Halie Selassie Essay Example

blood. Fortunately, Mokonnen saw to his son's education early, because in 1906 he became sick and soon after died. He left the fourteen-year-old son Tafari to be raised in the house of Meneik.

The Emperor, anxious to see Ras Tafari live up to his father's stature and take the throne when the time came, made the young man, now seventeen years, Governor of the Southern province of Sidamo. He won the trust of the people and more importantly, the Emperor. After holding this position for eighteen months, Ras Tafari received word that he had been made Governor of Harar in the province of Harige, his homeland(Gorham 1966). Tafari was finally in control of Ethiopia in 1916, although he was not emperor, he ran the country for the next sixty years. From the beginning, Ras Tafari pushed the development of Ethiopia and stressed the importance of education. Education was avoided for thousands of years, because of the fear of foreigners and their way of life. More than ninety percent of Ethiopia's population was illiterate(Gorham 1966). Education was also kept from the people because once a culture learned to read or write, it was only one step further to being able to think. This was a way of ensuring power to those in control, and keeping it from the people not in control. Before Ras Tafari's rule, there were no paved roads, highways, or railroads that connected Ethiopia.

Another problem was that there was a severe lack of professional men like engineers, doctors, and teachers. Ras Tafari worked hard to change these conditions. He also signed a trade agreement with Italy. This angered Ethiopians, because it opened the country

to trade with foreigners. Ras Tafari's rule was not a perfect one, but he did more good for the nation than bad.

On November 2,1930, Ras Tafari, at age of thirty-seven was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I. King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Conquering Lion of the tribe Judah(Marcus1987)

In conclusion, Halie Selassie ruled Ethiopia nobly. He looked for the betterment of his people, and the modernization of his country. He wanted the benefits of what a good education can do for a country. He compared Ethiopia to the great nations of Europe. Halie Selassie wanted to pull Ethiopia out of its dark ages and bring them into modern times and that is what he accomplished.

Bibliography

1. Gorham, Charles. The Lion of Judah: A life of Haile Selassie: Emperor of Ethiopia. Ariel Books, New York.1966.
2. Marcus, Harold G. Halie Sellassie I: The Formative Years 1892-1936.
3. Red Sea Press.1987.