiting soldiers wounded at the Battle of Keren.

25 Gethsemane St. Mary’s Church established by Empress Menen in Sebeta.

27 Empress Menen viewing handcrafted products.

26 Empress Menen celebrating the New Year in traditional Ethiopian attire.

28 Empress Menen viewing metal handcrafts.

29 Empress Menen viewing knitted handcrafts.

30 Empress Menen visiting an art school.

31 The Emperor and Empress celebrated their 25th Silver Coronation Jubilee at St. George’s Church in Addis Ababa.

32 Empress Menen presenting a book to a young woman.

Part Five

The Final Years

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Chapter 21

The Latter Years of Empress Menen 1948–1951 EC (1955–1959 GC)

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n Tahsas 16, 1948 (December 25, 1955), the Empress flew to Massawa by special plane to visit Eritrea for the fourth time. After visiting various offices, she went on to the Asmara Palace to celebrate Christmas with her daughter Princess Tenagne Work and son-in-law, the Viceroy of Eritrea, Ras Andargatchew Masai. After attending church on Christmas morning on Tahsas 29, 1948 (January 7, 1956), the Empress presented gifts to young women students. On Tirr 5, 1948 (January 14, 1956), the Empress visited the Empress Menen Nursing School in Asmara, which was established by the Empress in 1955 in cooperation with the American Point IV Program. This institution is known today as the Asmara School of Nursing and has provided training to many Eritrean women. The Empress returned to Addis Ababa on the following day. The Imperial Family grew again when on Meskerem 30, 1949 (October 10, 1956), Empress Menen’s great-grandson, Samson Mariam, was born to her granddaughter Princess Ijigayehu and husband Dej. Fikre-Selassie Hapte Mariam, and in Megabit 1949 (March of 1957), a grandson named Be’eda Mariam, was born to Princess Sara Gizaw, the wife of Prince Mekonnen.

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Later in 1948 (1956), in the holy city of Jerusalem, construction was begun on a two-story building on the land purchased by Empress Menen twenty years earlier. Upon completion, part of this building was used as an Ethiopian Cultural Center. In the winter of (1949) 1956, the Emperor was the first head of state to visit Japan after World War II.

Expansion of the Kechene Childcare Center In 1948, (1956) the Childcare Center, which Empress Menen had founded in the poverty stricken area of Kechene in Addis Ababa, was expanded. A primary school and new buildings large enough to accommodate one hundred additional children were officially inaugurated in the presence of the Emperor and the Empress on the day after Christmas, Tahsas 30, 1949 (January 8, 1956). At that time an American nurse ran the Childcare Center; another American woman from the Sudanese Interior Missionary headed the education department, and the Ethiopian Ministry of Education provided six schoolteachers. The center also accommodated the blind. Five blind teachers taught Braille and handicrafts to twenty young girls so they could later support themselves. The staff included twenty-one paid positions including an administrator, six assistant-babysitters, five cooks, three laundry workers, a gardener/janitor, and four watchmen. In addition, two blind assistant teachers and another young teacher were provided pocket money from the organization. The Empress frequently visited the Childcare Center in Kechene, especially on holy days, to present various gifts, which always delighted the children. The Empress provided all necessary supplies and oversaw the management of the center. To grant a means of income for the center, Empress Menen donated the proceeds of an Alcohol Distillatory in Berga, which provided 2,000 birr monthly to cover most of the expenses, plus the income from 312 shares of Dire Dawa Cotton Company, and 247 shares of Sabean Utility Corporation. At the time of Empress Menen’s passing, more than three hundred orphans attended school and lived at the Childcare Center, and a total of 15,691 birr, obtained from share profits, was held as a contingency fund for the center.

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Menen’s World: At Home in the Palace According to Della Hanson, who returned to Ethiopia (date unknown) to serve the Imperial Family as the palace supervisor, it was always a joyous occasion for the Emperor and Empress when their grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited the palace for lunch or tea, accompanied by their nurses. Princess Mariam Sena, the daughter of Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Princess Medferiash, in an article entitled “The little daughter of the Negus, or Addis-Ababa nostalgia”, remembers playing in the elevator as a child at the Guenete Leul Palace with the other princes and princesses, and watching newsreels and motion pictures at the palace. Princess Mariam also recalled how her grandfather, the Emperor, was attentive and gentle with his wife and endearingly called her ‘tu.’ [This perhaps refers to the familiar French ‘you.’ As mentioned before, the Emperor spoke fluent French, the lingua franca of that time.] The Emperor also enjoyed listening to classical music, especially Beethoven and Chopin, played on a phonograph.

Empress Menen’s Great Sorrow On Ginbot 3, 1949 (May 11, 1957), the Emperor and Empress went by plane to the Awasa Palace to visit Sidamo, and then went on to their vacation home near Shashemene in Wendo Genet. Their son, Prince Mekonnen, Governor of Harar, was driving to join them when his vehicle was involved in an accident on Ginbot 4th (May 12th). On the following day, an advisor informed Their Majesties that a relative was in the hospital. The royal couple was transferred to Addis Ababa, as it was tradition that someone could only be told about the loss of a family member when they were at their home. The leader of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abuna Basilios, met them at the hospital, where Their Majesties sadly learned of their son’s tragic death. Within an hour, the funeral procession had started towards Holy Trinity Cathedral along streets lined with thousands of woeful people. The Imperial Band preceded the carriage carrying the casket, and was followed by a limousine conveying the deeply grieving Empress

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Menen, while Haile Sellassie walked along barefoot. Priests and dignitaries walked behind the Emperor. At Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Emperor stood at the back of the crowd next to the Empress and their daughter-in-law Sara Gizaw, the Duchess of Harar. Both women were covered in black veils. [It was widely recognized that Prince Mekonnen was Haile Sellassie’s favorite son, and his death had to be a terrible shock to both parents. Only forty days earlier, Sara Gizaw had given birth to her fifth son, Prince Be’eda, and her four other sons were aged nine, seven, five and three.] Empress Menen officially mourned the loss of her son until Pagume 4 (September 9), but surely she grieved for Prince Mekonnen long after that. Following the death of her son, Empress Menen assisted many churches. In 1949 (1957), the Empress donated a large sum for the reconstruction of the Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Church in the town of Dessie in the Wollo district. This church had been established by her grandfather King Mikael, and was in an area that had been heavily bombed during the Italian invasion. The Empress funded the construction of Mitak Emmanuel Church and a fourteen-room shelter for believers who frequented the church in Tegulet-Bulga, an area in Wollo south of Dessie. When the monks from the KeretsaMariam Monastery in the Tigray region requested help due to a severe water shortage, the Empress funded a water tank there. The Empress bought a flourmill for the monks at the Debre Abbey monastery in Tigray, and donated the rental income from a building she owned in Addis Ababa to support the Gethsemane St. Mary’s Church in Menagesha, Addis Ababa. Another son, Jalye Mangasha, was born to Menen’s granddaughter Aida Desta and her husband Ras Mangasha Seyum in 1949 (1957). In 1950 (1958), the Empress built St. Michael Church in Awaro in the administrative district of Jibat-Mecha, a large barley producing area in the central highlands of Ethiopia, and provided a per diem for the priests. She also funded the construction of a craft school in the town of Dessie to train some three hundred young people. In 1950 (1958), the Emperor donated Fairfield House, where the royal family had taken refuge in England during the Italian occupation, to the city of Bath. This building was turned into an Old People’s

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Home. Today, there is an area known as Empress Menen Gardens on the previous grounds of Fairfield House that provides sheltered housing for older residents and disabled people. During 1950 (1958) Their Majesties welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester when they visited Ethiopia. During 1950 and 1951 (1958 and 1959), two of Empress Menen’s great-grandchildren were born and two of her grandchildren were wed. A son named Lij Seyum Mangasha was born to Menen’s granddaughter Aida Desta and husband Ras Mangasha Seyum, and on Tahsas 10, 1951 (December 19, 1958), Rachel Fikre-Selassie, was born to Princess Ijigayehu and her husband Dej. Fikre-Selassie Hapte Mariam. Two of Empress Menen’s granddaughters, the children of Princess Tenagne Work and Ras Desta, had a double wedding in Addis Ababa on Tirr 23, 1951 (January 31, 1959). Princess Sofia married Captain Dereje Haile Mariam, and Princess Sybil married Dej. Kassa Wolde Mariam, who later became president of the Haile Sellassie I University (known today as Addis Ababa University).

Update: The Empress Menen School In an article entitled, “Empress Menen School for Girls” published in 1950 (1958), it was stated that pupils attending the Empress (Etege) Menen School numbered 1,360, with an enrollment of 190 students in the Secondary School, and that a total of 340 girls stayed in the dormitories on the premises. The director at that time was Empress Menen’s granddaughter, Princess Imabet Ruth Desta, who took the position after the former director, Woizero Senedu Gebru, became a Member of Parliament in 1949 (1957). The ‘international atmosphere’ of the school was represented in the teaching staff, with sixty instructors from countries including Canada, Egypt, England, France, India, Norway and Sweden. There were ten teachers who taught handwork, which was an important part of the school curriculum. The first two grades at the Empress Menen School were Kindergarten, where the children had free playtime and activities such as singing, dance movement, lessons, a rest period and artwork. The elementary school followed the Ministry of Education curriculum and those who

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did well were promoted to take science and mathematics. The students who did not advance in math and science, took cooking, dressmaking and home economics. The handcrafts section of the school was highly admired by the people of Addis Ababa, who were able to purchase needlework such as embroidery, lace, drawn-thread articles, place mats, cushion covers and children’s clothes at an annual summer show put on by the Empress Menen School. Extracurricular activities at the school included piano lessons, an Art Club, Gymnastics Club, Drama Club and Girl Guides.

Chapter 22

Final Tour to the Holy Land Miyaziya 17 to 30, 1951 EC (April 25 to May 8, 1959 GC)

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n 1951 (1959) the Empress returned to Jerusalem for what would be her last tour, in order to express her gratitude that Ethiopia was again independent, and to celebrate Easter there. The Empress, aged 68, was accompanied by her daughter Princess Tenagne Work and her granddaughter Sofia Desta, Minister Tsehafi-Te’ezaz Teferawork, Minister of Staff Aba-Hanna Jima, Dej. Dagnaw Tesema, Bishop Wolde-Gabriel Wolde-Mariam, her personal physician, Dr. Otto, Ato Zewge, and her male and female servants. The Emperor, along with Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, His Holiness Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Abuna Basilios, and other members of royal families were present at the airport to see the Empress and her party off. The journey began at 7:30 AM on Miyaziya 17, 1951 (April 25, 1959), when the Empress and her party boarded a special plane at the Haile Sellassie I Airport (today Bole International Airport) in Addis Ababa. At 10:00 AM, the plane landed at Massawa Airport in Eritrea, where the Eritrean Chief Executive Bitwoded Asfeha Wolde Michael, and other Eritrean nobles and landlords hosted

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Empress Menen until her plane refueled to take off at 4:00 PM. [This was the first time the Empress was able to go by plane to the Holy Land. Previously she had traveled by train and ship to reach Jerusalem.] When Her Majesty disembarked from the plane in Jerusalem, the Governor of Jordan received her, along with the Governor of Jerusalem, the Mayor of Jerusalem, and other civil and military officials. The Archbishop of the Ethiopian monasteries in Jerusalem, Abuna Phillipos, plus many Ethiopian monks, nuns and priests were present to welcome Empress Menen. After getting acquainted with the Jordanian officials, Empress Menen proceeded by special vehicle to reach the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, where the royal party was offered refreshments. On Palm Sunday, Miyaziya 18 (April 26), which commemorates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before he was crucified, Empress Menen visited Golgotha, to pay her respect at the place where Christ was crucified, and visited other holy places. Every year on Palm Sunday, the Ethiopian community in Jerusalem gathers in the courtyard of Deir Al-Sultan just before midnight. The service begins in the small Chapel of St Michael and lasts until 8:00 AM. After the service, everyone comes out onto the roof at Golgotha looking happy and refreshed to form a procession holding olive branches. The priests are dressed in elaborate ecclesiastical robes and carry colorful tasseled umbrellas, and the procession is accompanied by the music of the “mesengo”, a traditional square stringed instrument, played by minstrels known as “azmari”. On the day after Palm Sunday, Empress Menen and her companions set out to tour the historical sites of Jordan. The Empress visited the Church of St. Eleazar, and the cemetery that His Majesty Haile Sellassie I had acquired for Ethiopians, so they could be buried in the Holy Land. The tour stopped at a spot where, from a distance, they could see the place where Jesus Christ fasted for forty days and nights before being tempted by the devil. They passed the monastery of Corinth, Jericho, and the fig tree of Zakeus, to arrive at Holy Trinity Church and Monastery, which Empress Menen had established on the banks of the Jordan River. The monks and nuns at the monastery warmly welcomed Empress Menen and she handed over to the abbot books and alms brought from

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Addis Ababa, before visiting the residential houses and the garden there. The Empress had donated a building in Addis Ababa, which cost 200,000 birr to construct, so that the rental revenue could be transferred to Jordan to support the Holy Trinity Monastery. Next, the Empress went to the place along the Jordan River where Jesus Christ was baptized, and in commemoration, Menen was re-baptized there. [At the age of sixty-eight, it must have been a powerful experience for the Empress to be baptized in the place where John the Baptist had immersed Jesus Christ.] Later that day, the Empress went to the Sea of Lot and the town of Sodom and Gomorrah, before returning to the hotel by noon. On Miyaziya 20 (April 28) at 9:00 AM Empress Menen set out for Mother Mary’s burial place at Gethsemane. Here Greek and Armenian monks, dressed in monastic robes, welcomed the Empress by lighting lamps. The Empress then visited the burial places of St. Manania, St. Eiakemina and St. Joseph, and made a donation to the monastery there. On Miyaziya 21 (April 29), Empress Menen proceeded on to Debre Zeit (Mount of Olives) to pay homage at the place where Jesus Christ had ascended to heaven. On her return trip, the Empress visited the adjacent Russian Orthodox Church, where she toured the nunnery and made a donation. On the way to her hotel, the Empress visited an institute for disabled people and made a donation. On Miyaziya 22 (April 30), Empress went to Deir Al-Sultan in Golgotha, the Holy Sepulcher where Christ was buried, on the holy day of Tselote Hamus (Holy Thursday). This is the day when the act of Christ washing the feet of his apostles is commemorated. The Empress paid homage near the Ethiopian monastery of Debre Genet Medhane Alem (Savior of the World), at the place where Christ’s body was prepared for burial after crucifixion, and then returned to her hotel. That afternoon, the Empress received and held talks with public figures from the area. When the abbot of the Romanian monasteries explained that they had financial problems, the Empress made a large donation. Several Ethiopians living in Jerusalem expressed their needs and concerns, and the Empress gave financial support to each depending on his or her problem, until 7:00 PM.

