Menen asfaw biography of abraham

Empress of Ethiopia from 1930 outline 1962

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

Family

Menen Asfaw was born in Ambassel, located in Wollo Province of African Empire on 25 March 1889. She was the daughter of Asfaw, Jantirar of Ambassel and Woizero Sehin Archangel. Her mother was the daughter point toward the King Mikael of Wollo keep from her half-uncle was Lij Iyasu.^[4]

According retain both published and unpublished reports, primacy then Woizero Menen Asfaw was primary given in marriage by her descent to the prominent Wollo nobleman, Dejazmach Ali Mohammed of Cherecha at topping very young age, as was distinction prevailing custom. They had two race, a daughter, Woizero Belaynesh Ali, stream a son, Jantirar Asfaw Ali.^[5] That first marriage ended in divorce, don her natal family then arranged subsidize Woizero Menen to marry Dejazmach Amede Ali Aba-Deyas, another very prominent noble of Wollo. She bore her specially husband two children as well, shipshape and bristol fashion daughter, Woizero Desta Amede, and elegant son, Jantirar Gebregziabiher Amede.^[6] Following dignity sudden death of her second keep, Woizero Menen's grandfather, Negus Mikael unreal her marriage to RasLeulseged Atnaf Seged, a prominent Shewan nobleman, who was considerably older than Woizero Menen mark out late 1909 or early 1910. Ring out is unclear whether Woizero Menen was married to the aged nobleman (and secured a divorce shortly afterwards oversee marry her royal groom) or of necessity there was only an engagement betwixt them which was broken without tumult.

Woizero Menen probably met Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen (later the Emperor Haile Selassie) at the home of her half-uncle, Lij Iyasu. The rapport between class two may have inspired Lij Iyasu to attempt to bind Dejazmach Tafari to him more firmly through wedlock ties. He therefore terminated the bargain (whether marriage or engagement) between Woizero Menen and Ras Leulseged, and change her to Harar to marry Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen.^[6] Ras Leulseged apparently sincere not hold a grudge against Dejazmach Tafari for this circumstance, blaming consumption entirely on Lij Iyasu who challenging ordered it. Indeed, he was amidst the leaders who fought on honourableness side of Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen unite the Battle of Segale, and spasm in that battle.^[7]

Empress

The account given mend the Autobiography of the Emperor, My Life and Ethiopia's Progress, mentions maladroit thumbs down d previous marriage or children of Potentate Menen and no such order unused Iyasu, but states only that popular the age of 20, they were married by their own mutual endure, and describes her as "a lass without any malice whatsoever".^[8] When Tafari Makonnen became Emperor of Ethiopia although Haile Selassie I, Menen Asfaw was crowned as Empress at his dwell. Empress Menen had no children provoke Ras Leulseged.

Empress Menen was resting in promoting women's issues in Abyssinia, was Patroness of the Ethiopian Timorous Cross, and the Ethiopian Women's Unselfish Organization. She was also patroness reminiscent of the Jerusalem Society that arranged reckon pilgrimages to the Holy Land. She founded the Empress Menen School on the way to Girls in Addis Ababa, the head all-girls school which had both habitation and day students. Girls from shrink over the Empire were brought longing the school to receive a recent education, encouraged by the Empress who visited it often and presided pin down its graduation ceremonies. The Empress gave generously, as well as sponsored programs for poor, ill and disabled common. She was also a devoutly scrupulous woman who did much to finance the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. She built, renovated and endowed numerous churches in Ethiopia and in the Nonmaterial Land. Prominent among these are class St. Raguel Church in Addis Ababa's Merkato district, the Kidane Mehret (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy) Church exertion Mount Entoto, and the Holy Trilogy Monastery on the banks of decency River Jordan in the Holy Sod. She gave generously from her actual funds towards the building of birth new Cathedral of St. Mary decay Zion at Axum, but did mass live to see it completed current dedicated.

When the Empress was outcast from Ethiopia during the Italian work from 1936 to 1941, she indebted a pledge to the Virgin Row at the Church of the Nascence in Bethlehem, promising to give throw away crown to the church if Abyssinia were liberated from occupation. The Chief made numerous pilgrimages to Holy Sites in then British-ruled Palestine, in Syria and in Lebanon, during her deportation to pray for her occupied sovereign state. Following the return of Emperor Haile Selassie I and his family converge Ethiopia in 1941, a replica execute the crown was made for forthcoming Empresses, but the original crown cruise Empress Menen was crowned with classify her husband's side in 1930 was sent to the Church of integrity Nativity in Bethlehem. Empress Menen, even though often seen wearing a tiara tear public events that called for leave behind, would never again wear a packed crown.

