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Order of the Seal of Solomon | |
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Type | House Order |
Country | Ethiopian Empire |
Royal house | House of Solomon |
Religious affiliation | Ethiopian Orthodox |
Sovereign | Emperor of Ethiopia |
Grand Master | President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia |
Grades | Grand Cordon Grand Officer Commander Officer Chevalier (Knight) |
Former grades | Collar |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Imperial Order of Solomon |
Next (lower) | Imperial Order of the Queen of Sheba |
Ribbon of the order |
The Order of the Seal of Solomon is an order of knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire, founded by Emperor Yohannes IV in 1874 as the highest imperial honour, containing five grades. In 1930, an even higher Order was established, i.e. the Order of Solomon, which was a split off from the Order of the Seal of Solomon. The Order was conferred on members of imperial house and upon persons who had rendered meritorious services.
After the deposition of Haile Selassie and dissolution of the Ethiopian Empire, the order continued as a house order to be awarded by the House of Solomon. Today, its current Grand Master is the President of the Crown Council, Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, the grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
The Solomonic dynasty, the ancient Imperial House of Ethiopia, claims descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, said to have given birth to King Menelik I after her visit to Solomon in Jerusalem. [1]
The Order has five grades. The superior class "Collar" was introduced in the Order by Empress Zauditu in 1922, but with the amendment in 1930, this grade was separated as independent order by Emperor Haile Selassie (i.e., as the Order of Solomon, with a single class of "Collar").
The badge of the order is a gold Star of David with a cross bottony in the center enameled green with a central gold Latin cross. The badge was suspended by the Ethiopian crown in gold. The plaque bears the badge of the order on a gold star with rays. The ribbon is solid green. Lower grades of the order had the central cross botton enameled.
Haile Selassie I was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (Enderase) for Empress Zewditu from 1916. Haile Selassie is widely considered a defining figure in modern Ethiopian history, and the key figure of Rastafari, a religious movement in Jamaica that emerged shortly after he became emperor in the 1930s. He was a member of the Solomonic dynasty, which claims to trace lineage to Emperor Menelik I, believed to be the son of King Solomon and Makeda the Queen of Sheba.
Menen Asfaw was Empress of the Ethiopian Empire as the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Prince Makonnen Haile Selassie, Duke of Harar was the second son, and second-youngest child, of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. He was made Mesfin of Harar upon the coronation of his parents in 1930.
Amha Selassie was Emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia. As son of Haile Selassie I, he was Crown Prince and was proclaimed monarch three times. He was first proclaimed Emperor during an unsuccessful coup attempt against his father in December 1960, during which he alleged that he was detained and compelled to accept the title. After his father was deposed in a later coup, he was proclaimed King in absentia by the Derg on 12 September 1974 in an act which he never accepted as legitimate and that ended in the abolition of the Ethiopian monarchy on 21 March 1975. He was again proclaimed Emperor in exile on 8 April 1989. This time he sanctioned the proclamation and accepted its legitimacy. After his accession, his full reign name was His Imperial Majesty Emperor Amha Selassie I, Elect of God, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah and King of Kings of Ethiopia.
Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie, GBE baptismal name Fikirte Mariam, of Ethiopia was the eldest child of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw.
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The Solomonic dynasty, also known as the House of Solomon, was the ruling dynasty of the Ethiopian Empire from the thirteenth to twentieth centuries. The dynasty was founded by Yekuno Amlak, who overthrew the Zagwe dynasty in 1270. His successors claimed he was descended from the legendary king Menelik I, the supposed son of the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, in order to legitimize the dynasty's assumption of power. Although this claimed ancestry gave the dynasty its name, there is no credible evidence that the dynasty was descended from Solomon or the Davidic line. The Solomonic dynasty remained in power until 1974, when its last emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown by a coup d'état.
Prince Sahle Selassie was the youngest child of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw of Ethiopia. His full title was "His Imperial Highness, Prince Sahle Selassie Haile Selassie".
Princess Aida Desta, baptismal name Bisrate Gabriel, was the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie, eldest child and daughter of Ras Desta Damtew and Princess Tenagnework. She was the wife of Leul Ras Mangasha Seyum, Prince of Tigray, son of Seyum Mangasha, and great-grandson of Emperor Yohannes IV. Her godmother was Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia.
Princess Sophia Desta was the youngest daughter of Ras Desta Damtew and Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie, and granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. She was educated at Clarendon School for Girls in the United Kingdom together with her three sisters, Aida, Hirut Desta (Ruth) and Sebel. Princess Sophia was imprisoned, mistreated and humiliated in the Alem Bekagn Kerchele prison, Addis Ababa together with her sisters, other princesses of the Imperial Family, from 1974 until 1988.
Princess Sara Gizaw, Duchess of Harar was the widow of Prince Makonnen, Duke (Mesfin) of Harar and second son of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
Medferiashwork Abebe, baptismal name Amete Maryam, was the titular Empress-consort of Amha Selassie, Emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia. Her full title used by monarchists was "Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Medferiashwork", but she was officially regarded in post-Derg Ethiopia as "Her Imperial Highness Princess Medferiashwork Abebe".
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