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Celebrating Easter in Jerusalem On the holy day of Good Friday, Miyaziya 23 (May 1), the Empress, along with her companions, went to Golgotha to participate in the ceremony there. They paid homage to the holy place where Jesus was crucified, where His body was prepared for burial and where He was buried, and then returned to the hotel. [Devout Ethiopian Orthodox Christians typically fast from Good Friday until Easter Sunday.] At noon, the royal party visited a Station of the Cross where Jesus Christ suffered many tortures and where His blood was shed. They visited a monastery, and went on to an Islamic charitable institute for orphans and underprivileged children, where the Empress made a large donation before returning to her hotel. Miyaziya 24 (May 2) was a Saturday, when an event known as Si’ur was celebrated. The Empress and her companions went to Golgotha and proceeded to the Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Church at Deir Al-Sultan, to attend prayer on the roof of the Holy Sepulcher amid a large congregation. On this day, His Holiness, Abuna Phillipos, the Archbishop of Ethiopian monasteries in Jerusalem, and the monks and nuns of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordan, Debre Genet Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Monastery, and KidaneMeheret (Covenant of Mercy) Monastery welcomed the Empress with olive branches, singing, “He made peace on the cross. He was revealed in resurrection.” The Patriarch presented an olive branch to Empress Menen, and she participated in the celebration. The Holy Saturday (Si’ur) festival at the Holy Sepulcher commemorates the time that Jesus is said to have lain in the tomb and descended into hell to release those held captive there. On this day every year, the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church waits inside the tomb of Christ holding 33 candles, where, according to Orthodox tradition, at exactly 2:00 PM, a sunbeam lights these candles. The Patriarch then emerges, carrying the Holy Fire to light the candles of thousands of worshippers who crowd into the church for the ceremony. On Saturday evening, the Ethiopian community conducts its own Holy Fire ceremony at Golgotha (Calvary) in the courtyard of the Deir Al-Sultan Monastery, located on the roof of the Chapel of the Finding of the Cross. During this festival, the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church,

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dressed in an elaborate golden vestment and a jeweled crown, holds a candle carrying the Holy Fire to light the candles carried by monks, nuns and pilgrims dressed in white cotton robes. Led by the Archbishop, the worshippers dance around the dome on the roof, beating drums, while chanting and singing, as clouds of incense waft through the air. After the ceremony, the Empress made a donation to the Ethiopian monasteries, and then returned to Golgotha to see the flame emerging from the Christ’s burial place, and to experience the crowd gathered there eager to see this miracle. After returning to the hotel, Empress Menen received many religious leaders and abbots in her living room, and donated money and clothing. On Saturday evening on Miyaziya 24 (May 2), Empress Menen and her companions joined a large number of people at an Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem to celebrate Easter (Fasika). After the celebration, a prayer service began at midnight and ended at 1:30 AM. The Easter fast is traditionally broken by a joyful feast, which takes place after midnight mass on Easter Sunday morning. In commemoration of Easter, Empress Menen visited three monasteries, where she received priests, monks, nuns and all the Ethiopians living in Jerusalem. On Easter Sunday, Miyaziya 25 (May 3), the Empress received several guests at the hotel, where she offered them champagne and congratulated them for Easter. In the afternoon, the Empress presented several Jordanian officials and police officers with gold medals embossed with the likeness of Emperor Haile Sellassie I, and presented other gifts made of gold to each according to his or her position.

Touring the Holy Land On Miyaziya 26 (May 4), after the Empress had visited the holy places in Jerusalem to the east of the Jordan River, the Empress bid farewell to the officials of Jordan. When the Empress arrived in Jerusalem, government officials and the city mayor and officials received the Empress with a ceremonial welcome and led to special lodgings at the King David Hotel. Though the traveling was tiresome, Empress Menen rested only a few minutes before leaving to visit the Debre Genet Kidane-Mariam (Our Holy Mother Mary) Monastery. There, the

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Empress was received by monks and nuns dressed in priestly clothes who sang songs and carried the crucifix of the Lord. The Empress expressed appreciation to all before returning to her hotel. The 18th Jubilee of Ethiopia’s liberation from Italian occupation was observed on Miyaziya 27 (May 5). The Empress was ceremonially accompanied into the Debre Genet Kidane-Mariam (Our Holy Mother Mary) Church in Jerusalem, followed by her children and companions. She handed gifts to the abbot that she had brought for the church, and the priests conducted a prayer of alms known as Tselote-Meb’a in grateful recognition of her compassionate and charitable support of the church. The regular liturgy followed, and immediately afterward, the priests and the Ethiopian community greeted the Empress by repeating, “We wish your royal Honor a happy and prosperous Jubilee.” After the service everyone gathered at the hall in the monastery to enjoy a splendid breakfast with the Empress and the priests, before the royal party returned to the King David Hotel. At 9:15 AM on that day, the Empress was introduced to the Prime Minister of Israel, Mrs. Golda Meir, who had arranged to meet with her. The Empress, accompanied by her daughter, granddaughter and the Ethiopian State Secretary Teferawork, honorably welcomed Mrs. Golda Meir. The Prime Minister presented the gift of a Bible from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to commemorate the Empress’s visit to Jerusalem. The Bible, decoratively plated in silver and gold, was written in Hebrew and English, and ended at the second book of Chronicles, so it did not include the entire New Testament. The Empress expressed hearty words of pleasure at this honorable gift, and Mrs. Meir parted after a friendly conversation. In addition to visits made to various churches and monasteries during Empress Menen’s short stay abroad, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranged a tour for her that included the Hebrew University, the Women’s International Zionists Organization (WIZO) Hadassah Hospital, the WIZO Children’s Home in Jerusalem, the Tel-Aviv opera house, a handcrafts market, and the Ministry of Agriculture’s Bet Dagon Exhibition Center. Empress Menen, with her children and royal company, left the King David Hotel by motorcade at 10:20 AM. She went first to the Hebrew University, where the

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president, Professor Mazar, warmly received her. He introduced the Empress to the university staff before taking her on a tour of the classrooms, laboratories, reception area and library. The university library had books in Hebrew, as well as a large number of books from other parts of the world. There were many ancient books, including those written in Hebrew on thick hide before Christ was born, and books of the various prophets. Professor Mazar took different types of ancient books out of the original pots, in which they had been found and were still stored, to show them to the Empress. Many of these books had been recovered from various secret sites and caves, where they were preserved during invasions and wars. Empress Menen was impressed and greatly surprised to discover many of these ancient resources had survived without significant damage. As the visit came to an end, Professor Mazar, presented an ancient manuscript as a commemorative gift to the Empress. As she departed, Empress Menen received a warm farewell with joyful shouting and clapping both inside and outside the university compound. Empress Menen was aware that three Ethiopian students attended this university. The Empress then went to Hadassah, where she saw the tree still growing that had been used to make the cross for Christ’s crucifixion. She was given a warm and respectful welcome by hospital staff when she arrived at the WIZO Hadassah Hospital, which was still under construction. The head engineer described the design to Empress Menen in great detail and explained that when the hospital was completed, it would have a nursing school, a dormitory for student nurses, thirteen floors with one thousand beds for patients, administrative offices, kitchens and dining halls. After leaving the hospital at 12:30 PM, the royal party traveled to see the bell tower of Ain-Kerem, and then continued to the top of the plateau to the west of Hadassah, where the Empress prayed at the place where Zachariah and Elizabeth had lived. Before returning to the King David Hotel, the royal party also visited the temple where Zechariah had served as a priest. According to the bible, Zachariah was the husband of Elizabeth, a cousin of the Mother Mary. After the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her she was with the child whose name would be Jesus, it was Elizabeth who Mary visited; Elizabeth had a son who grew up to be John the Baptist (Luke 1).

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Later that afternoon, the Empress resumed her tour, heading next to a women and children’s home funded by WIZO. There, a small girl presented the Empress with a flower, and her special envoy, Mrs. Haribelin, introduced the Empress to the staff members. The director took her on a tour through the offices, children’s bedrooms, dinning hall, classrooms, and reception hall. Empress Menen told the staff that she found all the services to be more comfortable and accomplished than she had expected, and the Empress gave a large donation. At the request of the staff, the Empress placed her name and signature in a registry book as a permanent tribute of her visit. Everyone there gave Empress Menen a warm farewell as she left at 4:15 PM for her hotel. The next morning, on Miyaziya 28 (May 6) at 9:30 AM, Empress Menen continued her tour. On the way to Tel-Aviv, the Empress was pleased to see the beautiful produce farms and wheat fields, and admired the efficient irrigation system that allowed water to be sprinkled up into the air and fall down onto the crops like rain, as opposed to water reaching the fields through canals. At 10:30 AM, Empress Menen passed through the Ramile military outpost, where she stopped to talk with uniformed female soldiers and police officers waiting to honor Her Majesty. After passing plantations and farms, the Empress reached Tel-Aviv at 11:00 AM. Here, a large number of people eagerly waited outside the Frederic Man Philadelphia Opera House to see the Empress of Ethiopia. The mayor, Mr. Libanon, presented her with flowers and she was shown the threethousand-seat opera house. The royal party left just before noon to go to a Glass Museum, where the Empress viewed various ancient glass articles from Egypt, Greece, Rome, Byzantine and Persia. Most of the items were made in the fourth millennium before Christ, but some were made during the first and second century A.D. The Empress placed her name and signature in a registry book and presented a gold medal with an inscription of the Emperor to the museum. The next stop was a handcraft center, where the exhibition organizer welcomed the Empress and two young girls presented her with flowers. The center, run by Jews who had been previously exiled in Yemen, featured woolen garments such as men’s and women’s suits, carpets, porcelain,

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and crafts made of wood and iron. The royal party purchased a few items before they departed. In Tel-Aviv, the Empress and her party stayed at the Dan Hotel, which took its name from the biblical Dan, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 37). The manager of the hotel welcomed the Empress and led her to a special suite on the top floor of the hotel. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, the hotel was only eight years old. The royal party was invited to lunch in the underground dining room facing the sea, where a breeze created a pleasant atmosphere. The Empress then set out to visit an exhibition in Bet Dagol. The Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Adisholotz, welcomed Empress Menen at 4:00 PM and through the translation of Minister Teferawork, was introduced to Princess Tenagne Work and her daughter Sofia Desta. The Empress was shown that Ethiopia was among the list of importers of a variety of fruits grown on this farm. The royal party was served juices and Empress Menen expressed her appreciation for the activities of the ministry before returning to the King David Hotel at 7:00 PM. While in Jerusalem, perhaps the Empress received a telegram announcing the birth in Addis Ababa of her new granddaughter Sifrash Bizu on Miyaziya 28, 1951 (May 6, 1959), the last child of her son Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and daughter-in-law Princess Medferiash Work. On Miyaziya 29 (May 7) the Empress returned to the KidaneMehret (Covenant of Mercy) Monastery where monks, priests and many local people awaited her. After some time spent in prayer at the church, the monks and priests bid Empress Menen farewell and she made donations to those clergy who had not yet received her support. At the hotel that afternoon, the Empress received several Ethiopians living in Jerusalem, and gave financial aid to many of them. The Empress presented gold medals to her hostess, Mrs. Haribelin, and to her companions assigned by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After dinner, the manager of the King David Hotel invited the Empress and members of the royal family to sign the guest book. At 7:00 AM on Miyaziya 30 (May 8), the Empress left the King David Hotel, and was escorted to their national border by the Israeli officials who had initially welcomed her. Similarly, the officials of

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Jordan saw the Empress off. The royal party, accompanied by police and military officers, reached the Kalandia Airport (later named Atarot Airport) at 7:35 A.M, where the Empress made the following farewell speech: “I am pleased to invite and welcome you all to our country, which is the Queen of Sheba’s country, throughout whose entire history the wind of freedom has ever been blowing.” The Empress boarded the aircraft sent from Ethiopia for a 7:55 AM departure, and the plane touched down in Addis Ababa at 2:30 PM, ending her fourth and final trip to the Holy Land. Soon after Menen returned home, her Cambridge educated, twenty-eight-year-old youngest son Sahle-Selassie married Mahzente, the daughter of Dej. Habte Mariam Gabre-Igzibiher on Sene 7, 1951 (June 14, 1959). Following the wedding, the Empress saw her husband off as he left on a state visit to Russia by invitation of Nikita Khrushchev. On Sene 7, 1952 (June 14, 1960), Prince Sahle-Selassie’s wife, Princess Mahzente, gave birth to Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie who later became president of the Ethiopian Crown Council. Also during that year, Menen’s granddaughter Princess Ijigayehu had two girls named Meheret and Aster by husband Dej. Fikre-Selassie Hapte Mariam. On Hidar 5, 1953 (November 14, 1960) twins, Amha and Immabet Jote, were born to Menen’s granddaughter Princess Sybil and husband Dej. Kassa Wolde Mariam. In Hidar 1953 (November of 1960), Their Majesties received Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko of Japan at the National (Guenete Leul) Palace.