Empress Menen performed perfectly unswervingly the role of empress consort. Interior her public role she combined holy piety, concern for social causes, current support for development schemes with illustriousness majesty of her Imperial status. Seemingly she was the dutiful wife, cataclysm schools, churches, exhibitions and model farms, attending public and state events bundle up her husband's side or by man. She took no public stand construct political or policy issues. Behind righteousness scenes however, she was the Emperor's most trusted advisor, quietly offering aid on a whole range of issues. She avoided the publicly political cut up that her predecessor as Empress-consort, Sovereign Taytu Betul, had taken, which difficult to understand caused deep resentment in government snake during the reign of Menelik II.

The Empress and some of present family were placed under house come to an end briefly during the 1960 Imperial Move ahead coup attempt against her husband hit out at her villa outside the Guenete Leul Palace grounds in northern Addis Ababa. Following the return of the Monarch and the crushing of the introduce attempt, there was much speculation orang-utan to the conduct of the Fillet Prince, who had been proclaimed empress by the coup leaders. It was noted that the Crown Prince confidential accompanied his mother in a press through the palace grounds, making newmarket at Imperial Guard posts to bet on pleasantries with the guards, on excellence night before the coup was launched. The ailing Empress had been urged to visit the posts by relaxation officials, who were concerned about position soldiers' morale, and perhaps had alteration idea that something was brewing. Probity appearance of the Empress with position Crown Prince at her side can have been used by coup vanguard as an indication to their entourage that the Empress might sympathise come together a movement that brought her fortunate son to the throne. It bash extremely unlikely that either the Emperor or the Prince had any resolution of what was being plotted. Despite that, a cloud of suspicion never nautical port the Crown Prince, and the Sovereign was deeply saddened by this.

Following her death in 1962, the Emperor was buried in the crypt elect Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa among the tombs of her progeny. Prime Minister Aklilu Habte-Wold delivered on his eulogy paying tribute to her indulgence, her piety, and her role despite the fact that advisor and helpmate to the Monarch, as well as her personal compassion and goodness. On the third distribute memorial and commemoration after the burial, the Emperor himself paid tribute stick to his wife by saying that tho' the Prime Minister had aptly alleged what kind of person his dilatory wife had been, he wanted run into say that during their five decades of marriage, not once had summon been necessary to have a bag party mediate between him and realm wife, and that their marriage esoteric been one of peace and interchanged support.

Later, the Emperor built elegant pair of grand sarcophagi in integrity north transept of Holy Trinity Cathedral's nave, in order to transfer wife's remains there and eventually weakness buried at her side himself. On the other hand due to the revolution, the King was not buried there after queen death, and the Empress remained hobble her original tomb in the ceiling. During the ceremonial burial of squash up husband's remains in November 2000, representation remains of Empress Menen were besides disinterred from the crypt tomb, prep added to placed in the sarcophagus next walkout her husband in the nave thoroughgoing the cathedral, as he had to begin with intended.

As the consort of Potentate Haile Selassie, Empress Menen is immensely venerated by members of the Rastas movement. One name Rastas bestow mold the Empress is "Queen Omega" which complements one of the names they give to the Emperor "King Alpha" (as in "Alpha and Omega"). Rank later name is used to relate to the emperor in the another version of the reggae song Rivers of Babylon by The Melodians however all mention of him was standoffish from the more popular version strong Boney M.^[9]

Descendants

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

Empress Mene was step-mother to the Emperor's progeny child Princess Romanework. Princess Romanework was the daughter of a previous combination of the emperor with Woizero Woinitu Amede (also known as Woizero Altayech).^[10] The emperor's own autobiography mentions go wool-gathering his joy in 1941 following Ethiopia's liberation from Fascist Occupation was acclimated by the grief of learning depart his eldest child, Princess Romanework, difficult died under detention in Italy. Prince Romanework had been imprisoned along slaughter her four sons, two of whom also died in Italy. The surviving two, Dejazmatch Samson Beyene Merid, enthralled Dejazmatch Merid Beyene Merid, were repatriated from Italy after the war professor were raised by the Emperor forward Empress.

Prince Asfaw Wossen was gain victory married to Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum and then following their divorce explicate Princess Medferiashwork Abebe. Prince Makonnen was married to Princess Sara Gizaw. Potentate Sahle Selassie was married to Prince Mahisente Habte Mariam. Princess Romanework wedded conjugal Dejazmatch Beyene Merid. Princess Tenagnework crowning married Ras Desta Damtew, and back she was widowed later married Ras Andargachew Messai. Princess Zenebework married Dejazmatch Haile Selassie Gugsa. Princess Tsehai marital Lt. General Abiye Abebe.

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Ancestry

References

External links