KING TAFARI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 478, 6 October 1928, Page 9

KING TAFARI

Abyssinian Regent Given Crown NEW MONARCH British Ofacial Wireless Reed. 11.55 a.m. RUGBY. Friday. The Empress Zauditu of Abyssinia has conferred t-he title of King upon her nephew. Prince Tafari Makonnen Ras of Rases, who is the heir-appar-ent and Regent. Ras Tafari will be crowned at Addis Ababa on Sunday. His Britannic Majesty’s Charge D’Affaires will represent the British Government at the ceremony, to which it is understood the Governors of British. French and Italian Somaliland have been invited. Aftor tlie overthrow of the Emptror Theodore by the British in 1868, the suzerain power passed to Prince Ka-ssai of Tigre, who assumed the old title of Negusa Nagasth (“King of Kings”), and was crowned in 1872 as Johannes 11.. Emperor of Ethiopia. After the death of this potentate in ISS9, Menelik 11., King of Shoa (born 1544), G.C.8., G.C.M.G., became the supreme ruler of Abyssinia. Menelik died in December, 1913. and was succeeded by JL.ij Yasu, born in 1896. son of his second daughter, Waizeru Shoar* ogga and Has Mikael, the chief of the Wollo Gal las. On September 27, 1918, LJJ Yasu was deposed by public proclamation, and Waizeru Zauditu, another daughter of Menelik, born 1576, was nominated Empress. and Has Tafari, G.C.M.G.. G.C.R.. born July 17. 1891, son of Has Makonnen. and great-nephew of Menelik, proclaimed heir to the throne. The Empress was crowned at Addis Ababa on February 11. 1917. To a great extent the exercise of power is in the hands of Ras Tafari. who acts as Regent. He married Waizeru Menen in 1912. and has two sons and three daughters.