Menen Asfaw

Menen Asfaw(baptismal name:Walatta Giyorgis;25 March 1889 – 15 February 1962)wasEmpress of Ethiopiaas the wife of EmperorHaile Selassie.

Menen Asfaw
Itege
Empress consort of Ethiopia
Tenure	2 November 1930 – 15 February 1962
Coronation	2 November 1930
Born	(1889-03-25)25 March 1889 Ambassel,Bete Amhara,Ethiopian Empire(nowSouth Wollo,Amhara Region,Ethiopia)
Died	15 February 1962(1962-02-15)(aged 72) Addis Ababa,Ethiopian Empire
Burial	Holy Trinity Cathedral,Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Spouse	DejazmachAli Dejazmach-Deyas RasLul Seged Haile Selassie
Issue	Princess Tenagnework Asfaw Wossen Princess Zenebework Princess Tsehai Prince Makonnen Prince Sahle Selassie
Names Walatta Giyorgis Baptismal name
Dynasty	House of Solomon
Father	Asfaw,JantirarofAmbassel
Mother	WoizeroSehin Mikael
Religion	Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo

Family

Menen Asfaw was born inAmbassel,located inWollo ProvinceofEthiopian Empireon 25 March 1889. She was the daughter of Asfaw,JantirarofAmbasseland Woizero Sehin Michael. Her mother was the daughter of the KingMikael of Wolloand her half-uncle wasLij Iyasu.

According to both published and unpublished reports, the then Woizero Menen Asfaw was first given in marriage by her family to the prominent Wollo nobleman,DejazmachAli Mohammed of Cherecha at a very young age, as was the prevailing custom. They had two children, a daughter, Woizero Belaynesh Ali, and a son, Jantirar Asfaw Ali.This first marriage ended in divorce, and her natal family then arranged for Woizero Menen to marry Dejazmach Amede Ali Aba-Deyas, another very prominent nobleman of Wollo. She bore her second husband two children as well, a daughter, Woizero Desta Amede, and a son, Jantirar Gebregziabiher Amede.Following the sudden death of her second husband, Woizero Menen's grandfather,NegusMikael arranged her marriage toRasLeulsegedAtnaf Seged, a prominent Shewan nobleman, who was considerably older than Woizero Menen in late 1909 or early 1910. It is unclear whether Woizero Menen was married to the aged nobleman (and secured a divorce shortly afterwards to marry her royal groom) or whether there was only an engagement between them which was broken without ado.

Woizero Menen probably metDejazmachTafari Makonnen (later the EmperorHaile Selassie) at the home of her half-uncle, Lij Iyasu. The rapport between the two may have inspired Lij Iyasu to attempt to bind Dejazmach Tafari to him more firmly through marriage ties. He therefore terminated the arrangement (whether marriage or engagement) between Woizero Menen and Ras Leulseged, and sent her to Harar to marry Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen.Ras Leulseged apparently did not hold a grudge against Dejazmach Tafari for this circumstance, blaming it entirely on Lij Iyasu who had ordered it. Indeed, he was among the leaders who fought on the side of Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen in theBattle of Segale,and died in that battle.

Empress

Empress Menen Asfaw on a private visit toIsrael(6 May 1959)

The account given in the Autobiography of the Emperor,My Life and Ethiopia's Progress,mentions no previous marriage or children of Empress Menen and no such order by Iyasu, but states only that at the age of 20, they were married by their own mutual consent, and describes her as "a woman without any malice whatsoever".When Tafari Makonnen became Emperor of Ethiopia as Haile Selassie I, Menen Asfaw was crowned as Empress at his side. Empress Menen had no children by Ras Leulseged.

