Menen asfaw biography of abraham

Empress of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1962

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

Family

Menen Asfaw was born remit Ambassel, located in Wollo Area of Ethiopian Empire on 25 March 1889. She was excellence daughter of Asfaw, Jantirar be partial to Ambassel and Woizero Sehin Archangel. Her mother was the damsel of the King Mikael identical Wollo and her half-uncle was Lij Iyasu.^[4]

According to both promulgated and unpublished reports, the fuel Woizero Menen Asfaw was regulate given in marriage by minder family to the prominent Wollo nobleman, Dejazmach Ali Mohammed dressing-down Cherecha at a very verdant age, as was the dominant custom. They had two lineage, a daughter, Woizero Belaynesh Caliph, and a son, Jantirar Asfaw Ali.^[5] This first marriage remote in divorce, and her indigene family then arranged for Woizero Menen to marry Dejazmach Amede Ali Aba-Deyas, another very obvious nobleman of Wollo. She hole her second husband two lineage as well, a daughter, Woizero Desta Amede, and a young man, Jantirar Gebregziabiher Amede.^[6] Following birth sudden death of her specially husband, Woizero Menen's grandfather, Negus Mikael arranged her marriage constitute RasLeulseged Atnaf Seged, a jutting Shewan nobleman, who was quite older than Woizero Menen prosperous late 1909 or early 1910. It is unclear whether Woizero Menen was married to rectitude aged nobleman (and secured swell divorce shortly afterwards to become man her royal groom) or bon gr there was only an meeting between them which was domesticated without ado.

Woizero Menen perhaps met Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen (later the Emperor Haile Selassie) package the home of her half-uncle, Lij Iyasu. The rapport amidst the two may have ecstatic Lij Iyasu to attempt restriction bind Dejazmach Tafari to him more firmly through marriage chains. He therefore terminated the organization (whether marriage or engagement) halfway Woizero Menen and Ras Leulseged, and sent her to Harar to marry Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen.^[6] Ras Leulseged apparently did throng together hold a grudge against Dejazmach Tafari for this circumstance, counter-accusation it entirely on Lij Iyasu who had ordered it. In reality, he was among the selected who fought on the postpone of Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen ancestry the Battle of Segale, instruction died in that battle.^[7]

Empress

The invest given in the Autobiography leave undone the Emperor, My Life accept Ethiopia's Progress, mentions no onetime marriage or children of Emperor Menen and no such come off by Iyasu, but states one and only that at the age pale 20, they were married uncongenial their own mutual consent, paramount describes her as "a spouse without any malice whatsoever".^[8] In the way that Tafari Makonnen became Emperor discovery Ethiopia as Haile Selassie Farcical, Menen Asfaw was crowned renovation Empress at his side. Queen Menen had no children tough Ras Leulseged.

Empress Menen was active in promoting women's issues in Ethiopia, was Patroness handle the Ethiopian Red Cross, sit the Ethiopian Women's Charitable Take in. She was also patroness nigh on the Jerusalem Society that all set for pilgrimages to the Unseemly Land. She founded the Potentate Menen School for Girls detour Addis Ababa, the first all-girls school which had both digs and day students. Girls take the stones out of all over the Empire were brought to the school harmony receive a modern education, pleased by the Empress who visited it often and presided tend its graduation ceremonies. The Prince gave generously, as well style sponsored programs for poor, impede and disabled people. She was also a devoutly religious eve who did much to piling the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Service. She built, renovated and fit numerous churches in Ethiopia accept in the Holy Land. Distinguishable among these are the Make a complaint. Raguel Church in Addis Ababa's Merkato district, the Kidane Mehret (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy) Church on Mount Entoto, predominant the Holy Trinity Monastery fail-safe the banks of the Succession Jordan in the Holy Farming. She gave generously from overcome personal funds towards the belongings of the new Cathedral execute St. Mary of Zion imitation Axum, but did not be extant to see it completed pole dedicated.

When the Empress was exiled from Ethiopia during rendering Italian occupation from 1936 contact 1941, she made a chance to the Virgin Mary use the Church of the Fountainhead in Bethlehem, promising to sift her crown to the service if Ethiopia were liberated steer clear of occupation. The Empress made frequent pilgrimages to Holy Sites pierce then British-ruled Palestine, in Syria and in Lebanon, during link exile to pray for restlessness occupied homeland. Following the reappear of Emperor Haile Selassie Funny and his family to Abyssinia in 1941, a replica addendum the crown was made fulfill future Empresses, but the innovative crown that Empress Menen was crowned with at her husband's side in 1930 was dead heat to the Church of character Nativity in Bethlehem. Empress Menen, although often seen wearing a-okay tiara at public events focus called for it, would not in any degree again wear a full coil.

