Haile Selassie

Date of Birth: July 23, 1892

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: August 27, 1975

Biography

Haile Selassie I, born Tafari Makonnen, was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He was born in Ejersa Goro, in the Harar province of Ethiopia. Selassie is renowned for his efforts in modernizing Ethiopia and for his role in the development of the African Union. His reign saw Ethiopia’s entry into the League of Nations and later the United Nations, emphasizing his commitment to international diplomacy and peace. Selassie is also a central figure in the Rastafarian movement, which regards him as a messianic figure. His leadership during the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, and his subsequent return to power, solidified his status as a symbol of resistance against colonialism.

5 Interesting Facts about Haile Selassie

1. Haile Selassie was instrumental in the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, which aimed to promote solidarity among African nations.

2. Selassie was exiled in England during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and made a significant speech at the League of Nations in 1936, condemning the invasion.

3. He introduced Ethiopia’s first written constitution in 1931, which was a significant step towards modernizing the nation’s governance.

4. Haile Selassie is revered as the returned messiah of the Bible by the Rastafarian movement, which emerged in Jamaica during the 1930s.

5. His reign ended when he was deposed by a Marxist-Leninist junta in 1974, leading to the Ethiopian Revolution and the establishment of a communist state.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Haile Selassie

1. “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”

2. “It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.”

3. “Peace demands the united efforts of us all. Who can foresee what spark might ignite the fuse?”

4. “We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.”

5. “Do not worship me, I am not God. I’m only a man. I worship Jesus Christ.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At his peak, Haile Selassie’s net worth was estimated to be around $200 million.

Children

Haile Selassie had six children: 1. Princess Romanework Haile Selassie 2. Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen (later Emperor-in-exile Amha Selassie I) 3. Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie 4. Prince Makonnen Haile Selassie, Duke of Harar 5. Princess Zenebework Haile Selassie 6. Prince Sahle Selassie