The Princess of Italy whose photograph disuaded Lij Eyasu from attempting to retake Eritrea
All these actions, Lij Eyasu's repeated insults against the nobles of his grandfather, his irresponsible behavior, his flirtation (real or fabricated) with Islam, his inconsistancy, his exteded absences from his capital, and his humiliating conduct vis-a-vis the Italians all conspired towards his inevitable downfall. The biggest mistake however was in alienating two men. The first was Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis, the man who commanded loyalty in the Army, and who had served Menelik as a loyal and devoted officer. He had been the bulwark who had protected Eyasu from challenges. Now however, insulted and relegated to a powerless position, and deeply angered by the prince's actions, he was determined to end the farce that Lij Eyasu's reign had become. The other man that Lij Eyasu should not have alienated was his cousin, Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen, who as the leader of the progressive elements of the nobility, seperated Lij Eyasu from the only group that might have been his support.
This picture is interesting in that it depicts Lij Eyasu with two men who he perhaps had reason to fear. Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen who had Imperial blood, and Ras Birru Wolde Gabriel, who it was often whispered (though never confirmed) to have been the illegitimate son of Emperor Menelik II
In July of 1916, Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen was summoned to Addis Ababa from Harrar by Lij Eyasu, and he arrived promptly and went to the palace for his audience. Upon arriving, he was told Lij Eyasu was not at the Palace. He was told that the prince had gone to Entoto. Lij Eyasu had gone up Mt. Entoto to pray at St. Mary's Church and pay a courtesy visit on Empress Taitu at the old Palace there. Empress Taitu ordered that the old mesob (elaborate free standing basketwork table) that had been used by here late husband Emperor Menelik be set for Lij Eyasu's meal. When Lij Eyasu arrived for his visit, he heeded the dire warnings of his co-horts and refused to eat anything provided in the Empresses house for fear of poisoning. After a brief conversation, he returned to Addis Ababa, leaving a deeply insulted Empress. Almost as soon as he left, Dejazmatch Taffari, who had finally been able to evade the guards placed on him on Lij Eyasu's orders, arrived at Entoto Palace and paid his respects to the Empress. Once hostile to him, the Empress had later been won over by Taffari Makonnen's impecable manners and his deep respect for her. She warmly urged him to eat the untouched food set out for Lij Eyasu. Dejazmatch Taffari demured, saying he was surely not worthy of eating from the same mesob that Menelik the Great himself had eaten from. Taitu assured him that he was, and he complied. One might speculate that much was whispered between the two about the plight of the state and what could be done about it. Returning to his house in Addis Ababa, Dejazmatch Taffari was informed that Lij Eyasu had sent him a telegram from Harrar where he had gone almost immediately after leaving Entoto, informing him that he was removed from the governorship of Harrar and had been made governor of the wealthy gold and coffee producing province of Kaffa. Lij Eyasu also handed over the extremely lucrative customs office to his good friend, the Syrian born merchant Ydbilli, with the title of Bejirond, much to the anger of Taffari and much of the Ethiopian nobility. Dejazmatch Taffari was furious at the deception employed by Lij Eyasu, and was angry at being deprived of his birthright. He found himself confined to the capital, and unable to go anywhere without an armed escort guarding him under orders of Lij Eyasu. He would be escorted to take up his new post in Kaffa soon he was told. The oath that he and Lij Eyasu to support each other, that they had given before the late Regent Ras Tessema, had been distroyed by Lij Eyasu himself. Lij Eyasu was even then traveling through the Ogaden visiting with the Qottu and Somali clans, assuring them that the Christian domination they had suffered under Dejazmatch Taffari was over. He entered Harrar city itself, staying at first with a wealthy Harrari merchant, and ordering the return of property that St. Michael's church had recieved in the city from moslem residents in a land swap. Dejazmatch Taffari asked to be able to return to Harrar where his wife (Lij Eyasu's neice) was about to give birth to their second child. Lij Eyasu refused permission. In the mean time Lij Eyasu took up residence in the governors palace and anounced that henceforth he himself would govern Ethiopia's leading moslem city himself. He ordered Taffari's wife (his own neice) to vacate the governors palace immediately. Woizero Menen was reaching the end of her pregnancy and begged her uncle for permission to deliver the child before having to move. Reluctant, but not wanting to hurt the feelings of his favorite sister Woizero Sehin (Menen's mother), Eyasu agreed. Dejazmatch Taffari and Woizero Menen became the parents of the future Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen (Emperor-in-exile Amha Sellassie) in August of 1916. Lij Eyasu permitted Woizero Menen to remain in the house till the baby was Christened, then on September 6th, Woizero Menen, her little daughter Tenagnework, the infant Asfaw Wossen and Kegnazmatch (later Ras) Imiru were put on mules and sent to Dire Dawa to board the train to Addis Ababa. Now that the progressives in the Empire were disillusioned with Lij Eyasu, his break with Dejazmatch Tafarri provided this camp with a new progressive champion prince to support in his stead. The conservatives under Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis were just waiting for the the moment when Eyasu would be weakest. Without solid support from the progressive camp, Eyasu had virtually no chance. Little did Lij Eyasu realize that his days on the Throne of Solomon were numbered, and he had undercut himself.
