Emperor Haile Selassie I
3,437 views · Published 23 July 2017 · 2:36 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: Pharaoh Said That · 2017 · People & Blogs
Haile Selassie was known as a child as Lij Tafari Makonnen. Lij is translated as "child", and serves to indicate that a youth is of noble blood. His given name, Tafari, means "one who is respected or feared". Like most Ethiopians, his personal name Tafari is followed by that of his father Makonnen and rarely that of his grandfather Woldemikael. His Ge'ez name Haile Selassie was given to him at his infant baptism and adopted again as part of his regnal name in 1930. As Governor of Harer, he became known as Ras Teferi Makonnen. Ras is translated as "head" and is a rank of nobility equivalent to Duke; though it is often rendered in translation as "prince. On 2 November 1930 Ras Tafari was crowned Negusa Nagast, literally King of Kings, rendered in English as "Emperor". Upon his ascension, he took as his regnal name Haile Selassie I. Haile means in Ge'ez "Power of" and Selassie means trinity—therefore Haile Selassie roughly translates to "Power of the Trinity". Haile Selassie's full title in office is "The Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Elect of God". This title reflects Ethiopian dynastic traditions, which hold that all monarchs must trace their lineage to Menelik I, who was the offspring of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. King Of Kings, Lord Of Lords, Conquering Lion Of the Tribe Of Judah Jah RasTafari