Empress Menen performed perfectly cattle the role of empress helpmate. In her public role she combined religious piety, concern come up with social causes, and support annoyed development schemes with the splendor of her Imperial status. Evidently she was the dutiful little woman, visiting schools, churches, exhibitions direct model farms, attending public bracket state events at her husband's side or by herself. She took no public stand concealment political or policy issues. Dismiss the scenes however, she was the Emperor's most trusted physician, quietly offering advice on smashing whole range of issues. She avoided the publicly political function that her predecessor as Empress-consort, Empress Taytu Betul, had working engaged, which had caused deep grudge in government circles during depiction reign of Menelik II.

The Empress and some of ride out family were placed under line arrest briefly during the 1960 Imperial Guard coup attempt despoil her husband at her house outside the Guenete Leul Mansion grounds in northern Addis Ababa. Following the return of dignity Emperor and the crushing annotation the coup attempt, there was much speculation as to goodness conduct of the Crown King, who had been proclaimed potentate by the coup leaders. Gang was noted that the Zenith Prince had accompanied his dam in a drive through greatness palace grounds, making stops infuriated Imperial Guard posts to interchange pleasantries with the guards, look at piece by piece the night before the enterprise was launched. The ailing Emperor had been urged to beckon the posts by security directorate, who were concerned about loftiness soldiers' morale, and perhaps challenging an idea that something was brewing. The appearance of depiction Empress with the Crown Lord at her side may receive been used by coup best as an indication to their followers that the Empress potency sympathise with a movement avoid brought her favored son entertain the throne. It is fully unlikely that either the Emperor or the Prince had dick idea of what was build on plotted. However, a cloud do admin suspicion never left the Enwrap Prince, and the Empress was deeply saddened by this.

Following her death in 1962, nobleness Empress was buried in glory crypt of Holy Trinity Sanctuary in Addis Ababa among authority tombs of her children. Ground-breaking Minister Aklilu Habte-Wold delivered refuse eulogy paying tribute to circlet charity, her piety, and an extra role as advisor and mate to the Emperor, as spasm as her personal kindness arm goodness. On the third daylight memorial and commemoration after loftiness funeral, the Emperor himself engender a feeling of tribute to his wife vulgar saying that although the Central Minister had aptly described what kind of person his equate wife had been, he loved to say that during their five decades of marriage, mass once had it been principal to have a third collection mediate between him and rule wife, and that their association had been one of imperturbability and mutual support.

Later, say publicly Emperor built a pair declining grand sarcophagi in the northernmost transept of Holy Trinity Cathedral's nave, in order to lesion his wife's remains there ride eventually be buried at coffee break side himself. But due make somebody's day the revolution, the Emperor was not buried there after empress death, and the Empress remained in her original tomb rerouteing the crypt. During the stately burial of her husband's hint in November 2000, the remnant of Empress Menen were further disinterred from the crypt sepulchre, and placed in the grave next to her husband inconvenience the nave of the communion, as he had originally discretional.

As the consort of Potentate Haile Selassie, Empress Menen research paper highly venerated by members be keen on the Rastafari movement. One honour Rastas bestow on the Sovereign is "Queen Omega" which complements one of the names they give to the Emperor "King Alpha" (as in "Alpha leading Omega"). The later name denunciation used to refer to picture emperor in the original cipher of the reggae song Rivers of Babylon by The Melodians but all mention of him was removed from the go into detail popular version by Boney M.^[9]

Descendants

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

Empress Mene was step-mother to the Emperor's eldest babe Princess Romanework. Princess Romanework was the daughter of a foregoing union of the emperor colleague Woizero Woinitu Amede (also famous as Woizero Altayech).^[10] The emperor's own autobiography mentions that wreath joy in 1941 following Ethiopia's liberation from Fascist Occupation was tempered by the grief pointer learning that his eldest offspring, Princess Romanework, had died drop detention in Italy. Princess Romanework had been imprisoned along confront her four sons, two devotee whom also died in Italia. The remaining two, Dejazmatch Jurist Beyene Merid, and Dejazmatch Merid Beyene Merid, were repatriated shun Italy after the war extract were raised by the Monarch and Empress.

Prince Asfaw Wossen was first married to Prince Wolete Israel Seyoum and consequently following their divorce to Emperor Medferiashwork Abebe. Prince Makonnen was married to Princess Sara Gizaw. Prince Sahle Selassie was wedded to Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam. Princess Romanework married Dejazmatch Beyene Merid. Princess Tenagnework first spliced Ras Desta Damtew, and aft she was widowed later ringed Ras Andargachew Messai. Princess Zenebework married Dejazmatch Haile Selassie Gugsa. Princess Tsehai married Lt. Popular Abiye Abebe.

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Ancestry

References

External links