After I pressed the send-button I discovered that Ark I already had answered the question about a minute earlier so this info is just a repeating. It's not possible to delete it though so I just add this info here at the top.
Her Imperial Majesty Empress Menen was born in Wollo in 1889. She was the daughter of Jantirar Asfaw of Ambassel, and his wife, Woizero Sehin Michael. Woizero Sehin was the daughter of King Michael of Wollo and half sister of Lij Eyasu. Through King Michael, Empress Menen could trace her ancestry back to Emperor Fasiledes and also to the Prophet Mohammed. Empress Menen had been married three times prior to her marriage to Emperor Haile Selassie. Her husband immediately before the Emperor had been Ras Leulseged Atnafseged. From her first husband Empress Menen had two children, Woizero Belainesh Ali, and Jantirar Asfaw Ali. From her second marriage, she had two more children, Jantirar Gebre Igziabiher Amede and Woizero Desta Amede. She had no children from her brief marriage to Ras Leulseged. The Empress thus had ten children altogether and the Emperor therefore had 4 step-children. Empress Menen married Emperor Haile Selassie on July 30th 1910, while he was still Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen of Harrar. Unlike her previous marriages, this one was a church wedding with a communion service, thus the only one of her marriages recognized by the Orthodox Church. The marriage is said to have been promoted by the Lord Regent, Ras Tessema Nadew and Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis Denagde in order to tie Dejazmatch Taffari more closely to Lij Eyasu and ensure his loyalty. Some say Lij Eyasu ordered his paternal niece to marry his maternal cousin, while others say he actively promoted the match after the couple first met at his home in Addis Ababa and were smitten, and he realized the political advantages to him. Whatever one believes, what is certain is that their marriage proved very successful and long lasting. The Emperor and Empress celebrated their golden wedding aniversary in 1960. Her Imperial Majesty died in 1961 after 51 years of marriage, at the age of 71. She had been Empress of Ethiopia for 32 years at the time of her death. She was buried at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa.
Imperial Ethiopia Homepage
Emperor Haile Selassie had a large family. His first marriage was to Woizero Altayech, by whom he had a daughter, Her Imperial Highness Princess Romanework Haile Selassie.
Imperial Ethiopia Homepage
Same information is found at:
Imperial Ethiopian College of Heraldry of the Solomonic Crown
By Empress Menen, the Emperor had six children: Princess Tenagnework, Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen, Princess Tsehai, Princess Zenebework, Prince Makonnen and Prince Sahle Selassie.
Emperor Haile Selassie I also had an older daughter, Princess Romanework Haile Selassie, who was born from an earlier alleged union to Woizero Altayech. Little is known about his relationship with Altayech beyond that it allegedly occurred when the Emperor was in his late teens. His Majesty never once mentioned any previous marriage, either in his Autobiography or in any other writings. The Princess is listed among the Emperor's children in the official Imperial Family Tree published after his coronation[citation needed], and in every version since[citation needed]. She was granted the title of Princess and given the dignity of "Imperial Highness" upon the Emperor's coronation along with his other children, not something that would have been granted an illegitimate or adopted child.
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