His Imperial Majesty was born on 23 July 1892 in the Ethiopian village of Ejersagoro in the province of Harerge and was the only child of ten to survive into adulthood. He was simply known as Tafari Makonnen until the age of thirteen when he was named Dejazmach "Commander of the gate or door" and made governor of a small region southwest of Harer in 1905.
With the naming of Menilek's daughter as Empress Zawditu I in 1916 Dejazmach Tafari was proclaimed Crown Prince with the rank of Ras and Regent of Ethiopia. Then in 1928 Empress Zawditu I decreed a new royalty, His Majesty Negus "King" Tafari Makonnen, Heir to the Throne of Ethiopia.
On 2 November 1930 "All Souls Day" Negus Tafari was crowned His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, The Conquering Lion Of Judah, Elect of Himself, Light of the World, King of Zion. This is the 225th King upon the throne of King David through the union of King Solomon and Makeda the Queen of Sheba.
"Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." St. Matthew 16.v28
"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." Rev.5.v5
"And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." Rev.19.v15
"Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Look in front of you and consider what you see." When I looked, I saw what seemed to be a Lion roused from the forest, roaring; and I heard how it uttered a human voice to the Eagle, and spoke saying, "Are you not the one that remains that I had made to reign in my world, so that the end of my times might come through them? You have conquered all that have gone before; and you have held sway over the world with great terror, and over all the earth with grievous oppression; and for so long you have lived on the earth with deceit.
You have judged the earth, but not with truth, for you have oppressed the meek and injured the peaceable; you have hated those who tell the truth, and have loved liars; you have destroyed the homes of those who brought forth fruit, and have laid low the walls of those who did you no harm. Your insolence has come up before the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One...." 2 Esdras 11.v36
This is the interpretation...."And as for the Lion whom you saw rousing up out of the forest and roaring and speaking to the Eagle and reproving him for his unrighteousness, and as for all his words that you have heard, this is the Messiah whom the Most High has kept until the end of days, who will arise from the offspring of david, and will come and speak with them. He will denounce them for their ungodliness and for their wickedness, and will display before them their contemptuous dealings. For first he will bring them alive before his judgement seat, and when he has reproved them, then he will destroy them." 2 Esdras 12.v31
Haile Sellassie, the ruler, the perfect exemplar to a nation, was a man obsessed by his task of leading Ethiopia into the modern world. He fought for justice and fairness for the smaller nations of the world and he spared no effort, as far as his considerable abilities allowed, to do what he believed would be best to achieve that end. A major political success, at the time, was gaining Ethiopia's entrance into the League of Nations in 1923 and later he became known as the Patron of African Unity with the creation of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963. His Majesty also set aside land in Ethiopia for all those, scattered throughout the world, who wished to return to the land of our ancestry. He didn't have to do this, for most of the peoples taken into slavery were from west Africa. Faithful throughout his life to his self-imposed mission, he remains, 'every inch a king'.
For many of us, this man fulfills prophecy just by his existence on earth for no other could proclaim lineage from the root of Jesse. The union of King Solomon and Queen Makeda of Sheba (Ethiopia) produced a son, Menelik I, who brought with him to Ethiopia, after a visit to his father, the Ark of the Covenant. Ethiopia was one of the first Christian nations and the only one that performs ancient ceremonies relating to the Ark. It was Ethiopia who sheltered Islam in its beginning when the arabs were persecuting the Muslims. The prophet Muhammad sent his followers to Ethiopia where they were protected by the Negus of that time.
To deny the importance of His Majesty's presence(Christ in his Kingly character) is to deny the ancient history of Ethiopia and to deny the ancient history of Ethiopia is to deny the importance of Ethiopia, birthplace of mankind!
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Jah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of Jah. Selah
I will make mention of Rahab and babylon to them that know I: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia: this man was born there.
And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.
The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah
As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee. Jah Rastafari
"We are content to let history judge the wisdom of our actions"