Chapter 23

The Failed Coup of 1953 EC (1960 GC)

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his chapter has been added to the original volume to complete the history of Empress Menen’s life. The failed coup of 1953 (1960) was an event that may have increased Empress Menen’s discomfort in the last months of her life when her health was beginning to fail. The Emperor was away on a state visit to Brazil when a coup attempt was made in Addis Ababa on Tahsas 4, 1953 (December 13, 1960). Those behind the takeover wanted more expedient social and economic progress, and had conspired for some time to bring about a constitutional monarchy. The mastermind of the plot was Girmame Neway, and leading the coup was his brother, Mengistu Neway, the commander of the Imperial Bodyguard. Other rebels included the police chief and a handful of intellectual activists, many who had been educated overseas by the Emperor. The rebels took over the radio station and other communication centers to announce the removal of the Emperor. Several cabinet ministers were captured and detained in the Green Salon, Empress Menen’s waiting room at the Guenete Leul Palace. Recognizing that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church would only accept a descendant of the Solomonic Dynasty as a ruler, the rebels involved the Empress’s forty-four-year-old son, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen in the plot, possibly

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luring him to the palace with a message that his mother, the Empress, was ill. He realized the graveness of the situation when he was taken hostage and locked in a room at the palace. The Crown Prince was escorted to the radio station and was forced at gunpoint to read an address to the nation outlining the political objectives of the rebellion. Empress Menen’s youngest son, twenty-nine-year-old Sahle Sellassie, an avid ham radio operator, alerted his mother when he became aware of the situation, and asked if he could send an announcement to the world at large. The Empress agreed, and Sahle sent the message, “Calling everybody, calling everybody! Ethiopia is in a critical state following a coup d’etat.” Some amateur radio operators in Great Britain received the news and contacted the Ethiopian Embassy in London. By the next morning, the rebel Neway brothers had realized that the coup had failed to achieve popular support, although many university students were in favor of the changes. The armed forces and the Orthodox clergy remained loyal to the Emperor, and the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abuna Basilios, made the following address on Tahsas 5 (December 14). “To my children, the Christians of Ethiopia, and to the entire Ethiopian people! Yesterday, Tahsas 4 (December 13), at about 10 in the evening (4:00 PM), soldiers of the Imperial Guard, who were entrusted with the safety and welfare of the royal family, committed crimes of treachery against their country. They were led by a handful of officers who undermined their faithfulness and violated their oaths of loyalty. The army, the air force, and the police force have not participated in this conspiracy. Therefore I admonish you not to waver in your loyalty! To keep your words of promise and to serve only the Emperor! Do not listen to the traitors! In accordance with the authority given to me, I urge you not to follow them.” When the Emperor learned of the coup, he had his plane readied to leave Brazil. In Addis Ababa, air force officials ordered a F-86F Sabre jet fighter plane to fly at a low altitude over the capital. The loud boom as the sound barrier was broken would have shocked the residents

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of the city. The American Ambassador to Ethiopia, Arthur Richards, attempted at this time to negotiate the release of the hostages locked in the Green Room at the Guenete Leul Palace. Meanwhile, the Emperor landed in Asmara, Eritrea to a cheering crowd, and placed the army under the command of his son-in-law, General Abeye. In a matter of hours, a gun battle raged through the palace grounds between the Imperial Army and the rebels in the Imperial Guard. In a final act, the insurgents shot the cabinet ministers and noblemen held hostage in the Green Salon, and then fled into the mountains. By nightfall of Tahsas 7 (December 16), the coup was over. Haile Sellassie returned to the capital on the evening of December 17 (Tahsas 8) to see, among the generals and officials waiting at the airport, his son Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, carrying a stone on his shoulder, in the traditional silent custom of asking for forgiveness. As Asfa Wossen bent to kiss his father’s feet, Haile Sellassie broke the imperial code of behavior by forgiving his son and sparing his life, although the other rebels were captured and hanged in the central square of Addis Ababa. The attempted coup had failed, but it clearly demonstrated the division between Ethiopians with more of a modern outlook and those who maintained traditional values. According to Haile Sellassie’s Obituary in TIME Magazine of August 8, 1975, the Emperor communicated more directly with his subjects in radio talks after this attempted coup. [This incident must have weighed heavily on Empress Menen’s heart, since her son, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, was implicated in the attempted takeover. She surely would have comforted the families of the dignitaries massacred in her waiting room.]

The Final Days of the Empress After the bloodshed of the failed coup d’etat, the Imperial Family moved from the Guenete Leul Palace to the much larger, newly completed Jubilee Palace. This impressive building was designed by architect Sir Walter May and had been commissioned by Emperor Haile Sellassie I in 1947 (1955) in honor of the Silver Jubilee Coronation Anniversary. The imposing two-story, cream-colored edifice had

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three grand entryways including the main portico, which was topped with a pair of sculpted lions. The Emperor commissioned a number of well-known artists to decorate the Jubilee Palace, and according to an article in Geo, a French travel magazine, the lavish interior included a formal grand hall, the royal apartments and large-scale public rooms decorated with large paneled sections covered in tapestries, curtains, marble and mirrors. When the Empress and her family moved in, only a few rooms were furnished and the surrounding grounds were treeless. At that time the palace may have felt more cavernous to the Empress than like a comfortable home. The Empress, known for her devotion, prayed daily at St. Mark’s Church on the palace grounds. At this time she donated a house to the priests of this church and gave a share in the Baratholo Cotton Factory to a religious association founded in Asmara, Eritrea. In 1953 (1961) the Emperor received a Jamaican delegation that included government officials and three members of the Rastafari faith to discuss repatriation. The Empress was not present at this meeting, although she may have been informed about the visit of the Jamaicans to her country.

50th Golden Jubilee Wedding Anniversary On Hamle 20, 1953 (July 27, 1961) the Emperor and Empress celebrated their gala 50th Golden Jubilee Wedding Anniversary at the Guenete Leul Palace in Addis Ababa. There were many family photographs taken at this time. Also in 1953 (1961), Menen’s granddaughter Aida Desta and husband Ras Mangasha Seyum had a daughter who they named Menen, after her great-grandmother. Sofia Desta, and husband Capt. Dereje Haile Mariam also had a daughter, Hannah Mehreta Selassie, at this time. Shortly before she passed away in 1954 (1962), the Empress gave 300 square meters (3,229 square feet) of privately held royal property to each of the 1,537 families who were tenants on that land. In addition, the Empress funded the establishment of a children’s clinic within the compound of the Haile Sellassie I Hospital. Despite her failing health,

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Empress Menen continued to regularly visit hospitals and governmental departments. During her life, Empress Menen lost seven of her children, four children from two marriages prior to marrying Haile Sellassie, and three children by Haile Sellassie: her daughters Princess Zenebework and Princess Tsahay, and son, Prince Mekonnen, who died in a car accident in 1949 (1957). After Prince Mekonnen’s tragic death, the Empress began to suffer from frequent heart problems. Concerned about the Empress’s health, the Emperor hired physicians from abroad to care for her and attended only crucial meetings of international or continental importance. While the Emperor was away attending the Lagos meeting of African leaders in Nigeria, he was summoned to return to Addis Ababa because of the aggravation of Empress Menen’s illness.

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34 Empress Menen visiting administrative districts. 33 The Emperor and the Empress officially opening The Empress Menen School in Arsi Negelle in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia.

35 Empress Menen with children and staff of the Childcare Center in Kechene.

36 Empress Menen chatting with young children.

37 Empress Menen visiting St. Paul’s Grammar School in Kolfe. 38 The Emperor and Empress inaugurating an airplane named Nasire Haile Sellassie.

40 Empress Menen arriving in the Holy Land in 1950 EC (1958 GC). 39 St. Ragual Church established by Empress Menen in Addis Ketema.

41 The Empress leaving the burial place of St. Mary at Gethsemane, Jerusalem.

42 Empress Menen being welcomed by the monks at Deir Al-Sultan Medhane Alem Church.

43 Trinity Church in Jordan, which Empress Menen had built.

44 Empress Menen at Christ’s tomb, accompanied by the Armenian Archbishop and Bishops.

45 Empress Menen and daughter, Princess Tenagne Work, receiving guests at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem.

47 Empress Menen receiving His Holiness Abuna Basilios, the first Ethiopian Patriarch.

46 The Emperor and the Empress celebrating their 50th Marriage Jubilee.

48 The Empress and Emperor inquiring about the care of patients.

50 The Emperor and Empress watching their children at a sports event. 49 The Emperor and Empress leaving Miskaye Hizunan Church.

51 The Emperor and Empress surrounded by a few of their grandchildren.

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Part Six

In Her Memory

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Chapter 24

Empress Menen’s Death Is a Great Loss to Ethiopia

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eginning in Tikimt 1954 (October 1961), Empress Menen was under special medical care for a weak heart. From the time her condition was announced over the radio, the entire nation, including priests, monks and nuns, as well as the church members in the cities and countryside, prayed for a remedy. In mosques across the country, the sheikhs (elders) and kadis (judges) did the same. The Ethiopian people, young and old, shared both the happiness and sorrow of their leaders, especially that of the Imperial Family, and they keenly followed the weekly medical press releases issued by the palace every Saturday. The public was relieved when they heard the announcement that the Empress had moved from the Jubilee Palace to her Villa, located near the Guenete Leul Palace. During her last month, the Empress got progressively better, and people in the area eagerly looked forward to seeing her. The adage ‘Man proposes and God disposes’ is as old as mankind. Despite medical efforts, Empress Menen passed away of heart failure in the early hours of Yakatit 8, 1954 (February 15, 1962) at the age of 71, less than a month before her 72nd birthday.

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In Honor of Empress Menen Thursday on February eighth (fifteen), the whole night through, The eternal radiant light of the Empress withdrew. Solemn sadness hovered over us, King of Wollo, Jantirar of Ambassel. The well-founded enormous temple, considered indestructible, Discontinued the benevolent supply to the poor today. The canopy of each and every one of us has blown away. The renowned palace where fearful forces stand at attention, The bold thief, death mischievously slipped in with daring intention. And with no stick at hand, no shield at arm, Mercilessly took our world away. What could have the grateful Empress been weary of on this day? To vanish in the night, leaving behind her motherland. Sewing black around our sheets, The Habesha (Abyssinian) needle stitched for all hands Now what assets to the poor can we offer instead? As there is shortage from above, broken the thread. She lived to supply her fruit to every one, Resembling the tree that King Nebuchadnezzar set eyes on. That sycamore of the poor has passed away. The Empress, never to reappear after today. Daniel

A Tribute to Empress Menen by Yared Gebre Michael It can be said that, Empress Menen crossed the valley of death with heavenly glory awaiting her, her righteous accomplishments filling the world with light. Death did not overwhelm her before she had accomplished monumental deeds using the wealth God had given her. The Empress was the people’s right hand, and her contributions were exemplary, surpassing those of other queens and empresses. [In reality, much of the legacy of the Emperor and Empress was eradicated after the Emperor was deposed, and Mengistu Haile Mariam governed Ethiopia during the Derg years from 1966 to 1983 (1974 to 1991)].

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The passing of Empress Menen was a great loss to the nation of Ethiopia, and created deep sadness among all of the Imperial Family, but especially, in the heart of Emperor Haile Sellassie, Menen’s husband of more than fifty years. The Empress was a true gift from God to the Emperor, who had not known a mother’s care for most of his childhood - since his mother had passed away before he reached the age of two - or the gentle guiding support of a father - since his father had passed away when he was fourteen. The support of the Empress was invaluable to the Emperor, especially during difficult times. Among Empress Menen’s greatest heartaches and challenges were the years spent in exile, and the loss of her children. The capacity of the Empress’s heart is echoed in the words of Solomon in Proverbs 31:10–27: “who can find a virtuous woman, the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her; she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengthened her arms. Her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff (spool of fiber). She stretched out her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She openeth her mouth with wisdom. She looketh well to the ways of her household.” We also feel the spirit of Menen in the reference, “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all” (Proverbs 31:29). The Empress never met anyone with a harsh expression or a condescending glance, or showed feelings of annoyance, or boastfulness. Her manner of speech was sympathetic and considerate towards everyone and her kindness and modesty were without doubt God’s spiritual gift to her. Her love of God and respect for human beings never diminished. Empress Menen used her understanding and wisdom to serve the country, to support the Emperor, to undertake spiritual deeds, to care for her family, and to show concern for her courtiers. The Empress was capable, even before her ascent to the throne, of managing all household activities and moreover she contributed greatly to the promotion of modern handcrafts, and women’s rights in Ethiopia. All of these actions pleased God as well as mankind. The existence of a good person such as Empress Menen creates many blessings, and so the passing of such a person creates great

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sorrow, especially to her beneficiaries. She looked after orphans in children’s homes by properly clothing, feeding, and educating them, and eventually helping them to find positions serving either at the palace or in the church. By granting part of her rural land, on both a permanent and temporary basis, to those deserving, the Empress helped to pension the elderly. The Empress took care of and visited the sick, received the poor and lessened their burdens, assisted the aged, consoled the sad, and performed tasks that brought healing to the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, and the imprisoned; while through all these good works, she prayed constantly for peace in her country. The attributes of Empress Menen resemble those of ancient biblical women such as Esther, Deborah, Judith and Helen, as well as renowned Ethiopian women such as Empress Mentewab, circa 1710–73 (1702–65), who was given the name of Berhan Mogessa (gifted with light) when she was crowned. Empress Mentewab is remembered with appreciation because she added on to the castle compound in Gondar and constructed the Kweskwam Complex (honoring Mother Mary) that overlooks Gondar from the mountains to the west. Both Empress Menen and Empress Mentewab had the baptismal name of Wolete Giorgis. Wolete means the use of the intellect to create a deeply sensitive and refined nature, and St. George is the dragon-slayer regarded as a symbol of bravery. The sermons and prayers that will continue to be offered in the numerous churches designed and built with funds donated from Empress Menen’s personal account stand as a continuing reminder of Empress Menen’s immeasurable benevolence. She was committed to a life of prayer and almsgiving, she abstained from unholy actions, and she regularly took the sacrament of Holy Communion. Empress Menen was indeed endowed with the qualities of wisdom, generosity, beauty, diligence, firm faith, love and respect for culture, as well as flawless family care - a wealth of qualities rarely given to an empress.

