Haile Selassie I, originally named Tafari Makonnen, was born on July 23, 1892, in Ejersa Goro, in the

Harar province of Ethiopia. He was the son of Ras Makonnen, a chief adviser to Emperor Menelik II. After
the death of his father in 1906, Tafari was taken into the imperial court where he was educated and
eventually appointed governor of a province.

In 1916, Tafari was appointed regent and heir to the throne by Empress Zewditu, the daughter of
Menelik II. He became Emperor Haile Selassie I upon the empress's death in 1930. As emperor, Haile
Selassie embarked on a program of modernization and reform in Ethiopia, including the establishment of
a constitution, the abolition of slavery, and the introduction of a system of modern education.

In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia, leading to the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. Despite appealing to the
League of Nations for help, Ethiopia was unable to withstand the Italian forces, and Haile Selassie was
forced into exile in 1936. He spent the next five years traveling in Europe, rallying support for the
Ethiopian cause.

In 1941, with the help of British forces, Haile Selassie was able to return to Ethiopia and reclaim his
throne. He embarked on a program of modernization and development, including the construction of
schools, hospitals, and roads. He also played a key role in the formation of the Organization of African
Unity (OAU) in 1963, which aimed to promote unity and cooperation among African nations.

Haile Selassie's rule, however, was not without controversy. Critics accused him of being autocratic and
out of touch with the needs of his people. In 1974, a communist military junta known as the Derg
overthrew the emperor and established a socialist state in Ethiopia. Haile Selassie was placed under
house arrest and died under mysterious circumstances in 1975.

Despite his controversial legacy, Haile Selassie remains a revered figure among Rastafarians, who
consider him to be the messiah and the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. His legacy also lives on in Ethiopia,
where he is remembered as a symbol of resistance to foreign domination and a champion of African
unity.