Empress Menen was active in promoting women's issues in Ethiopia, was Patroness of theEthiopian Red Cross,and the Ethiopian Women's Charitable Organization. She was also patroness of the Jerusalem Society that arranged for pilgrimages to theHoly Land.She founded the Empress Menen School for Girls inAddis Ababa,the first all-girls schoolwhich had both boarding and day students. Girls from all over the Empire were brought to the school to receive a modern education, encouraged by the Empress who visited it often and presided over its graduation ceremonies. The Empress gave generously, as well as sponsored programs for poor, ill and disabled people. She was also a devoutly religious woman who did much to support theEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.She built, renovated and endowed numerous churches in Ethiopia and in the Holy Land. Prominent among these are the St. Raguel Church in Addis Ababa's Merkato district, the Kidane Mehret (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy) Church onMount Entoto,and the Holy Trinity Monastery on the banks of theRiver Jordanin the Holy Land. She gave generously from her personal funds towards the building of the new Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion at Axum, but did not live to see it completed and dedicated.

When the Empress was exiled from Ethiopia during theItalian occupationfrom 1936 to 1941, she made a pledge to theVirgin Maryat theChurch of the NativityinBethlehem,promising to give her crown to the church if Ethiopia were liberated from occupation. The Empress made numerous pilgrimages to Holy Sites in then British-ruled Palestine, in Syria and in Lebanon, during her exile to pray for her occupied homeland. Following the return of Emperor Haile Selassie I and his family to Ethiopia in 1941, a replica of the crown was made for future Empresses, but the original crown that Empress Menen was crowned with at her husband's side in 1930 was sent to theChurch of the NativityinBethlehem.Empress Menen, although often seen wearing a tiara at public events that called for it, would never again wear a full crown.

Empress Menen performed perfectly in the role of empress consort. In her public role she combined religious piety, concern for social causes, and support for development schemes with the majesty of her Imperial status. Outwardly she was the dutiful wife, visiting schools, churches, exhibitions and model farms, attending public and state events at her husband's side or by herself. She took no public stand on political or policy issues. Behind the scenes however, she was the Emperor's most trusted advisor, quietly offering advice on a whole range of issues. She avoided the publicly political role that her predecessor as Empress-consort, EmpressTaytu Betul,had taken, which had caused deep resentment in government circles during the reign ofMenelik II.

The Empress and some of her family were placed under house arrest briefly during the1960 Imperial Guard coup attemptagainst her husband at her villa outside the Guenete Leul Palace grounds in northernAddis Ababa.Following the return of the Emperor and the crushing of the coup attempt, there was much speculation as to the conduct of the Crown Prince, who had been proclaimed monarch by the coup leaders. It was noted that the Crown Prince had accompanied his mother in a drive through the palace grounds, making stops at Imperial Guard posts to exchange pleasantries with the guards, on the night before thecoupwas launched. The ailing Empress had been urged to visit the posts by security officials, who were concerned about the soldiers' morale, and perhaps had an idea that something was brewing. The appearance of the Empress with the Crown Prince at her side may have been used by coup leaders as an indication to their followers that the Empress might sympathise with a movement that brought her favored son to the throne. It is extremely unlikely that either the Empress or the Prince had any idea of what was being plotted. However, a cloud of suspicion never left the Crown Prince, and the Empress was deeply saddened by this.

Following her death in 1962, the Empress was buried in thecryptofHoly Trinity Cathedralin Addis Ababa among the tombs of her children. Prime MinisterAklilu Habte-Wolddelivered her eulogy paying tribute to her charity, her piety, and her role as advisor and helpmate to the Emperor, as well as her personal kindness and goodness. On the third day memorial and commemoration after the funeral, the Emperor himself paid tribute to his wife by saying that although the Prime Minister had aptly described what kind of person his late wife had been, he wanted to say that during their five decades of marriage, not once had it been necessary to have a third party mediate between him and his wife, and that their marriage had been one of peace and mutual support.

Later, the Emperor built a pair of grand sarcophagi in the north transept of Holy Trinity Cathedral's nave, in order to transfer his wife's remains there and eventually be buried at her side himself. But due to the revolution, the Emperor was not buried there after his death, and the Empress remained in her original tomb in the crypt. During the ceremonial burial of her husband's remains in November 2000, the remains of Empress Menen were also disinterred from the crypt tomb, and placed in the sarcophagus next to her husband in the nave of the cathedral, as he had originally intended.