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Empress Menen Heeds the Call What happened to Empress Menen, And who called her and did beckon? We saw Her moving towards the sunset in the west. Princess Tsehay moved to welcome a visiting guest. Rise up Mekonnen you have had enough sleep, Please look at the world that continues to weep. Following the torrential rain that did drop, In February it felled Ethiopia’s crop. Tsehay, Zenebework and Mekonnen together, Have called the Empress, longing for their mother. Ethiopians take turns to cry at Her death, For the crop that was lost on February eighth (fifteenth). How did you dare father, Archbishop, bless her grave? May the Emperor be consoled; and with deep grief be brave. Imperial Family, may God console you for the loss of your guiding mother. And the Ethiopian people, be consoled for the loss of another. Yiheyis Zerefu

Empress Menen’s Funeral The funeral for Empress Menen was arranged overnight by the noblemen, ministers and high-ranking palace officials based in Addis Ababa. At 6:00 AM on Yakatit 8, 1954 (February 15, 1962), an announcement was broadcast on the radio that the Empress had passed away, a press statement was issued, and a 21-gun salute was fired. The Ministry of Palace Affairs sent a telegram to provincial governors, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the diplomatic missions abroad. The news was unbearable to listeners and informants alike. From the time of the announcement until the end of the funeral ceremony, church bells all over the capital city tolled at thirty-minute intervals. Governmental offices, businesses, and parks hung the Ethiopian flag at halfmast for three days. Ethiopians were once again in deep sorrow, as they had been five years earlier when Empress Menen’s son, Prince Mekonnen the Duke

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of Harar, passed away. City dwellers, upon hearing the 21-gun salute, and apprehensive about the passing of any member of the Imperial Family, knew this had to signal the death of the ailing Empress. Ministers, the nobility and elders, both men and women, flocked to the Guenete Leul Palace to grieve, and were shocked to see large portions of the otherwise bright throne room covered in black carpets. An honor guard oversaw the body as it was laid out at the palace at 7:00 AM. Mourners took their places in the funeral procession beginning at 9:00 AM. Some 500,000 grieving people covered the area between the Grand (Guenete Leul) Palace and the May 5 Memorial Statue. Dress for civilian men that day was a morning coat and black necktie, while women dressed in black robes. That morning the heavy wind that had been blowing all week, which seemed strong enough to snatch a person into the sky, suddenly stopped. The deadly silence after the howling wind was a consolation of sorts, and the tolling of the church bells added to the somber atmosphere in Addis Ababa. Among the people, tears poured down like the springs of the rainy season. Individuals were beating their chests as they fell and rose again, and some were even tearing their clothing. At 12:00 noon, the funeral procession began moving slowly from the Grand Palace to Holy Trinity Cathedral, escorted by the Imperial Bodyguard and soldiers from the army and air force. Dress for the military on this occasion was light or dark gabardine uniform, black beret, and a black insignia on the left sleeve. Twelve decorated high-ranking horsemen preceded the royal carriage, drawn by six horses in dark coverings, which carried the coffin of the Empress. Twelve decorated generals carrying swords marched on either side of the carriage, accompanied by senior military officers. Twelve clergymen carrying the medals and decorations of he Empress walked along behind the coffin. The Empress’s husband, His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I, and two of their surviving children Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Princess Tenagne Work, followed along with members of the Imperial Family, including the Emperor’s cousin Ras Imru, and niece Princess Yeshashwork Yilma. Bishops, high-ranking officials, ministers, representatives of foreign countries, high nobility, senior military officers, and musicians came next, and behind them an infantry unit and

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a cavalry unit followed. The body of Empress Menen was escorted by over 400,000 residents of Addis Ababa, crying for the loss of their mother, the Ethiopian Queen. When the coffin reached Holy Trinity Cathedral at 1:20 PM, it was placed inside the sanctuary. Her golden crown was placed atop the casket and the Empress’ Imperial Umbrella was held open over her coffin during the state funeral.

Empress Menen’s Eulogy by Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold The Prime Minister, His Excellency Tsehafi Te’ezaz Aklilu Habtewold, delivered the following moving address at the funeral service. “Today’s deep sorrow has affected the entire country. Our beloved and great Empress Menen was a sympathetic mother to the Ethiopian nation. She will remain in our memories as a highly respected and beloved mother who was compassionate and benevolent, with firm faith in God, and like other grand empresses, her name will be remembered forever. As we recall at this time the highly exalted behavior of Empress Menen, we are moved to deep sorrow, as are all her subjects who lived under her leadership for many years, and as are all who hear of her eminent virtues. “In addition to properly performing the tasks that God had chosen for her, Empress Menen demonstrated exceptional humanitarian outreach. Her descendants and her subjects alike will be filled with pride when they reflect on these qualities of the Empress, which likens her to our Blessed Mother. Her extensive assistance to the poor and consolation of the grieved with benevolence, endurance, sympathy, politeness and generosity, which were her guiding principles, will remain embedded in all our veins. “When considering how much Empress Menen contributed to the throne, having been chosen by God for this position, it is worth mentioning her support of the unreserved

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em p re ss m e ne n a s faw efforts of His Imperial Majesty to improve the lives of His beloved people and the growth of the country. “When we recall the deep grief she experienced by the successive deaths of her children, we can imagine the blow she encountered as a mother, and how this might have affected her family, and can understand the challenges that Empress Menen faced during her lifetime. Her natural stamina and broad-based thinking, coupled with her deep devotion and endurance, helped her to properly manage her leadership and role of motherhood to the people up to the very end. This has brought her appreciation and respect from all of us. “Her stamina and spiritual determination to stay with her subjects during the enemy attack on the country will always be remembered by Ethiopian women and mothers worldwide. In addition, the sacrifice she made to her country with her family during exile, and her humanitarian service that contributed to the final victory, will remain as unforgettable deeds. “After liberation, she not only established educational and medical institutions with her own money, but also contributed to various charitable activities beneficial to the people, especially in Addis Ababa. She not only had an orphanage constructed on her own land, near the Medhane Alem Church in Kechene, but also constructed a school on the premises of St. Paul’s Church for children unfairly incapacitated during the Italian occupation. She granted land and a house near the St. Urael Church to the Princess Zenebework School and with her own money established a Technical School named after her mother, Woizero Sehin. “While these are some of the living works that the Empress contributed both to her land and people, she also accomplished remarkable charitable activities in churches and monasteries throughout the country. Her activities abroad are memorable, especially in Jordan, where the Holy Trinity Church was built on a vast tract of land acquired with her personal funds. To accommodate the monks and nuns based at the Ethiopian monastery there, an income-generating scheme was put into place.

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“Further, the grant of land and money she provided for the rehabilitation of Ethiopian compatriots, while still accomplishing her daily tasks, was quite remarkable. Since the motherly attitude of the Empress outweighed her call as an empress, her benevolence and financial donations were offered out of sheer sympathy to alleviate the problems of her people and gained the love, trust and respect of the Ethiopian nation. Her prayerful life and devotion to God provided her with strength and composure. Her work was full of generosity and won her lasting appreciation. “Empress Menen is not only appreciated for her kind behavior and broad mindedness but also admired for her wisdom and excellent observances. As a close partner and support to His Imperial Majesty, her efforts toward helping Ethiopia to attain the highest civilization will always be remembered. By supporting and following the plans of His Imperial Majesty, Empress Menen had a tremendous effect on the transformation of our traditional culture to a modernized one, and this has made her an exemplary model for Ethiopian woman. “While our own deep sorrow today arises from the loss of our motherly Empress, our sympathy goes out to the Emperor, her husband, and to all her people for their loss. At this hour with an ache in our hearts, our concern and prayer is for our Emperor, who misses his partner who was with him through good times as well as difficult times. We can alleviate this deep sorrow by demonstrating our concern and gratefulness to His Majesty the Emperor in the form of work and prayers.” The Prime Minister ended his speech by calling all Ethiopians to stand by the Emperor’s side, and to stand by his beloved sons and daughter, and all members of the Imperial Family. A prayer of consolation followed. Wreaths were placed one after another on Empress Menen’s coffin by the Prime Minister, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the President of the Senate, the President of the House of Commons, the President of the Legal Council Department, the

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Minister of Staff, the Mayor of Addis Ababa and representatives of several foreign countries. At 2:00 PM, a horn was sounded and the honor guard, generals and senior military officers moved Empress Menen’s body into a crypt beneath Holy Trinity Cathedral. Twenty-one cannons were fired and there were floods of tears among those present. Emperor Haile Sellassie I then crossed in front of the saddened multitude to take his place at the service, at which time the Archbishop and the Patriarch of Ethiopia, Abuna Basilios, led the final prayers. Foreign dignitaries gave their condolences to the Emperor and then departed. At that point, His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I left for the Grand Palace and the funeral came to an end.

Chapter 25

The National Day of Mourning for Empress Menen

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n Yakatit 10, 1954 (February 17, 1962), five hundred thousand residents of Addis Ababa and the surrounding rural areas gathered in the capital for the traditional Day of Mourning. Since ancient times, a Day of Mourning has been held on the third day after a death in Ethiopia. On this day masses of people, who had journeyed long distances, offered their tears and condolences before the Emperor for motherly Empress Menen’s sorrowful death. As early as 7:00 AM, people assembled into their respective ethnic groups and places of origin, before flocking to the Grand (Guenete Leul) Palace and to Menbere Tsebaot (Pure Alter) Trinity Cathedral, where Empress Menen had been laid to rest. Archbishops, Bishops, distinguished ministers, military commanders, the nobility, and government officials took their assigned seats as four professional mourners hired for the occasion stood weeping. This created a solemn atmosphere of sorrow, causing everyone gathered in front of the Luncheon Hall

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at the Grand Palace to shed tears. Touching lamentations were heard, such as the following: My head aches as if a thorn pricked my skull. What if I had died instead of her? A woman who went into exile to retrieve the throne, How can you, mother of Mekonnen, be wasted away? My Lord Mekonnen, our son, Haven’t you seen your mother, the Empress, And your father, the Emperor, depart from one another? At 9:00 AM, the mourners took their seats in a large dark tent set-up opposite the entrance gate on the palace grounds. Soon after, Emperor Haile Sellassie I and the Imperial Family appeared and took their places in the tent. The program commenced immediately after the traditional blowing of the horns. Traditionally-decorated mules passed slowly by, followed by relatives of the Empress, noblemen and women, as well as palace servants who, as in ancient times, carried the Empress’s throne, imperial drape, pictures, traditional effects, medals and decorations including the Grand Collar and Chain of the Order of Solomon, the Order of the Queen of Sheba, the Imperial Cordon Medal, the Refugee Medal, the Jubilee Medal, the Royal Family order of Saints Olga and Sophia of Greece, the Al-Kemal Medal of Egypt, the Golden Lion of Nassau Medal of The Netherlands, the Sacred Crown Medal of Japan, and the Member of the Order of the Seraphim Medal of Sweden. Upon arriving before the imperial throne, people sang dirges and performed mourning dances. The Emperor, who was standing, began to weep and at this moment, it was as if the sky and the earth cried in unison. The students of the Empress Menen School and Empress Menen Handicraft School cried as they passed holding a banner that read, “Our beloved mother also watched over us women.” Children attending St. Paul’s Grammar School, Sewaswe Berhan School and Empress Menen’s Children’s Home passed before His Imperial Majesty’s throne in deep sorrow. What certainly touched the hearts of those gathered on that day were these orphaned children, under the support of the

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Emperor, who uttered the sad words, “Our being orphans is understood today.” People were moved to tears when members of the Ethiopian Women’s Charitable Works Association wept as they held up a banner with a mourning song written on it. Residents from Chebo and Gurage, Wollega, Addis Alem, Sululta and Menagesha, plus the ethnic groups of the Amharas, Oromos, Hadiyas, Gurages, Somalis, Tigrians, Hararis, and Asawrtas expressed their grief for Empress Menen. Each person had tears of gratitude on their cheeks in memory of the motherhood and generosity of Empress Menen. Lamentations prepared by the Ministry of Information were distributed, which highlighted the blessed generosity and leadership of Empress Menen during her lifetime. People also held leaflets with psalms of mourning written on them, which the police force had handed out. In addition, there were statements of condolences prepared by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. All of these tributes amplified the people’s grief. On this day, Addis Ababa was shrouded in a cloud of deep sorrow as the city’s citizens and visitors alike covered the area between the May 5 Square and the Grand Palace. The depth of love Ethiopians had for both their Emperor and Empress was evident.

The Emperor’s Address Emperor Haile Sellassie I delivered the following consoling key note address to his beloved people, inviting them to end their grief. “We are pleased with the speech our Prime Minister delivered yesterday on behalf of our ministers and the whole nation, concerning the demise of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Menen, in which he described her kindness and virtues. “All of you knew her well; but she was more intimately known by me. She was devoutly religious and did not lose her faith even in times of hardship. During the memorable days of Our companionship we never had differences that needed the intervention of others. As Sarah was to Abraham, so was she obedient to me. Our wishes were mutual until we were separated by the Almighty. Her assistance for the good of the

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em p re ss m e ne n a s faw young, the old, and the needy, requires no testimony, for it was greater than thoughts and words. “We have been extremely pleased to live long enough in a perfect union that enabled Us to see Our offspring, Our grandchildren and Our great grandchildren. We are thankful to the Almighty for having vouchsafed to Us that long, uninterrupted union, which is not very common in the world today. There could be no more profound prayer for me to utter. “In spite of Our utmost efforts to save her life in her time of illness, she was overtaken by the fate of Adam and passed away. “We cannot fly in the face of the Almighty, nor can We afford to be idle. Now that the time of mourning has come to an end, the public and our officials must attend to their duties. As idleness is injurious to the welfare of the country, from Monday, everyone should return to work. A large number of people have come from the provinces to take part in Our mourning. Since We do not wish them to continue, because this will disrupt life’s normal routine, it would be better for them to send two or three representatives with letters. “We are deeply touched by the expressions of grief both on the part of Our people and the foreign communities. This is not the first time Our people have joined us in Our mourning. When Our beloved son, Prince Mekonnen passed away, they expressed their grief in no less measure than We ourselves. They have even contributed, of their own free will, by erecting a monument in his honor. We pray the Almighty shall compensate you for your deeds. “When the Empress was ill, the general public who followed the events through the news on the radio shared Our anxiety. To the doctors and her personal attendants, We owe a debt for their untiring assistance. May these tears We shed be accepted by God as price for peace in Ethiopia and in the world.”

After His Majesty’s speech, and following the prayer of repentance led by the Archbishop of the Tigray Province, Abuna Yohannes, dinner was served to all mourners.

Chapter 26

In Memory of Empress Menen

Y International Coverage of Empress Menen’s Passing A few of the articles in foreign newspapers and magazines commemorating the passing of Empress Menen are cited in this section. The Times newspaper of London, in an article entitled “A Perfect Partner”, wrote of how Emperor Haile Sellassie I missed his wife, who had been with him for over fifty years through good times and bad. Details of Empress Menen’s background were mentioned as well as a record of the assistance she had given her husband in his endeavors from the time he was crowned a prince. The article also mentioned that the Empress assisted in consolidating imperial power, established a girl’s school, and built a number of churches and charitable homes for woman and children. Highlighted was her support for the Emperor’s efforts in informing the world about Ethiopia’s plight during the Italian occupation, when the Empress was in exile. Also mentioned was the aggravation of her illness after the car accident that took her beloved son, Prince Mekonnen the Duke of Harar. The Times reported her warm welcome of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester when they visited Ethiopia in 1951 (1958), and her visit to the Holy Land that year. The article concluded by stating that the seriousness of her fatal illness caused the Emperor to return home, disrupting the Summit of African Heads of State, in Lagos, Nigeria.

