Amha Selassie

Amha Selassie I, actually Asfa Wossen ( born July 27, 1916 in Harar, † February 17, 1997 in McLean (Virginia)) was the eldest son of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I. Crown Prince of Ethiopia.

Life

Asfa Wossen is not identical to another Ethiopian prince with similar names: Asfa- Wossen Asserate, a grandnephew Haile Selassie's grandson and a half-sister of Asfa Wossen.

At first he was Crown Prince, but it came in 1960 during a state visit to Haile Selassie in Brazil to a high-ranking military coup attempt and progressive forces against the absent emperor. The revolutionaries demanded reforms and proclaimed Crown Prince Asfa Wossen Emperor of Ethiopia. After the suppression of the revolt of the crown prince assured the father though, this was done against his will. But he fell from grace and remained henceforth mainly in the USA and the UK, observers spoke of an exile and his renewed involvement in further coup attempts in 1970 and 1972. Contrast, however, the fact that Asfa Wossen about the same time in London a stroke had suffered. Instead, tried to stage a coup in 1973 Prince Iskander Desta Haile Selassie's grandson and nephew Asfa Wossens.

It was only in July 1974 but the emperor was actually overthrown by a military revolt, but was still on April 14, 1974 Asfa Wossens son Zere Yacobe Selassie ( Zar'a Jaqob ) appointed in place of the already paralyzed Asfa Wossen as the new crown prince and heir to the throne. Because of the still great respect for the old "Lion of Judah " was deposed Haile Selassie until the final on 12 September 1974. Meanwhile, to also formal transformation of Ethiopia into a republic on March 21, 1975, therefore, were both Asfa Wossen ( the throne name " Amha Selassie I. " he took only about a decade later, during his coronation in exile in London ) and Haile Selassie's grandson as a " last-ditch " Emperor. In fact, sat down in the new junta, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1977 against General Aman Andom, a former arise as the Emperor applicable ( during the Revolution of 1960) and progressive officer by. In London Asfa Wossen met in the same year along with the reggae musician Bob Marley and is said to have given him the signet ring of his father, which the Holy cult of Rastafarians still inspired by Haile Selassie world. Asfa Wossen however, died in 1997 Lost in exile.

His son Zer'a Ja'qob returned soon after the fall of Mengistu to Ethiopia in 1991 and is regarded local monarchists today as the rightful claimant to the throne wiederzuerrichtenden a constitutional monarchy.