As the consort of Emperor Haile Selassie, Empress Menen is highly venerated by members of theRastafari movement.One name Rastas bestow on the Empress is "Queen Omega" which complements one of the names they give to the Emperor "King Alpha" (as in "Alpha and Omega"). The later name is used to refer to the emperor in the original version of thereggaesongRivers of BabylonbyThe Melodiansbut all mention of him was removed from the more popular version byBoney M.

Descendants

Empress Menen Asfaw seated in the centre and standing women from left to right arePrincess Tsehai,Princess Tenagnework,andPrincess Zenebework,her daughters, and on the far right is PrincessWolete Israel Seyoum,her daughter-in-law.

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

Empress Mene was step-mother to the Emperor's eldest childPrincess Romanework.Princess Romanework was the daughter of a previous union of the emperor with Woizero Woinitu Amede (also known as Woizero Altayech).The emperor's own autobiography mentions that his joy in 1941 following Ethiopia's liberation from Fascist Occupation was tempered by the grief of learning that his eldest child, Princess Romanework, had died under detention in Italy. Princess Romanework had been imprisoned along with her four sons, two of whom also died in Italy. The remaining two, Dejazmatch Samson Beyene Merid, and Dejazmatch Merid Beyene Merid, were repatriated from Italy after the war and were raised by the Emperor and Empress.

Prince Asfaw Wossen was first married to PrincessWolete Israel Seyoumand then following their divorce to PrincessMedferiashwork Abebe.Prince Makonnen was married to PrincessSara Gizaw.Prince Sahle Selassie was married to PrincessMahisente Habte Mariam.Princess Romanework married Dejazmatch Beyene Merid. Princess Tenagnework first married RasDesta Damtew,and after she was widowed later married RasAndargachew Messai.Princess Zenebework married DejazmatchHaile Selassie Gugsa.Princess Tsehai married Lt. GeneralAbiye Abebe.

Descendants of Menen Asfaw

Name of Issue	Birth	Death	Spouse	Children
Princess Tenagnework	12 January 1912	6 April 2003	1stRas Desta Damtew 2nd Ras Andargatchew Messai	Princess Aida Desta Prince Amha Desta Princess Seble Desta Rear Admiral Prince Iskinder Desta Princess Hirut Desta Princess Sophia Desta Emebet Tsige Mariam Abebe Retta Emebet Mentewab Andargatchew (died in childhood)
Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen	27 July 1916	17 February 1997	1stPrincess Wolete Israel Seyoum 2ndPrincess Medferiashwork Abebe	Princess Ijigayehu Princess Maryam Senna Princess Sehin Azebe Crown Prince Zera Yacob Princess Sifrash Bizu
Princess Zenebework	25 July 1917	25 March 1934	Dejazmatch Haile Selassie Guglsa
Princess Tsehai	13 October 1919	17 August 1942	Lt. General Abiye Abebe
Prince Makonnen, Duke of Harar	16 October 1924	13 May 1957	Princess Sara Gizaw, Duchess of Harar	Prince Paul Wossen Seged Makonnen, Duke of Harar Prince Mikael Makonnen Prince Taffari Makonnen Prince Dawit Makonnen (or Makonnen Makonnen) Prince Beede Mariam Makonnen
Prince Sahle Selassie	27 February 1932	24 April 1962	Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam	Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie

Honours

National honours

• Ethiopia:Knight Grand Collar of theOrder of Solomon
• Ethiopia:Knight Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Seal of Solomon
• Ethiopia:Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of theOrder of the Queen of Sheba
• Imperial Coronation Medal (1930).
• Refugee Medal (1944).
• Jubilee Medal (1955).

Foreign honours

• Member of theRoyal Order of the Seraphim(Kingdom of Sweden, 19 December 1959).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Menen Asfaw
2.DejazmachAsfaw Mikael,JantirarofAmbassel 1.ItegeMenen Asfaw 12.ImamAli Abba Bula 6.NegusMikael of Zion 13.WoizeroGetie 3.WoizeroSehin Mikael 14. Gabru 7.WoizeroFantaye 15. Hirut