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The London Daily Telegraph newspaper summed up its national breaking news by reporting the death of Empress Menen, the Ethiopian Empress of thirty years, mentioning her stay in Bath, England while in exile and the number of princes and princesses born to her. The New York Herald Tribune newspaper reported the news of Empress Menen’s death with an account of her marriage and children. The article mentioned the deep sorrow of the Emperor, and the multitude gathered along the route to Holy Trinity Cathedral during her funeral procession, and her funeral. There was also mention of the exile years and in regards to the Empress’s sending her crown to Jerusalem, the paper stated, “Empress Menen, in entreating God to liberate her country from the hands of Fascism, handed over her crown to the holy place as was her pledge.” The article referred to her Christian devotion and her efforts towards modernization, stating, “Empress Menen is known for encouraging her people to accept western civilization and to move forward. She strongly resisted the ancient tradition of early marriage. Her work toward the expansion of education in the country was translated into action with the establishment of the first girls’ modern high school.” The article finally noted that of all the world’s royal families, Ethiopia had an ancient history as recorded in the book, Kebra Negast (Glory of the Kings), and that members of the Ethiopian Imperial Family were successively descended from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, making Ethiopia indeed an ancient Christian Empire. An article in the New York Times described the depth of sorrow of His Imperial Majesty during Empress Menen’s funeral procession. The story concluded by recalling Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold’s speech detailing Menen’s humanitarian activities, the years passed in exile, and her support of churches and charitable organizations.

Telegrams of Condolence The entire world mourned deeply after the news of the sorrowful passing of Empress Menen. Emperors, Queens, Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Patriarchs from Ethiopia as well as from Europe, Asia,

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Africa and America telegrammed their condolences. There were also condolences received from high-ranking officials, presidents and members of various organizations and associations. In order received, the list is as follows: His Majesty Emperor of Japan Her Majesty the Queen of England His Majesty King of Sweden His Majesty King of Greece His Majesty King of Norway Her Majesty Queen of Thailand and Prince Bernard His Excellence President of the United States of America His Excellency President of Yugoslavia His Excellency President of France His Excellency President of Portugal His Excellency President of Spain His Excellency President of Poland His Excellency President of Haiti His Excellency President of East Germany His Excellency Governor of Nigeria His Excellency Mr. Menen William The Reverend Father Kerlos VI Prince of Baden Baden Prince Maximillian von Hohenberg His Excellency President of Madagascar His Excellency President of West Germany His Excellency President of the Sudan Republic His Highness Crown Prince of Japan His Excellency President of Ghana His Excellency President of Gabon His Excellency President of Senegal His Excellency President of Egypt His Excellency President of Niger Emperor King of Denmark Emperor King of Belgium

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em p re ss m e ne n a s faw His Excellency President of Russia His Excellency President of Czechoslovakia His Excellency President of Liberia His Excellency President of India H.E. President of Mexico H.E. President of Togo H.E. President of Switzerland H.E. President of Burma H.E. President of Israel H.E. President of Dahomey H.E. President of Rome Princess Wilhelmina of the Netherlands Prince Bertil of Sweden Prince of Faridkot H.E. Jomo and Margaret Kenyata H.E. President of Vietnam H.E. Chancellor Adenawer H.E. President of People’s Council of Bulgaria H.E. President of Turkey H.E. Mr. Utah (UN General Secretary) H.E. President of Ivory Coast His Majesty King of Saudi Arabia H.E. President of Central African Republic H.E. President of Finland Prince of Cambodia H.E. President of Pakistan H.E. Governor of Sierra Leone H.E. President of People’s Council of Hungary The Reverend Bishop of Canterbury The Reverend Abune Basilios Prince of Banaras Commander-in-Chief of Jordan Mr. Abdalla Bei Khalil of Sudan General Alan Cunningham Mr. Abdullahi Issa of Somalia Dr. Lasion Maff

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Sultan of Zanzibar and Spouse Mrs. Haza Almjali and Prime Minister Amman Chief Minister of Zanzibar General Dotte and Spouse Patriarch of Alexandria General Lundala His Majesty King of Jordan Alhadi Almahdi of Sudan His Majesty King of Libya H.E. Ambassador of the Sudan in Baghdad Representatives of Patriarch of Alexandria H.E. President of Brazil The Reverend Patriarch of Armenia Mr. Tom Mboya H.E. President of Upper Volta H.E. President of Lebanon Ali Amalgam His Majesty King of Yemen H.H. Prince of Baganda Kabaka His Majesty King of Morocco Mr. Louis Bigama, President of the People’s Council of Gabon Mrs. Mahwanya and Mrs. Munanka, Representatives of Tanganyika Pafmeka H.E. President of Syria H.E. President of Cameroon H.E. President of Cyprus H.E. Governor of Australia H.E. Vice President of Liberia H.E. President of Communist China Prince Count Papary H.E. Ambassador of Greece H.E. Prime Minister of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation H.E. Monji Slim, President of the UN General Assembly The Reverend Patriarch Beneditox President of Indonesia H.E. President of Mali

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em p re ss m e ne n a s faw Emperor of Iran President of the People’s Representative Council of the Congo

Memorial Services for Empress Menen Religious leaders in Addis Ababa and abroad held memorial services honoring Empress Menen in churches and mosques. Members of the Armenian, Dutch, Egyptian, French, German, Indian, and Italian communities in Addis Ababa each conducted a memorial service in honor of Empress Menen. Chief of Staff Teferawork, Rear Admiral Iskander Desta (Menen’s grandson), and the Mayor of Addis Ababa, Zewde Gebre Hiwot attended several of these services. A memorial service for Empress Menen was held at West Minister Abbey in London, with the Duke of Gloucester attended on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and Lord Elgin on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. The Egyptian Orthodox Church in Alexandria held a memorial service for the Empress conducted by Patriarch Kyrilos. In Jerusalem, a memorial service was conducted under the leadership of Archbishop Phillipos at the Kidane Meheret Church on Empress Menen’s birthday, Megabit 25 (April 3). Present were the Ethiopian Consul-General of Jerusalem, Mr. Tekle Tsadik Mekuria and his wife, plus the Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, members of the Diplomatic Corps, representatives of the United Nations, and several spiritual leaders. Individuals expressed their love of Empress Menen by contributing poems and craftwork. An excerpt of a Ge’ez verse composed to honor Empress Menen by Aleka Lemma Hailu states, Like Eve, she united the world’s hopeful kingdom, Offering help to vitalize Haile Sellassie himself.

Laying of Wreaths Individuals and representatives who placed wreaths at the grave of Empress Menen at Holy Trinity Church soon after her death included:

in m em o r y o f e m pr e s s m e n e n Crown Prince Merid-Azmatch Asfa Wossen (Menen’s son) Prince Sahle Selassie (Menen’s son) The Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold Minister of Palace Affairs The Senate The People’s Representatives Empress Menen Handicraft School The Council of the United Kingdom Addis Ababa Municipality The Indian Community The University College Director of Ethiopian Textile Factory Forty Armenian Children The Red Cross Society On behalf of President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt The Red Cross School YMCA Teachers and students of Empress Menen School Finance Guards Princess Tsehay Memorial Hospital Peter Ghallr Greecollo Jegenets PAFMECA Enterprises Diplomatic Mission Greek Textile Association in Ethiopia College of Engineering American Baptist Mission Rizo Esbirany Ethiopian Airlines Empress Menen Childcare Center School Nicoldas Dagopaullos Sabean Director and Staff College of Construction Arab Community in Ethiopia

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em p re ss m e ne n a s faw Alfors Alenx Ethiopian Women’s Welfare Association Ministry of Justice Scouts of Asfa Wossen School Tensae Berhan School Prince Wossen Seged School Prince Mekonnen Memorial Board The Police Force Trinity Collage Menelik II School Empress Menen’s Godchild Ministry of Pen Hamle 16 Self Help Association People of Chebo and Gmage Awraja People of Wollo Province Prince Mekonnen Memorial Organization Dr. Dinco Maricco Addis Ababa Prison House staff Egyptian Community in Ethiopia People of Akaki Besseka Woreda Government People of Nazareth The Imperial Body Guard People of Tigray Province Queen of Sheba Self-Help Association People of Wollega Province Hager Fikir Society of Eritrean Women Giriyagos Bissada People of Wore Himenu Awraja, Wollo Province Kerlor VI, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria People of Illubabor Province People of Begemder and Semien Province Major General Amabeshagn and General Awd Abdurahman Ambassador Ousman Abdella A. Besse Company Irbere Ilib Cabani People of Borena Midd Were’ellu Awraja

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Monsieur Dalinzaz President of West Germany Students of Gebre Mariam School People of Kulo Konta Awraja Dr. Tajini Queen Elizabeth and Family E. Brigadier Bahr Sarada Farid Imperial Body Guard Pensioners Haile Sellassie I School for Orphans Beyene Merid School People of Menagesha Awraja People of Amhara St. Tedbabe Mariam People of Bole Woreda government People of Menz Woreda government People of Bale Woreda government Church Lovers American Women’s Society Muradian Music Society Armian Charity Ararat Armenian Sport Society Kebork of the Armenian School Swedish Committee Prime Minister of Tanganyika Embassy of India

Empress Menen’s 40th Commemorative Day On Megabit 17, 1954 (March 26, 1962), the fortieth commemorative day of Empress Menen’s passing, the Emperor ended the mourning period by making the following statement to newspaper editors at the Grand Palace. “We are grateful for Our people, whose work praises God, for we all benefit when everyone remains active in their work. In considering the end of the mourning, let everyone be free to earn his or her daily bread.”

52 Empress Menen’s funeral procession moving towards Holy Trinity Cathedral.

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The street in front of Holy Trinity Cathedral full of grieving people.

Chapter 27

Epilogue

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little over two months after Empress Menen’s funeral, on Miyaziya 15, 1954 (April 23, 1962), her youngest son Sahle Sellassie passed away from a liver ailment, complicated by pneumonia, and was buried at Holy Trinity Cathedral. At that time there were two remaining children of the Emperor and Empress, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen and Princess Tenagne Work. Tenagne Work took up her mother’s humanitarian legacy, by founding schools, churches, donating land to build a Fistula Hospital, as well as an old age home. After his wife’s passing, the Emperor left much of the domestic governance to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Aklilu Habtewold. As a senior statesman, Haile Sellassie traveled internationally and presided over the newly established Organization of African Unity, which had its headquarters in Addis Ababa. It was an active time for the OAU as several African nations were newly independent or in the process of gaining their freedom from colonial rule. Planning for the future, the Emperor had a pair of granite sarcophagi built in the nave of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, so that he and his wife could be laid to rest side by side. As a result of the 1974 Revolution, when the Derg regime seized power in Ethiopia, Haile Sellassie I was deposed on Meskerem 2, 1966 (September 12, 1974). In the wake of his mysterious death, which was reported to have taken place on Nehase 1, 1967 (August 27, 1975), the Emperor was not

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interred in the prepared tomb. Years later, on Tikimt 25,1993 (November 5, 2000), a ceremonial funeral of Haile Sellassie was held to mark the anniversary of the 1923 (1930) coronation, and the remains of Empress Menen were disinterred from the crypt tomb and placed in the sarcophagus next to her husband in Holy Trinity Cathedral. Daughter Princess Tenagne Work and other members of the Imperial Family attended the memorial mass, which was administered by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Rita Marley and other prominent Rastafari figures attended the funeral, although many of the Rastafari faith prefer to believe that Emperor Haile Sellassie I lived on. Menen’s son Crown Prince Asfa Wossen suffered a massive stroke and left with his family to receive medical treatment abroad, shortly before the revolution in Ethiopia. He succeeded his father and was crowned privately in London on Nehase 21, 1967 (August 27, 1975) assuming the reign name of Amha Sellassie I. His son, Zara Yakob, had been appointed as the Crown Prince of Ethiopia by Emperor Haile Sellassie I on Miyaziya 6, 1966 (April 14, 1974) and was confirmed by his father on Megabit 28, 1980 (April 6, 1988). H.I.H. Crown Prince Zara Jacob succeeded his father, Amha Sellassie I, as Head of the Imperial House of Ethiopia when his father passed away on Tirr 9, 1990 (January 17, 1997). The Ethiopian Crown Council operates in exile and is headed by H.I.H. Ermias Sahle-Selassie, the son of Menen’s youngest son, Sahle. As a result of the Derg seizing power on Meskerem 1, 1966 (September 11, 1974), Princess Tenagne Work and other members of the Imperial Family were rounded up and incarcerated. After living for years in very poor prison conditions, the women who had survived were released in 1969 (1977) and 1981 (1989), and the males were freed the following year. Tenagne died on Megabit 28, 1995 (April 6, 2003) at the age of 90. After her funeral on Miyaziya 5 (April 13), her body was interred into the crypt at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. The Guenete Leul Palace in Addis Ababa is today part of the main campus of the Addis Ababa University (formerly Haile Sellassie I University) and houses a large exhibit of ethnological artifacts from around Ethiopia, the Library of the Institute for Ethiopian

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Studies, and traditional Ethiopian artwork. The Jubilee Palace, now the National Palace is used as the official Presidential residence. The Empress Menen School no longer bears her name, although it continues to provide education to a coeducational student body. The Palace of the Crown Prince later became The Political Cadre’s College during the Derg Era. The Duke of Harar’s Palace, built for Prince Mekonnen and located north of The Palace of the Crown Prince, was made the headquarters of the Ethiopian Socialist Women’s Association. The residence of Princess Tenagne Work, located near the Guenete Leul Palace, later became the headquarters of the Ethiopian Navy. There is an Empress Menen Gardens, which is a sheltered housing scheme providing accommodation for older and disabled people, located near Fairfield House in the town of Bath, where Their Majesties lived during their exile in England. There is also an Empress Menen’s Rest House in the Chilamo and Gaji Forest in Ethiopia, a small bungalow in a pleasant wooded area, where the Empress used to stay when she visited a wood factory that she owned nearby.

