A History of the Solomonic Dynasty of Ethiopia
"And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and loose the seven seals thereof." ~Revelation 5:5
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"The Imperial dignity shall be perpetually attached to the line of Haile Selassie I, descendant of King Sahle Selassie, whose line descends without interruption from the dynasty of Menelik I, son of the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Jerusalem."
Constitution of Ethiopia - Article II
1270 - 1285 Emperor Yekuno Amlak (first Emperor of Ethiopia to claim direct decent from Menelik I, fruit of the union of King Solomon of Jerusalem and Makeda, Queen of Sheba.)
1299 - 1314 Emperor Wedem Arad (son of Yekuno Amlak)
1314 - 1344 Emperor Amda Tseyon (son of Wedem Arad during whose reign, the "Kebra Negast" is written)
1344 - 1371 Emperor Newaya Krestos (son of Amda Tseyon)
1380 - 1412 Emperor Dawit I (son of Newaya Krestos)
1412 - 1414 Emperor Tewodros I
1414 - 1430 Emperor Yesehaq
1434 - 1468 Emperor Zare'a Ya'eqob (fourth son of Dawit I)
1468 - 1478 Emperor Ba'eda Maryam (son of Zare'a Ya'eqob)
1494 - 1508 Emperor Naod (son of Ba'eda Maryam)
1508 - 1540 Emperor Lebna Dengel (son of Naod)
1540 - 1559 Emperor Galawdewos (son of Lebna Dengel)
1559 - 1563 Emperor Minas (son of Lebna Dengel)
1563 - 1597 Emperor Sartsa Dengel (son of Minas)
1597 - 1603 Emperor Yaeqob (son of Sartsa Dengel)
1603 - 1604 Emperor Za Dengel (nephew of Sartsa Dengel)
1607 - 1632 Emperor Susneyos (great grandson of Lebna Dengel)
1632 - 1667 Emperor Fasilidas I (son of Susneyos)
1667 - 1682 Emperor Yohannes I (son of Fasilidas)
1682 - 1705 Emperor Iyasu I (son of Yohannes I)
1705 - 1721 Emperor Takla Haymanot (son of Iyasu I)
1721 - 1730 Emperor Bakaffa (son of Iyasu I)
1730 - 1755 Emperor Iyasu II (son of Bakaffa)
1755 - 1769 Emperor Iyaos (son of Iyasu II)
1769 - 1855 "Zamana Masafent" a phrase meaning, "age of the princes". During this time, Ethiopia is divided into three independant states: Tegre, Amhara, Shoa, without a central government.
1855 - 1868 Emperor Tewodros II (defeats Empress Manan of Amhara and Daj Webe of Tegre, re-unifies Ethiopia's Kingdom into a single Empire. Shoa, is still ruled by Negus Menelik II, grandson of Sahle Selassie, direct descendant of Menelik I.)
1868 - 1871 Emperor Takla Giyorgis (proclaims himself Emperor upon the death of Tewodros.)
1872 - 1889 Emperor Yohannes IV (defeats Takla Giyorgis)
1889 - 1913 Emperor Menelik II (proclaims himself Negus Negast of Ethiopia and is crowned Emperor upon the death of Yohannes IV)
1913 - 1916 Lij Iyasu (grandson of Menelik II)
1916 - 1930 Empress Zawditu (daughter of Menelik II )
1930 - 1974 Emperor Haile Selassie I (Ras Tafari, great grandson of Negus Sahle Selassie of Shoa, is crowned Negus of Ethiopia in 1928 and upon the death of Empress Zawditu in 1930, is crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Light of the World, Root of David, Elect of God.)
"And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and loose the seven seals thereof." ~Revelation 5:5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Imperial dignity shall be perpetually attached to the line of Haile Selassie I, descendant of King Sahle Selassie, whose line descends without interruption from the dynasty of Menelik I, son of the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Jerusalem."
Constitution of Ethiopia - Article II
1270 - 1285 Emperor Yekuno Amlak (first Emperor of Ethiopia to claim direct decent from Menelik I, fruit of the union of King Solomon of Jerusalem and Makeda, Queen of Sheba.)
1299 - 1314 Emperor Wedem Arad (son of Yekuno Amlak)
1314 - 1344 Emperor Amda Tseyon (son of Wedem Arad during whose reign, the "Kebra Negast" is written)
1344 - 1371 Emperor Newaya Krestos (son of Amda Tseyon)
1380 - 1412 Emperor Dawit I (son of Newaya Krestos)
1412 - 1414 Emperor Tewodros I
1414 - 1430 Emperor Yesehaq
1434 - 1468 Emperor Zare'a Ya'eqob (fourth son of Dawit I)
1468 - 1478 Emperor Ba'eda Maryam (son of Zare'a Ya'eqob)
1494 - 1508 Emperor Naod (son of Ba'eda Maryam)
1508 - 1540 Emperor Lebna Dengel (son of Naod)
1540 - 1559 Emperor Galawdewos (son of Lebna Dengel)
1559 - 1563 Emperor Minas (son of Lebna Dengel)
1563 - 1597 Emperor Sartsa Dengel (son of Minas)
1597 - 1603 Emperor Yaeqob (son of Sartsa Dengel)
1603 - 1604 Emperor Za Dengel (nephew of Sartsa Dengel)
1607 - 1632 Emperor Susneyos (great grandson of Lebna Dengel)
1632 - 1667 Emperor Fasilidas I (son of Susneyos)
1667 - 1682 Emperor Yohannes I (son of Fasilidas)
1682 - 1705 Emperor Iyasu I (son of Yohannes I)
1705 - 1721 Emperor Takla Haymanot (son of Iyasu I)
1721 - 1730 Emperor Bakaffa (son of Iyasu I)
1730 - 1755 Emperor Iyasu II (son of Bakaffa)
1755 - 1769 Emperor Iyaos (son of Iyasu II)
1769 - 1855 "Zamana Masafent" a phrase meaning, "age of the princes". During this time, Ethiopia is divided into three independant states: Tegre, Amhara, Shoa, without a central government.
1855 - 1868 Emperor Tewodros II (defeats Empress Manan of Amhara and Daj Webe of Tegre, re-unifies Ethiopia's Kingdom into a single Empire. Shoa, is still ruled by Negus Menelik II, grandson of Sahle Selassie, direct descendant of Menelik I.)
1868 - 1871 Emperor Takla Giyorgis (proclaims himself Emperor upon the death of Tewodros.)
1872 - 1889 Emperor Yohannes IV (defeats Takla Giyorgis)
1889 - 1913 Emperor Menelik II (proclaims himself Negus Negast of Ethiopia and is crowned Emperor upon the death of Yohannes IV)
1913 - 1916 Lij Iyasu (grandson of Menelik II)
1916 - 1930 Empress Zawditu (daughter of Menelik II )
1930 - 1974 Emperor Haile Selassie I (Ras Tafari, great grandson of Negus Sahle Selassie of Shoa, is crowned Negus of Ethiopia in 1928 and upon the death of Empress Zawditu in 1930, is crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Light of the World, Root of David, Elect of God.)