Haile Selassie

He died under house arrest in 1975 as the last emperor of Ethiopia. Although his death was ruled at the time to be of natural causes, later investigation revealed that he may have been strangled. His remains were found long after his death and posthumously given a burial in Addis Ababa

Haile Selassie was born TafariMakonnen on July 23, 1892, in Ethiopia. He was a son of Ras (Prince) Makonnen, a chief adviser to the emperor of Ethiopia, and royal blood on his father's and mother's side.

Tafari received a private education and his intellect soon caught the attention of Emperor Menilek II. He was singled out for early promotion, receiving the noble title of Dejazmach at the age of 13. Shortly thereafter, his father died.

In 1906, at the age of 14, Tafari became governor of a minor province in Ethiopia. Under the protective wing of Emperor Menilek II, he became governor of several other small provinces over the next few years and continued his studies.

When Tafari's mentor Emperor Menilek II died, the emperor's grandson LijIyasu took over the throne and was emperor from 1913 to 1916. Despite his claim to the throne, Iyasu was an unpopular ruler and criticized for his embrace of Islam in a largely Christian country.

He headed the opposition against the unloved king and deposed him in 1916, placing Menelek II's daughter on the throne as the new Empress Zewditu.

Empress Zewditu was crowned on February 11, 1917, and named Tafari her Prince Regent. Although he had responsibilities in the daily running of the government, the empress still had the last word in all matters.

Even under the conservative reign of Empress Zewditu, his progressive policies gained national attention. He quickly came to be seen by the Ethiopian people as a younger and fresher face that was more globally minded, especially after he secured Ethiopia's entry into the League of Nations in 1923 with a promise to halt slavery.

In 1924 Tafari and his entourage embarked on a world tour, becoming the first Ethiopian ruler to ever travel abroad. His vibrant and unique appearance made him something of a celebrity, and his travels were sensationalized in the media.

In 1963, he was instrumental in the founding of the ‘Organization of African Unity’. This now defunct organization of 32 governments was established to promote African solidarity, and was headquartered in Addis Ababa.

At the end of his reign in the '70s, Tafari was the longest-serving head of state in power. He continued to enjoy international celebrity and popularity because of his relatively high global profile.