Empress Menen’s Crown If you study images of Empress Menen, her crown is somewhat of a mystery. In the coronation photograph of the Empress published in The National Geographic Magazine of Sene 1923 (June of 1931), after her coronation on Tikimt 23, 1923 (November 2, 1930), Menen is wearing a beautiful golden crown with two opposing lions on the front, as can be seen on the cover of this book. In his article “Coronation Days in Addis Ababa”, National Geographic staff photographer, W. Robert Moore, writes that the light was fading on the day of the coronation, and Their Majesties posed for color photographs in their coronation robes and crowns a few days later. When the Empress took refuge in the Holy Land during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia between 1928 and 1933 (1936 and 1941), Her Majesty pledged, while in deep prayer to St. Mary, that if her homeland gained liberation, she would present her crown to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem. To fulfill this promise, the Emperor had a duplicate crown made for future empresses, and in

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Hamle 1939 (July of 1947), the Empress sent her crown to the church that commemorates the birthplace of Christ. I have not been able to confirm the design of the crown located at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, in present day Palestine. The crown that is currently displayed at the National Palace in Addis Ababa resting in a case next to Emperor Haile Sellassie’s crown, which was also photographed atop her casket at her funeral on Yakatit 8, 1954 (February 15, 1962) bears an image of Mother Mary and baby Jesus at the front. There is also a photograph of the young Empress wearing this crown.

Chapter 28

The Children of the Emperor and Empress

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mpress Menen had six children with Emperor Haile Sellassie. Their first daughter, Tenagne Work was born on Tirr 22, 1905 (January 30, 1913). The first son, Prince Merid-Azmach Asfa Wossen was born on Hamle 8, 1908 (July 15, 1916). Princess Zenebework was born on Sene 18, 1909 (June 26, 1917) and Princess Tsehay was born on Tikimt 2, 1912 (October 12, 1919); both of these children passed away before having children of their own. Prince Mekonnen Mesfin Hararand was born on Tikimt 5, 1916 (October 15, 1924), and on Yakatit 20, 1923 (February 27, 1931) their last child and son, Prince Sahle Sellassie, was born. At the time of Empress Menen’s passing, she was blessed with thirtythree grandchildren and great-grandchildren from Princes Tenagne Work, the heir Prince Asfa Wossen, Prince Mekonnen, and Prince Sahle. In addition, the Empress had two sons and two daughters from previous marriages who had twenty-five children at the time of her passing. Therefore, the Empress was blessed in her seventy-one years of life to have ten children and sixty-eight grandchildren and great grandchildren. Further information about the children of the Empress and Emperor can be found on the Imperial Ethiopia Website.

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Chapter 29

Genealogy of Empress Menen

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mpress Menen descended from noble Ethiopian families of Wollo, Gondar, Gojam, Shoa, Lasta and Yedju.

Genealogy of Her Mother, Woizero Sehin Ras Tetemke of Wadla-Delanta married Tsehay Negede and she bore Tewoda-Mariam. Tewoda-Mariam was married to Kibo of Lasta and bore Lewa; Lewa was married to Siltan of Lasta and bore Lisane, Kife and Fihirte. Lisane bore Kerbosh; Kerbosh bore Alengit; Alengit bore Luladay; Luladay bore Hirut who was married to Emperor Dawit. Emperor Dawit had three children whose names were SerMogesa, Bahir-Wosena and Zeri’a Yacob. Ser-Mogesa was married to a mayor of Gondar, Gebru and bore Keyama, Tikur-Ama, Ende-Wota, Yemariam-Baria and Gemech. Yemariam-Baria bore Antu and Salut; Ende-Wota bore Emnete and Dingilot. Dingilot was married to a landlord of Meketu by the name Meket-Azmach Zerie and bore Sebene. Sebene was married to the son of Nibure Eid Tomas, a Ras of Axum by the name Sebhat and bore Birgana. Birgana married Fiktor and bore Zeyohannis. Zeyohannis married a daughter of Emperor Susenyos by the name Wolete Dingil, and

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Wolete Dingil bore Wold-Hayimanot. Wold-Hayimanot bore Liuti. Liuti was married to the Son of Tensia-Kiristos who was the landlord of Meket and Gayint and bore Seife-Melekot. Seife-Melekot bore Minasie. Minasie bore Kinfu; Kinfu bore Gebru; Gebru bore Fantaye of Lasta. Fantaye was married to King Mikael and bore Sehin. Sehin married Jantirar Asfaw and bore Empress Menen and Ras Haile-Mariam. Through her mother, Sehin, and grandfather, King Mikael, Menen was descended from the Prophet Mohammed. A few members of Mohammed’s family took refuge in Ethiopia in 607 (615) under the protection of King Armah. Menen can trace her lineage to Abdullah bin Muhammed al-Bakir, fifth in the line of descent from the Prophet. In 1870 (1878), King Mikael, who at that time held the position of Governor of Wollo, converted from Islam to Christianity when Emperor Yohannes ordered that all Moslems holding office convert or give up their positions.

Genealogy of Her Father, Jantirar Asfaw Jantirar Lant-biye was a nobleman of Ambassel and his child was Lome. Lome was married to Guangul Abba Seru of Yedju and WoraShe, and bore Alitash. Alitash was married to Kallu nobleman Getaw Ato Boru, and bore Jantirar Ali Boru. A child of Jantirar Ali Boru was Jantirar Asfaw, Empress Menen’s father.

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Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold laying a wreath.

55 The Villa in Addis Ababa, where Empress Menen passed away.

56 The Emperor and Crown Prince Asfa Wossen at Empress Menen’s funeral.

57 Empress Menen’s duplicate gold crown. She presented her original crown to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ was born.

59 58

The Cordon Medal of Sheba.

The Royal Insignia of Solomon.

60 The Ethiopian Medallion for presentation to empresses and princesses. 61 The Cordon Medal of Solomon.

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Empress Menen Asfaw.

Chapter 30

Editor’s Afterword

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ultimately came to this endeavor through my husband, a man of faith and strong Rastafari roots. His mother’s uncle, James Dennis, was one of the first to follow the Rastafari faith in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, and he was at the airport when His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie landed in Kingston on Miyaziya 13, 1958 (April 21, 1966). I give thanks to my husband and best friend, Jah Clive, who has been by my side throughout the manifestation of this biography. It has been an honor and a pleasure to focus on the illuminated life of Empress Menen Asfaw. Some may ask why it was I who was blessed with this project, why not an Ethiopian, a black woman, or a Rasta woman? I do not know, except that I had the time and the resources, and had set the intention of finding out about Empress Menen before I set out to visit Ethiopia. For all of this, I am grateful. As I sifted through material to gain insight into the life of such a remarkable woman, one clue led to another. I made a table with the names of the six children of Empress Menen and Emperor Haile Sellassie, listing the dates of their birth, marriage, their children and when they passed away. This was valuable in ‘connecting the dots’ between bits of unrelated information as the story began to take shape. Empress Menen was involved in the coffee industry, just as I am, and both she and her husband, Haile Sellassie, were from coffee producing areas. I do believe Empress Menen enjoyed the restorative

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qualities of hot mineral water when she had the opportunity, although there is nothing written to substantiate this. One of my favorite places in Ethiopia was Wendo Genet, not far from the Jamaican enclave in the town of Shashemene. Here Their Majesties had a small estate with a house, a small round Orthodox church, and a lovely thermal swimming area. I could imagine the palace supervisor, Della Hanson, who wrote about purchasing hats for the Empress when she was on furlough in America, also choosing one or two modest bathing suits for Her Majesty. It is written that the Empress often went to Ambo where there is also a mineral hot spring. Throughout this project, I have learned about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian practices, which has been fascinating. This has also increased my love for Mariam, or Mary, the mother of Jesus. She is certainly loved by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, especially women, for her kindness. I will never forget the moving experience I had attending a service at the Bet Mariam Church in Lalibela. I highly recommend the Hansons’ book, For God and Emperor, as an account of their lives as missionaries in Ethiopia and a behind-thescenes look at palace life from the period of the liberation of Ethiopia from the Italians up to just before the Silver Jubilee in 1948 (1955). As I have taken the route of self-publishing, I invite anyone who has met Empress Menen to use the email listed below to send personal accounts of her, so that a second edition might be more complete. I also please ask that the email below be used to request permission to use any part of this book in any manner, as I have completed this book at great personal expense and part of the proceeds will go the Ethiopian Crown Council for their continuing charitable work. Email contact: [email protected] Blessed love to all ‘Dawters’ of Rastafari, and to all who read about Empress Menen Asfaw, the Mother of the Ethiopian Nation.

Acknowledgments

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irst and foremost, my thanks go to the Creator for all that I have been blessed with. My heartfelt thanks go to the Imperial Family and Ermias Sahle Selassie, the current president of the Ethiopian Crown Council in exile, whose on-going support has brought this project to fruition. I wish to acknowledge Abey Chanie for bringing this important book to light. Praise goes to him for dedicated work on the difficult task of translation of the original biography from Ge’ez to Amharic, and from Amharic to English. I want to express my gratitude as well as give appropriate credit to two websites that have been helpful in completing research for this book. They are the comprehensive Imperial Ethiopia Home Page of www.angelfire.com and The Royal Ark website of www.royalark.net posted by Christopher Buyers, which provides details of the births, marriages and deaths of most members of the Ethiopian Imperial Family. Special thanks go to my friend Jahnaya who made a wonderful calendar, with both the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendar date. This provided an invaluable tool in correlating all of the dates in the book. My true friend Lisa Knauf, also known as Isa Rebel, was my constant confidante who read the manuscript as it took shape. I wish to acknowledge the thoughtful and thorough editing done by Carol Keeffe, Tammy Rouleau and Caitlin Keenan. Also thanks to Roshawn Allen at Frontline Distribution for his work on the cover and improving the quality of the photographs. Also, thanks go to the United Nations for map, The Horn of Africa.

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Glossary

Y Ato amba azmari berbere birr bunna deggua Enkutatash erat etege Fasika genna ghari gibi gugs Habesha Habesha kemis injera kemis kurs mateb mesa mesengo mesob Meskel negus shamma tabot tef tej tella Timkat tukul wat Wozeiro

Mr. hilltop minstrel spices Ethiopian currency coffee hymnal Ethiopian New Years dinner empress Easter type of field hockey horse-drawn wagon palace jousting Abyssinian cotton dress bread dress breakfast neck cord lunch stringed instrument covered basket to serve food The Finding of the True Cross king shawl tablet Ethiopian grain mead beer Epiphany hut stew Mrs.

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Bibliographical Notes

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“Brief History: Theological College of the Holy Trinity” Retrieved October 2010. www.ethioworld.com. Brooks, Dr Miguel F. translation of Kebre Negast (The Glory of the Kings) LMH Publishing Ltd. Kingston, Jamaica 2001. Buyers, Christopher, Ethiopia The Royal Ark Website retrieved June 2010. www.royalark.net. Charles, Ras and French Dread, “An Introduction to Rastafari” Retrieved May 2010. www.earthcultureroots.com/rastafarism.html. “Church of St Mary of Zion, Axum” Retrieved July 2010. www .sacred-destinations.com/ethiopia/axum-church-of-mary-of-zion.html. “Coronation Traditions in Imperial Ethiopia” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved June 2009. www.angelfire.com. Craig, Deborah, “Woman’s Secrets: Childbirth in Rural Ethiopia” 2005 Midwifery Today, Number 75. Dejene, Solomon Kibriye, “The History of the Imperial Palaces and Photo’s of Ethiopia” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved December 2009. www.angelfire.com. Eabisa, Liben, “First Ethiopian Delegation to the U.S. in 1919 Made Headlines” Retrieved December 2010. www.tadias.com/05/11/2008/ first-ethiopian-delegation-to-the-u-s/. “Emperor Haile Selassie I, Parts 1, 2 and 3” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com. “Emperor Menelik II: Part I and II” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com. “Emperor Tewodros II” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com. “Empress Menen School for Girls” Ethiopian Ministry of Education Publication 1958. “Empress Zewditu, Queen of Kings” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com.

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“Ethiopia: Ambitious Heir” TIME Magazine Dec 26, 1960. “Ethiopia: Man of the Year: Haile Selassie” TIME Magazine January 6, 1936. Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti Lonely Planet Publications Australia 2000. “An Ethiopian Easter in Jerusalem” Palestine Monitor April 29, 2008. “Ethiopian National Theatre: Abridged History” Ethiopian National Theater Website retrieved July 2010. www.mysc.gov.et/National%20 Theater.html. “The Ethiopian Royal Family Decides to Sell Property in Jerusalem to Foreign Nationals” Ethiopians in Jerusalem retrieved June 2010. www.nasret.com. Evans, Pat (Twohy) entry, The Bolitho St. Clares Association, Polwithen Website retrieved June 2011. www.bolithoalumni.co.uk/pages/ og420062007.html. “The Feast of the Assumption of Mary (Filseta) in Ethiopia” A publication of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church retrieved September 2010. www.ethiopianorthodox.org. “Flags and Symbols of Ethiopia” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved March 2010. www.angelfire.com. Greenfield, Richard, “Obituary: Crown Prince Asfa Wossen Haile Sellassie” The Independent Newspaper January 27, 1997. “H.M. The Emperor Haile Selassie in England: The Abyssinian Exiles” Illustrated Times of London June 13, 1936. Haber, Lutz, “The Emperor Haile Selassie I in Bath 1936-1940” The Anglo-Ethiopian Society 1992 retrieved December 2009. www. anglo-ethiopian.org. Hack, Adrienne, “Golden Jubilee Anniversary of HIM Haile Selassie’s Visit to Bath” The Anglo-Ethiopian Society 2005 Retrieved December 2009. www.anglo-ethiopian.org.

