King of Kings: The Triumph and Tragedy of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia Kindle Edition

Just finished this and it was an interesting read. Haile Selassie has always intrigued me, especially his defensive war against Italy in the mid-1930s. I found his early wisdom in ruling Ethiopia as a stark contrast to his age-induced lack of wisdom in developing leaders and government structure to succeed him. As a result, his beloved country and countymen paid a horrific price. No doubt he was a courageous man.

Prince Asfa Wossen has done justice to the legacy of H.I.M Haile Selassie I with this important work. As the author himself points out this biography is not an academic piece, but rather a personal view of the ascent and demise of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I. As a cousin of the Emperor and the son of His Majesty's "right hand" and closest confidant Ras Asserate Kasa, Prince Asfa Wossen has unique insights into and deeply personal accounts of the life and times of the last of Ethiopia's Solomonic rulers. Though the kindle edition contains some typographical errors and syntactic oddities here and there, this work is a must read for Ethiopianists and anyone who desires a fuller understanding of the humanity and historical significance of the King of Kings, Emperor Haile Selassie I.

This engaging book is a series of reflections from the grandnephew of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. It describes the life and work of the emperor in a dated chronology, from his early years, his accession to the throne and his deposition in 1974. The last Ethiopian Emperor's famous struggles with Mussolini's Italy, his relationship with Britain and the US, his world travels and celebrity and his autocratic methods of governance are all described in fair and balanced terms. I found the final years of imperial Ethiopia to be the most confounding: how and why the emperor let power slip through his hands by his excessive trust in his military as those officers slowly eliminated the imperial administration, finally assuming authority and deposing (and then assassinating) the emperor himself. Recommended for those interested in Ethiopia, Haile Selassie or governance by absolute monarchy.

A well written biography told through a member of the Salaisee's family. Not to be written as an academic piece but rather accounts told by family members, friends, members of his court and others who had personal encounters with the King of Kings. I read the book not knowing much of his life or accomplishments but just rhetoric I've heard throughout my life. This book opened me to the complicate person he was, that chartered his upbringing, rise, downfall, his second rise and his tragic decline.

Very interesting, balanced and well researched. The author is a grandchild of Haile Selassie, which allows him to provide some personal account and first hand experience while at the same time keeping a balanced a critical view. At the same time, it is very easy to read. . In sum, I would like to thank the author for this book.

The author was kind to Heile Salassie, while also showing how the emperor was reluctant to let go of some power to save his nation. Because the author was of a highly place family heritage, and he had personal experiences in the Emperor's court, he was perhaps the best one to write this. I live in Ethiopia for several years, and my wife and I were there during the 1974 Marxist coup.

Mr. Thomas Pakenham said in in the forwarded section :1, “Ethiopian nobles who had chosen Ras Tafari (as the future emperor to become regent after the overthrow of Emperor Lij Iyasu”.To begin with, Ras Tafari was close to the line than Lej Eyasu was. Since Emperor Minelk didn’t have a son gave the throne to Lej Eyasu, his daughter’s son instead of Ras Tafari. At the the time , Ras Tafari’s father, Ras Meconen had died and Ras Tafari was alone (his mother already had died when he was a child). By the way, Lij Iyasu wasn’t crowned so he can’t be called “Emperor Lij Iyasu” just Lij Iyasu). And that wasn’t really what happened. There are countless books written in Amharic by individuals who were there and then about Lij Iyasu’s misbehavior starting from not following Ethiopian Kibre Negest regulation and going against Orthodox Christian Church to his close friendship with Arabs, who were Ethiopian enemies at the time, claiming that he and them are brothers (indeed, his father King Michael of Wello was a Muslim, but after being converted to Orthodox Christianity, he married Emperor Minilk’ daughter) to not informing Ethiopian people Emperor Minelk’s death (he claimed he was only sick) and house arresting of Queen Tayetu (Adwa War’s heroine) for four years.Ethiopian nobles overthrew Lij Iyasu simply because he didn’t follow the idn’t like many things he did. After overthrowing him, they made Emperor Minilk’s daughter a Queen and Ras Tafari crown prince which was the right thing to do.2, The book also says “ The fact Ras Kassa was Tafari’s cousin and had a better dynastic claim to the throne than Tafari, as his family was descended not only from the Shoan branch of the Solomonic line, which had ruled Ethiopia since 1889, but also from the Imperial Gondarine-Lasta line, which had ruled the country in previous centuries”The problem with this is claim is that Gondarine-Lasta Period was done and finished. Solomonic line (the decedent of King Salmon and Queen Sheba’s son King Minelk the First) (Shawa) wasn’t the continuation of Imperial Gondarine-Lasta line. Solomonic line is a whole new period. The requirement was Solomonic line and only Solomonic line. In Solomonic line. Ras Tafari was the closest . Therefore, Ras Kassa Tafari’s cousin or Ras Kassa’s father didn’t have a better dynastic claim to the throne than Ras Tafari.Moving forward, one can say a lot about what Lij Iyasu, his Wello family including his grand nephew Crown Prince Asfaw Wesen, who conspired with others to take over the throne from his majesty (thanks to God, Ethiopian military and Ethiopian people) they didn’t succeed. What everyone also didn’t realize (many still don’t) was that it was the Crown Prince Asfaw Wesen who was the Governor of Wello at he time of the famine which His Majesty was blamed for. It was due to the Crown Prince’s neglect that Wello’s people died of hunger. ( He didn’t inform anyone including the Emperor what was going on in Wello at the time) but, for the sake of Ethiopia’s Unity somethings are left better unsaid. (unless, of course, it becomes unavoidable necessity)In final note, as his Majesty’s father said to his relatives and servicemen “I entrust to you, with God, my son Tafari. His fate is in the hands of the Creator, but I commend him to you lest you should bear him ill will” the Almighty God decided for His Majesty to be King of Kings and nothing and no one will diminish that.

Like all good biographies, it locates its subject in his time and place. And it is studiously fair, despite the author being a relation of Haile Salessie. In fact, I think that works in the biography's favor, since the author could impart a more intimate portrait of the emperor and it gave him contemporaneous and after-the-fact access to key figures.