Proclaimed Emperor of Ethiopia three times during a tumultuous period in his nation's history, Amha Selassie was born Asfaw Wossen Tafari in Harar on 27 July 1916.
Early Life and Education
Born into the Ethiopian imperial family, Asfaw Wossen was educated at the University of Liverpool. When his father ascended the throne as Emperor on 2 November 1930, he became Crown Prince. He was granted the title of Meridazmach and held administrative responsibility for the province of Wollo. During his early adult years, he was married to Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum, with whom he had a daughter, Princess Ijigayehu, before their eventual divorce in 1941.
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Following the 1935 Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Crown Prince went into exile. He returned in 1941 to participate in the campaign to expel Italian forces from Gondar. In the post-war period, he briefly served as acting governor of the Begemder and Tigray provinces. His second marriage was to Princess Medferiashwork Abebe, and the couple had three daughters—Mariam Senna, Sefrash, and Sehin—and a son, Prince Zera Yacob.
The 1960 Coup and Health Crisis
In December 1960, while his father was abroad, a coup led by Mengistu and Germame Neway seized control in Addis Ababa. The Crown Prince was held at the Imperial Palace and coerced into reading a radio statement accepting the crown. Although the regular army suppressed the rebellion by 15 December, suspicion regarding the Prince's potential cooperation persisted. By 1972, a major stroke left him permanently paralyzed, necessitating medical evacuation to London and Switzerland.
Exile and Final Proclamation
Following the 1974 revolution and his father's dethronement by the Derg junta, the new government declared him King. He rejected this title and the legitimacy of the military regime. Upon the 1975 abolition of the monarchy, he remained in exile. On 8 April 1989, he officially assumed the title of Emperor, taking the regnal name Amha Selassie I. He died in McLean in 1997 and was interred at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Fast facts
- Born: 27 July 1916, Harar
- Died: 17 January 1997, McLean
- Father: Emperor Haile Selassie
- Education: University of Liverpool
- Military Rank: Marshal of the Air Force
- Religion: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
- Burial Site: Holy Trinity Cathedral
Questions readers ask
Did Amha Selassie accept the title of King offered by the Derg?
No, he never accepted the title of King or the legitimacy of his father's dethronement by the military junta.
When did he become Emperor?
He was first proclaimed Emperor in 1960, but he only sanctioned and accepted the title as Emperor in exile on 8 April 1989.
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