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Haile, Getatchew, “Daily Life and Religious Practices in Ethiopia” Ethiopian Art: The Walters Art Museum. Ed. Deborah E Horowitz The Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore 2001. “Haile Selassie Opens Silver Jubilee Exhibition” British Pathe Video Newsreel Film 1955. Hanson, Herbert M. and Della, For God and Emperor Pacific Press Publishing Assn. Mountain View, CA 1958. Henze, Paul B., Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia Palgrave 2000. Hill, Robert A. ed. “The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers” The Black Man: A Monthly Magazine of Negro Thought and Opinion. University of California Press 1983, vol. 7, pp. 687–695. “Historical Attractions” Ethiopian Airlines Website retrieved December 2009 www.seeyouinethiopia.com/seeanddo/. “Holy Baptism-Timkat” Nine Saints Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery Website retrieved October 2010 www.ninesaintsethiopianorthodoxmonastery.org/id53.html. The Holy Bible and King Solomon’s Temple in Masonry A.J. Holman Co. 1951. “The Imperial Churches” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved August 2009. www.angelfire.com. “The Imperial Family Today” Imperial Ethiopia Website Retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com. “Imperial Monuments of Ethiopia” Imperial Ethiopia Website Retrieved May 2010 www.angelfire.com. Imru, Ras Haile Selassie, Unpublished Memoirs of Ras Imru Haile Selassie found at the U. S. Library of Congress, date unknown. “In Memory of Her Imperial Highness, Princess Tenagnework” Imperial Ethiopia Website Retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com.

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Jeffers, H. Paul, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jerusalem Alpha Books New York 2004. Keagan, John Dear, I.C.B. and M.R.D. Foot ed. Oxford Companion to World War II Oxford University Press 2005. Keller, Edmond J., Revolutionary Ethiopia: From Empire to People’s Republic First Midland Book Edition 1991. Kifleyesus, Abbebe, “The Construction of Ethiopian National Cuisine” University of Asmara, date unknown. Kurtz, Jane, Saba Under the Hyena’s Foot Pleasant Company 2003. “Lij Eyasu Michael, Emperor-Designate (Eyasu V)”, Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com. “Local History in Ethiopia: Dessie” The Nordic Africa Institute Website. Retrieved January 2011. http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/ dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/d/ORTDEM.pdf. “Lost Sons” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved August 2010. www. angelfire.com/ny/ethiocrown/. Luther, Ernest W., Ethiopia Today Stanford University Press 1958. Marcus, Harold G., A History of Ethiopia Updated Edition University of California Press 2002. Marcus, Harold G., Revisiting Haile Selassie’s Leadership for the 12th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies. Retrieved July 2010. www.ethiopianreview.com/content/4652. Mekasha, Getachew, “Menelik II: Victor of Adwa, Reunited and Modernized Ethiopia” Ethiopian Review June 10, 1991. Michael, Yared Gebre, Empress Menen, The Wife to His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Memorial for Empress Menen Asfaw’s Birthday Addis Ababa University 1960. Mockler, Anthony, Haile Selassie’s War Signal Books Limited, Oxford 2003.

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Moore, W. Robert, “Coronation Days” National Geographic Magazine June 1931. Morikawa, Jun, Japan and Africa: big business and diplomacy C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 1997. Morton, Christopher, Ethiopia in England Retrieved July 2010. www. england.prm.ox.ac.uk/englishness-ethiopia-in-england.html. Murrell, Nathaniel Samuel, William David Spencer and Adrian Anthony McFarlane, eds. Chant Down Babylon: The Rastafari Reader Temple University Press, Philadelphia 1998. National, Ras, 50th Anniversary of his Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie I: First Visit to the United States (1954-2004) Trafford Publishing Victoria, BC, Canada 2004. “Origins of The Solomonic Dynasty, the Imperial House of Ethiopia” Imperial Ethiopia Website. Retrieved July 2009. www.angelfire.com. Pankhurst, E. Sylvia, Selections from Ethiopia: A Cultural History Lalibela House Essex 1955. Pankhurst, Richard, “A History of Twentieth Century Ethiopia. 17 Ethio-American Post-War Relations” Addis Tribune April 24, 1997. Pankhurst, Richard, Economic History of Ethiopia 1800 – 1935 Haile Sellassie I University Press Addis Ababa 1968. Pankhurst, Richard, “Educational Developments of the 1930s” Addis Tribune, date unknown. Pankhurst, Richard, The Ethiopians: A History Blackwell Publishers Ltd. 2002. Pankhurst, Richard, “We want our looted artifacts back!” New African November 1, 2008. Pankhurst, Rita, Her Campaigns: Sylvia Pankhurst and Ethiopia. Retrieved October 2010. www.sylviapankhurst.com. “Passion Week” Addis Journal Website retrieved March 2010. www. arefe.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/passion-week/#more-2229.

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Pearson, Major Hugh, Drummand ed. Frederic A. Sharf Letters from Abyssinia, 1916 and 1917. Jan. 1, 2004. “People” TIME Magazine Jan 9, 1939. Pignot, Thomas, “The little daughter of the Negus, or Addis-Abeba nostalgia” , Lightmediation Website retrieved July 2010. www.issuu. com/lightmediation/docs/the_little_daughter_of_the_negus_en. Professors Sellassie, Sergew Hable and Tadesse Tamerat, “The Churches of Ethiopia, A Panorama of History and Spiritual Life” Addis Ababa December 1970. Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Website retrieved December 2009. www.ethiopianorthodox.org. Professors Sellassie, Sergew Hable and Belaynesh Mikael, “Worship in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church” Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahedro Church Website retrieved May 2010. www.ethiopianorthodox.org. Religion: “Black Monophysites” TIME Magazine Sept. 2, 1935. Retta, Zewde, Tafari Makonnen, Rejimu ye Sittan Guzo (Tafai Makonnen, the Long Journey to Power) date unknown. Sattley, Melissa, “The History of Diabetes” Dec. 17, 2008. Retrieved October 2010. www.diabeteshealth.com. Sellassie, Haile I, My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress Volume One translated by Edward Ullendorf Research Associates School Times Publications Frontline Distribution Int’l. 2009. Sellassie, Haile I, My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress Volume Two translated by Edward Ullendorf Research Associates School Times Publications Frontline Distribution International 2009. Sommer Community Housing Trust. Retrieved September 2010. www. somerhousinggroup.co.uk/. Southard, Addison E, “Modern Ethiopia” National Geographic Magazine June 1931. Spectrum Guide to Ethiopia edited by CAMERAPIX Camerapix Publishers International, Kenya 1995.

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Spencer, John H., Ethiopia at Bay: A Personal Account of the Haile Selassie Years Reference Publications Ltd. 1987. “Titles in the Empire of Ethiopia” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved August 2009. www.angelfire.com/ny/ethiocrown/. “Traditions, Rituals, Practices and Etiquette in the Ethiopian Empire” Imperial Ethiopia Website retrieved July 2010. www.angelfire.com/ ny/ethiocrown/. “Trinity Church, Addis Ababa” Retrieved April 2010. www.sacreddestinations.com/. Twite, Robin, “Africa in Jerusalem-The Ethiopian Church” Retrieved October 2010. www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/. Ullendorf, Edward, The Two Zions Miguel Lorne Publishers Kingston, Jamaica 2000. Vestal, Theodore M., “United States Foreign Policy Towards Ethiopia as Reflected in the State Visits of Emperor Haile Selassie to North America” Proceedings of the XVth Intl. Conferrence of Ethiopian Studies by Siegbert Uhlig July 23, 2003. “The War in Abyssinia and its Aftermath: The Exiled Emperor and Other Developments” The Illustrated London News May 23, 1936. “WAR: Last Act” TIME Magazine Apr. 27, 1936. “Welcome to Addis Ababa 1994-1995: Exploring the City” UN Women’s Association Website retrieved March 2010. www.africa. upenn.edu/eue_web/addis.htm. Whitman, Alden, “OBITUARY: Haile Selassie of Ethiopia Dies at 83” The New York Times August 25, 1975. Yirga, Mina, “Etege Taitu Bitul (1851-1918)” Horizon Ethiopia March 27, 2008.

Index

Y Abba Samuel (Sellassie’s tutor), 16 Abba Workineh (Menen’s tutor), 4 Abeye Abebe, Col. later Gen., 95, 96, 113 Abraham, 13, 61, 155 Abuna Basilios (Abba Gebre Giorgis), 54, 55, 56, 61, 73, 107, 121, 125, 136, 152 Abuna Kyrilos, 40, 41, 42, 54, 55, 56, 57, 61, 73, 162 Abuna Phillipos, 126, 128, 162 Abuna Yohannes, 34, 156 Adere Tiko Trinity Church, 17 Addis Ababa, xiv, xv, xxvii, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 39, 40, 43, 49, 50, 54, 59, 64, 68, 71, 72, 77, 78, 79, 82, 83, 88, 89, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 101, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 113, 114, 115, 116, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 127, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 139, 147, 148, 149, 150, 152, 153, 155, 162, 163, 164, 167, 168, 169, 170 Addis Ababa University (see Haile Sellassie I University) Adolf, Gustav (Crown Prince) of Sweden, 72 Adwa, xxvii, 26 Aida Desta (Menen’s granddaughter, Tenagne Work), 32, 82, 98, 101, 102, 105, 107, 108, 115, 123, 138

Akaki, 18, 164 Aklilu Habtewold (Prime Minister), 113, 149, 158, 163, 167 Alameya Lake,16 Alexandria, Egypt, 29, 107, 161, 162, 164 Ali of Cherecha, Dej. (Menen’s first husband), 7 Altayech, Woizero (Haile Sellassie’s first wife), 10 Ambassel, xv, 3, 12, 144, 174 Ambo, 104, 108, 114, 176 Amede Ali Aba-Deyas, Dej. (Menen’s second husband), 7 Amede, Desta Woizero (Menen’s daughter, Dej. Amede Ali Aba-Deyas), 7 Amede, Gebre Egziabeher, Jantirar (Menen’s son, Dej. Amede Ali Aba-Deyas), 7 Amha Desta (Menen’s grandson, Tenagne Work), 32, 98 Amha Kassa (Menen’s great- grandson, Sybil Desta), 134 Amharic language, xiii, xvi, 4, 7, 27, 28, 56, 63, 73, 81, 90, 177 Ark of the Covenant, xv, 5, 21, 22, 23, 30, 54, 56, 60 Asfa Wossen, H.I.H. Merid-Azmatch (Crown Prince, later Amha Sellassie I) (Menen’s son), 17, 18, 26, 27, 29, 41, 50, 57, 60, 72, 80,

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81, 87, 90, 92, 99, 102, 105, 107, 108, 109, 113, 121, 125, 133, 135, 137, 148, 163, 164, 167, 168, 171 Asfaw Ali, Jantirar (Menen’s father), 3, 144, 174 Asfaw Ali, Jantirar (Menen’s son, Ali of Cherecha), 7 Asfaw, Haile Mariam (Menen’s brother), 4, 16 Asmara, xxvii, 108, 109, 119, 137, 138 Aster Fikre-Selassie (Menen’s greatgranddaughter, Ijigayehu), 136 Atnafseged, Leulseged, Ras (Menen’s third husband), 7 Awash, 12, 18 Axum, xv, 21, 22, 23, 56, 93, 116, 173 Ba’eta Le Maryam Church, Addis Ababa, 96 Bank of Ethiopia, 33 Bath, 81, 82, 83, 84, 88, 122, 158, 169 Baum, James, 30, 31 Bayna-lehkem (see Menelik I) Be’eda Mariam Mekonnen (Menen’s grandson, Mekonnen), 119 Belaynesh Ali, Woizero (Menen’s daughter, Ali of Cherecha), 7 Beshah, Grazmach, Lij, 11 Bet Maryam Church, Lalibela, 176 Bet Sayda Hospital, Addis Ababa, 32 Bethlehem, Israel, 28 Beyene Merid, Dej. (Romanework’s husband), 83, 165 Bishoftu, 97, 106 Bono, de, General, 77 Boyadjians, Haigaz and Tony, 40 Chapel of St Michael, Israel, 126 Childcare Center, Gebre Mariam School, 107, 165 Childcare Center, Kechene Medhane Alem Church, 107, 120, 150

Church of Delba Giorgis, 4 Church of Our Lady of Zion, Axum, xv, 23, 116 Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Israel, 84, 103, 104, 169, 170 Coronation, xviii, 25, 33, 39–43, 45, 47, 49, 50, 53, 68, 83, 114, 115, 168, 169 Cunningham, Lieut-Gen., 87, 88, 160 David, King, xxi, 21, 40, 42, 46, 65, 66 Dawit Mekonnen (Menen’s grandson, Mekonnen), 107 Debra Berhan Selassie Church, Gondar, 103 Debra Libanos Monastery, Ethiopia, 18, 83, 107 Debre Abbey Monastery, Tigray, 122 Debre Genet Kidane-Mariam Church, Israel, 34 Debre Genet Medhane Alem Church, Israel, 127, 128, 129, 130 Debre Selam Medhane Alem Church, Addis Ababa, 32 Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, 97, 106 Debre Zeit (Mount of Olives), Israel, 28, 61, 114, 127 Deir Al-Sultan, Jerusalem, 55, 126, 127, 128 Derg, xvi, 144, 167, 168, 169 d’Esperey, Franchet, Marshal, 43 Dereje, Haile Mariam, Captain (Sofia Desta’s husband), 123 Dessie, 32, 108, 122 Desta Damtew, Ras (Menen’s son-in-law, Tenagne Work), 30, 32, 39, 50, 83, 99, 101 Dire Dawa, xiv, xxvii, 18, 102, 106, 120 Djibouti, xxvii, 25, 28, 34, 50, 54, 68, 79 Duke of Gloucester, 40, 43, 123, 157, 162

i nd e x Easter (Fasika), 125, 128, 129 Eden, Anthony, 87 Egua, Ambessel (Menen’s Birthplace), 5 Egypt, 6, 21, 29, 43, 45, 54, 67, 79, 87, 107, 123, 132, 154, 159, 163 Egyptian Orthodox Church, 34, 54, 162 Ejersa Goro (Haile Sellassie’s Birthplace), 9 Elizabeth II, Queen of England, 162 Emanuele, Vittorio, King of Italy, 29 Empress Menen Gardens, 122, 169 Empress Menen School, xix, 37–38, 73, 94, 96, 98, 101, 104, 107, 109, 111–112, 114, 123–124, 154, 157–158, 163, 169 Empress Menen Handicrafts School, 96, 98, 108, 112, 154, 163 Empress Zewditu Memorial Hospital, 71, 114 Eritrea (Italian Somaliland), xxvii, 72, 77, 88, 106, 108–109, 119, 125, 137, 138, 164 Ermias Sahle Selassie, Prince (Menen’s grandson, Sahle), xi, xvi, 134, 168, 177 Ethiopian Calendar, xiii, xiv, 3, 177 Ethiopian Consul in Jerusalem, 32, 53, 54, 67, 162 Ethiopian Crown Council, xvi, 134, 168, 176, 177 Ethiopian New Years (Enkutatash), 18, 54, 105 Ethiopian Orthodox Church, xiii, xiv, xv, xvii, 4, 5, 12, 15, 18, 23, 29, 46, 54, 55, 56, 73, 80, 83, 95, 103, 104, 105, 113, 121, 125, 128, 135, 136, 155, 168 Ethiopian Women’s Charitable Works Organization, 96, 97, 155 Fairfield House, 81–84, 88, 122 Fikre-Selassie, Hapte Mariam, Dej. (Ijigayehu’s husband), 114, 119, 123, 134

191

Filseta (Celebration of The Assumption of St. Mary), 113 Finding the True Cross (Meskel), 18, 55, 57 Fuad, King of Egypt, 29, 54 Gabre-Igzibiher, Habte Mariam, Dej., 134 Gabru, Senedu, Woizero (principal, Empress Menen School), 94 Garricoix, Madame (principal, Empress Menen School), 73 Garvey, Marcus, 45, 47, 80 Ge’ez language, xiii, xvi, xvii, 4, 9, 28, 65, 73, 80, 162, 177 Gebre Giorgis Monastery, Jerusalem, 55 Geneva, 81, 84 Gethsemane, Israel, 55, 127 Gethsemane St. Mary’s Church, Menagesha, Addis Ababa, 104, 122 Ghion Hotel, 116 Gizaw, Princess Sara Duchess of Harar (Menen’s daughter-in-law, Mekonnen), 101, 102, 105, 107, 109, 119, 122 Gojam, 3, 87, 171 Golden Jubilee Wedding Anniversary, 138 Golgotha, Israel, 28, 55, 80, 126, 127, 128, 129 Gondar, xv, 3, 26, 100, 102, 103, 106, 146, 173 Gore, 28, 78 Governor’s Palace, Dire Dawa, 106 Governor’s Palace, Harar, 15, 17 Grand Palace (see Guenete Leul Palace) Graziani, Viceroy, 83 Greek Orthodox Church, 28, 29, 55, 56, 67, 128 Green Room in the Guenete Leul Palace, 95, 135, 137 Gregorian Calendar, xiii, 3, 177 Guenete Leul Palace (Grand Palace), xvii, 71, 72, 88, 89, 90, 95, 99, 102,

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106, 113, 114, 115, 116, 134, 135, 137, 138, 143, 148, 152, 153, 155, 165, 168, 169 Gugsa, Haile Selassie, Dej. (Menen’s son-in-law, Zenebework), 51 Haile Sellassie I Air Force Academy, 107, 114 Haile Sellassie I Airport, 125 Haile Sellasie I Bridge, 105 Haile Sellassie I, Emperor (Menen’s husband), xiii, xiv, xvi, xviii, xix, 9, 12, 16, 21, 39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 57, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 67, 71, 72, 77, 78, 80, 82, 83, 84, 87, 88, 98, 99, 105, 107, 108, 109, 113, 114, 116, 122, 125, 126, 129, 137, 139, 145, 148, 152, 154, 155, 157, 162, 167, 168, 170, 171, 175 Haile Sellassie I Theater, 116 Haile Sellassie I University, 49, 107, 123, 168 Hammaressa, 12 Hannah Mehreta (Menen’s granddaughter, Sofia Desta), 138 Hanson, Della, 88, 89, 90, 94, 95, 96, 97, 102, 106, 114, 121, 176 Harar, xiv, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 71, 81, 94, 98, 102, 104, 106, 109, 113, 114 Harar Meda, 106 Helen, Queen, 55, 57, 146 Herouy Wolde Sellassie, Bilatengeta, 26, 63, 82, 84 Hiwot, Zewde Gebre (Mayor of Addis Ababa), 162 Holeta Genet Kidane Meheret Church, 34 Holy Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa, xiv, xv, 33, 51, 94, 97, 101, 105, 113, 121, 122, 148, 149, 152, 153, 158, 162, 167, 168 Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordan, 53, 57, 126, 127, 128, 150

Ijigayehu (Menen’s granddaughter, Asfa Wossen), 72, 114, 119, 134 Immabet Jote Kassa, (Menen’s great-granddaughter, Sybil Desta), 134 Imperial Bodyguard, 25, 30, 39, 135, 148 Imperial Palace (see Menelik II Palace) Imru, Ras (Haile Sellassie’s cousin), 7, 9, 11, 18, 78, 148 Iskander Desta (Menen’s grandson, Tenagne Work), 72, 98, 162 Iyasu, Lij (Menen’s uncle), 11, 16, 17, 18, 25, 50 Jalye Mangasha (Menen’s great-grandson, Aida Desta), 122 Jerusalem, Israel, xxii, 21–23, 28, 29, 32, 53–58, 61–67, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 87, 103, 107, 120, 125–130, 133, 158, 162, 169 Jima, Aba-Hana, 125 Jimma, 17 Jordan, 28, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 126, 127, 128, 129, 134, 150 Jordan River, xix, 28, 53, 67, 126, 127, 129 Jubilee Palace, National Palace, 116, 137, 138, 143, 169 Kadoorie, Elie Sir, 81 Kametz, 71 Kassa, Wolde Mariam, Dej. (Sybil Desta’s husband), 123, 134 Kebra Negast, 21, 22, 23, 158 Kenya, xvii, 82, 88, 89 Keren, 88 Keretsa-Mariam Monastery, Tigray, 122 Khartoum, xvii, 87 Kidane Meheret Church (Hamere Noah), Entoto Tigat, 26, 28 Kidane-Mehret Monastery, Jerusalem, 128, 129, 130, 133, 162 King David Hotel, Jerusalem, 28, 80, 129, 130 131, 133

i nd e x King Solomon, xvii, 21–23, 41, 46, 55, 57, 58, 62, 63, 65, 79, 135, 145, 158 Kombolcha Mariam Church, 16 Kweskwam Complex, Gondar, 103, 146 Lalibela, xiv, 77, 78, 176 League of Nations, 28, 72, 78, 79, 81, 83 Lebanon, 64–66, 161 Lekempti, 96 London, 31, 80, 81, 83, 84, 87, 90, 95, 105, 136, 162, 168 Mahzente. Princess (Menen’s daughter-in-law, Sahle), 134 Mai Chew, 77, 78 Maidu (Menen’s tutor), 4 Mariam Sene (Menen’s granddaughter, Asfa Wossen), 106 Mariam (Mary) Retta (Menen’s granddaughter,Tenagne Work), 84 Marley, Bob, 46 Marley, Rita, 168 Massawa, 106, 119 Medferiash Work (Menen’s daughterin-law, Asfa Wossen), 99, 102, 105, 107, 109, 121, 133 Medhane Alem Church, Deir Al-Sultan, Jerusalem, 128 Meheret Fikre-Selassie (Menen’s great-granddaughter, Ijigayehu), 134 Meheret Mekonnen (Menen’s granddaughter, Mekonnen), 99 Meir, Golda, Mrs., 130 Mekane Sellassie Church, Imperial Palace, Addis Ababa, 25, 49 Mekeda (see Queen of Sheba) Mekonnen, Prince (Duke of Harar) (Menen’s son), 29, 41, 54, 62, 71, 80, 84, 87, 88, 90, 98, 99, 101, 102, 105, 107, 108, 109, 113, 119, 121, 122, 139, 147, 154, 156, 157, 171 Mekonnen, Ras (Haile Sellassie’s father), 9, 29, 71, 106

193

Menbere Leul Kidus Markos Church, Guenete Leul Palace (see St. Mark’s Church) Menbere Tsebaot Trinity Church, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa, 153 Menelik I, 23, 41 Menelik II, Emperor, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 25, 26, 31, 33, 38, 40, 93, 96 Menelik II Palace (Imperial Palace), 10, 25, 27, 30, 33, 37, 42, 49, 72, 113 Menelik II School, 10, 164 Menen Mangasha (Menen’s greatgranddaughter, Aida Desta), 138 Mentewab Empress, 103, 146 Meskel (Finding the True Cross), 18, 55 Mikael Amaha (Menen’s grandson, Mekonnen), 105 Mikael, King (Menen’s grandfather), 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, 19, 34, 122, 176 Mikael Sehul Mangasha (Menen’s great-grandson, Aida Desta), 105 Messai, Ras Andargatchew (Menen’s son-in-law, Tenagne Work), 71, 108 Moses, 21, 26, 27, 28 Mount Entoto, 17 Mussolini, Benito, 29 Nazereth, Ethiopia, 108, 114, 164 Nazareth, Israel, 67 Neway, Girmane, 135, 136 Neway, Mengistu, 135, 136 Ogaden, 72 Organization of African Unity (OAU), 167 Oromia, 108 Otto, Dr., 125 Palestine, 28, 54, 63, 64, 67, 79, 81, 82, 84, 170 Pankhurst, Richard, 38, 105 Pankhurst, Sylva, 105 Paulos, Ato, 32, 53, 57

194

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Pawlus Wossen Seged (Menen’s grandson, Mekonnen), 102 Phillip Tafari (Menen’s grandson, Mekonnen), 109 Platt, Lieut-Gen., 87 Port Sa’id, Egypt, 54, 68, 79 Prince of Udine, 43 Queen of Sheba, xvii, 21–23, 41, 55, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 65, 134, 154, 158 Rachel Fikre-Selassie (Menen’s greatgranddaughter, Ijigayehu), 123 Rastafari Movement, 45–47 Richards, Arthur, 137 Romanework, Princess (Haile Sellassie’s child with first wife Altayech), 10, 83, 94 Rome, 29, 93, 132, 160 Russian Orthodox Church, 127 Ruth Desta (Menen’s granddaughter, Tenagne Work), 39, 98, 102, 123 Sahle Sellassie, Prince (Menen’s son), xi, xvi, 49, 80, 82, 90, 98, 102, 112, 134, 136, 163, 167, 168, 171, 177 Samson Mariam (Menen’s greatgrandson, Ijigayehu), 119 Sarah, 13, 61, 155 Segele, 19 Sehin Azeb (Menen’s granddaughter, Asfa Wossen), 107 Sehin (Mikael), Woizero (Menen’s mother), 3, 4, 6, 16, 32, 150, 174, 175 Sewaswe Berhan School, 154 Seyum Mangasha (Menen’s greatgrandson, Aida Desta), 123 Seyum, Mangasha Ras (Aida Desta’s husband), 101, 105, 107, 108, 123, 138 Seyum (Wolete Israel), Princess (Menen’s daughter-in-law, Asfa Wossen), 50, 114

Shashemene, 121, 176 Shoa, 3, 7, 10, 18, 174 Sidamo, 121 Sifrash Bizu (Menen’s granddaughter, Asfa Wossen), 133 Silver Jubilee Coronation, 115 Silver Jubilee Exhibition, 116 Smuts, Jan Gen., 87 Sofia Desta (Menen’s granddaughter, Tenagne Work), 51, 125, 133 Solomon, King, 21–23, 41, 46, 55, 57, 58, 62, 63, 64, 65, 145, 158 Solomonic Dynasty, 21, 23, 46, 79, 135 Spencer, John, 113 St. George’s Church, Addis Ababa, 25, 30, 40, 42, 72, 83, 93, 115 St. Hana Church, Furi, 51 St. Mark’s Church, Addis Ababa, xvii, 30, 72, 138 St. Mary, or Mother Mary, 55, 73, 103, 104, 113, 169 St. Mary’s Ba’eta Monastery, 93 St. Mary’s Church, Entoto, 17 St. Paul’s Grammar School, Kolfe, 98, 105 St. Raguel Church, Addis Ababa, 108 St. Yared, xxi, xxii, 56 Stephen Mangasha (Menen’s greatgrandson, Aida Desta), 108 Sudan, xxvii, 54, 87, 120 Summit of African Heads of State, 157 Sybil Desta (Menen’s granddaughter, Tenagne Work), 50, 51, 112 Syria, 56, 64, 66, 67, 161 Tafari Mekonnen, Dej. Ras (Haile Sellassie’s name before coronation), 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 39, 40, 45 Tafari Mekonnen School, 30, 32 Taitu, Empress (wife of Menelik II), 17, 26, 28, 58, 96 Teferawork Kidanewold, 111

i nd e x Tenagne Work, Princess (Menen’s daughter), 16, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 39, 41, 50, 51, 71, 72, 80, 82, 83, 84, 88, 90, 98, 99, 101, 103, 108, 109, 113, 119, 123, 125, 133, 148, 167, 168, 169, 171 Tesema Dagnaw Dej., 125 Theological College of the Holy Trinity, Addis Ababa, 105 Tigray, 18, 50, 51, 101, 122, 156 Timkat (Epiphany), xiv, xv, 84, 107 Tsehay Memorial Hospital, 108, 114, 163 Tsehay, Princess (Menen’s daughter), 27, 29, 54, 62, 73, 74, 80, 81, 89, 90, 91, 93, 95, 96, 97, 105, 147, 171 Ullendorf, Edward, xvi, 10 Wal Wal, 72 Wavell, Archibald, 87 Wingate, Orde Col., 88 Wolde-Gabriel Wolde-Mariam, Bishop, 125 Wolde Giorgis, Ras, 112 Wolde Michael, Asfeha Bitwoded, 125

195

Wolete Giorgis (Menen’s baptismal name), 4, 146 Wollega, 96, 155, 164 Wollo, 3, 5, 7, 11, 16, 18, 32, 78, 91, 92, 106, 122, 144, 164, 174 World Women’s Association, 73 Yared Gebre Michael (Menen’s biographer), xvii, 144 Yashimabet, Woizero (Haile Sellassie’s mother), xiv, 9 Yohannes IV, Emperor, 51, 174 Yohannes Mangasha (Menen’s great-grandson, Aida Desta), 107 Zara Yakob, Crown Prince (Menen’s grandson of son Asfa Wossen), 108, 168 Zenebework. Princess (Menen’s daughter), 26, 27, 29, 41, 51, 97, 104, 139, 147, 169 Zenebework School, 104, 150 Zervos, Dr., 102 Zewditu, Empress, 18, 25, 27, 31, 33, 39, 58 Zewditu Hospital, 71, 114 Zewge, Ato, 125