Begining on August 30th 1916, the nobles under the leadership of Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis had begun to assemble to discuss the deposition of Lij Eyasu. Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen is often credited with "Bringing Down" Lij Eyasu. Although clearly a member of the group that brought Lij Eyasu down, the assembly of nobles was dominated by conservatives led by Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis, who was the moving force and leader of this Palace Pusch. The progressive camp that congregated around Dejazmatch Taffari had not yet aquired the necissary numbers, power, or savy to pull off the dethronement of an Emperor. The government was being run by the powerful Negadras Haile Giorgis who has recently married Lij Eyasu's sister Woizero Sehin (mother-in-law of Dejazmatch Taffari) and was an Eyasu loyalist. He had got wind of the conspiracy and warned both the Coptic Archbishop Abune Mattiwos, and the second ranking church heirarch, Echege Welde Giorgis not to attend the conspirators meetings. However, further investigation revealed to the Negadras that the conspiracy included virtually the entire aristocracy of Shewa, Gojjam, Beghemidir and Tigrai, and that only Wollo seemed resolutely loyal to Eyasu. The Negadras decided that he would prefer to be on the winning side in what was coming, so he showed up at the summoning of nobles that had suddenly been issued from the palace on September 28th by Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis. Upon arriving however, the Negadras was told he could not enter unless he brought both the Archbishop and the Echege with him so that they could attend. He hurried off and returned with both clergymen. With the Orthodox church represented, the assembly could now claim full legitimacy. A list of charges was read against Lij Eyasu that were submitted as evidence of his conversion to Islam. A message from the diplomatic representatives of France, Italy and Britain (the Entente powers) had been circulated warning of the dangers to Ethiopia if Lij Eyasu allied the Empire with Germany, Austria and Turkey. The nobles for the most part seemed to care little about this message, but were stirred more deeply by what was charged to be his "islamic behavior" and evidence that was provided by some of these same diplomats. His frequenting the homes of moslems, his eating their food, his visits and prayers at their mosques, the flag he had presented to the Turkish legate, his multiple marriages (in order to ensure the participation of Lij Eyasu's father-in-law, Ras Hailu, much was made of the insult to the honor of Woizero Seble Wongel and the House of Gojjam), his affection for wearing moslem clothes, were all discussed openly. The diplomats provided pictures of him in muslim Afar and Harrari costumes. There is reason to believe that some of the pictures provided by the western diplomats were forgeries, but at least two of these pictures were genuine. Less emphasis was put on the radical progressive views of the Prince that galled the conservatives so much, as these would have lost them the support of Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen and his supporters. The Archbishop was clearly taken aback. He was dismayed at what was clearly a certain sympathy for Islam and moslems on the part of lij Eyasu. However, he seems to at first have stated that all this was not sufficient evidence to prove that Lij Eyasu had converted to Islam, even if it was highly disturbing. Abune Mattiwos may have wanted to hear from Lij Eyasu himself whether or not he had become a muslim. The nobles and the Ethiopian born clergy were furious. They began to all talk at once, telling the Egyptian monk that this was all more than enough evidence, and that he was making this more difficult than it had to be. The Echege declared (in violation of canon law) that he would excommunicate Lij Eyasu himself if the Archbishop did not. After some further arguement the Archbishop relented. The Echege propelled the Archbishop to his feet and to the center of the room where he stood behind Abune Mattiwos, and both clerics stood holding up their hand crosses. The somewhat reluctant Archbishop Mattiwos then declared "From this day forh, you are all freed from your oath to the apostate Lij Eyasu, and I the humble servant of God hereby excommunicate him from the body of the Holy Church." The nobles kissed the crosses of the two clerics and began to rush about organizing the deposing of a monarch and the succession of another. Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis had his triumph. The question as to who should inherit the Throne of Solomon was in the air. The person who was next in the direct male line after the late Menelik II, Dejazmatch Taye Gulilat, was eliminated from the succession because it had been made very clear that Menelik had been strongly against such an occurance, and the wishes of the late Emperor were important to the nobility. Ras Wolde Giorgis, the senior prince of the House of Shewa at the time, was considered too advanced in age and in uncertain health. Dejazmatch Taffari had been involved in the conspiracy to remove Eyasu, but he was a progressive, and the plot had been largely engineered by the conservative camp around Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis. There were several things working against Taffari Makonnen. First, the majority of the nobles were very conservative, while the Prince was a known progressive whose views they disliked. Ideas of educating the masses, modern administration, reducing the role of the nobility, centralizing all military functions under the central government, a written constitution, and the abolition of slavery and increasing contacts with foriegn powers were not to their taste. Secondly, there were other members of the Imperial family who could put forward as strong a blood claim to the throne as Taffari, in particular, Dejazmatch (later Ras) Kassa Hailu, son of Woizero Tisseme Darge, who was the daughter of Ras Darge Sahle Selassie, and granddaughter of King Sahle Selassie of Shewa. Kassa's father Hailu Wolde Kiros was also the non-royal half-brother of Emperor Tekle Giorgis III. Dejazmatch Kassa Hailu however was not interested in being Emperor and refused to even be considered for the crown. A devout member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, he was a married priest, and considered his priestly title to be higher and greater than his royal one. He had generally conservative leanings but did share some views with the progressives. His friendship with his cousin Taffari was very firm, and he would be his closest confidant and advisor for almost half a century. Considered the senior Prince of the Blood after the death of his cousin Ras (later King) Wolde Giorgis, and the long time President of the Crown Council, he would become the second most powerful person in the Empire after the Emperor during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. Another road block to Taffari's accession to the throne was the same deep loyalty that the nobles felt to Menelik II, and to his blood line, that was the deterent to Taye Gulilat. Although he did not face the strong opposition of the late Emperor that Taye Gulilat faced, Taffari was faced with the fact that the late Emperor's wish that Lij Eyasu succeed him was being overturned by nobles who still remained passionatly loyal to Menelik's memory. There was the nagging feeling on their part that they were violating the will of Menelik the Great who they continued to love so deeply, the man whom they credited with making them the men that they were. Dejazmatch Taffari however was a consumate diplomat, and the nobles found him to be polite, courteous, attentive to their views, and appropriately respectful of the memory of Emperor Menelik, all qualities that Eyasu lacked. He had the Imperial blood that was required, and they believed he was someone who would always take their views into account when making decisions, even if he was a progressive. A compromise was struck. The following day, at the celebrations of Meskel (Feast of the finding of the True Cross) September 29th, 1916, for the first time since the Queen of Sheba, a woman was proclaimed monarch of Ethiopia in her own right. Zewditu, daughter of Menelik II and Woizero Abechi, was proclaimed Empress, Elect of God, Conquering Lion of Judah, and Queen of Kings of Ethiopia. Dejazmatch Taffari Makonnen was proclaimed Crown Prince, Heir to the Throne, with the title of Ras. Fitawrarri Hapte Giorgis, the ring leader of the plot to dethrone Eyasu, was proclaimed the supreme commander of the armed forces. Ras Wolde Giorgis Aboye, the senior Prince of the Blood was made King of Gondar. In order to prevent a return to power of Empress Taitu and her family, her nephew Ras Gugsa Welle was compelled to accept his forced separation from his wife, the new Queen of Kings. He was restored to his governorship of Beghemidir however, and sent to Gondar to govern that province from the ancient capital. Empress Zewditu also added to the charges against her nephew Lij Eyasu, that he had denied her father (his grand-father) Emperor Menelik, a proper and fitting funeral "..what was not even denied to a stranger murdered on the road..." She asked her subjects "Have you heard of Christian dying in the country where he lived, and it was forbidden to have his name said in church or celebrate his funeral?" She stated that for two years, three months and two days, she had held her father's corpse and wept in the palace until she had been driven away to Falle. This ofcourse was a symbolic claim as she was indeed in the palace mourning her father deeply while under arrest, but his body had been buried in the Se'el Bet Kidane Meheret Church on the palace grounds. Empress Zewditu had resolved to build the Ba'eta Le Mariam Monastery (Presentation of the Virgin Mary to the Temple Monastery, the feast day of which was the day the Emperor had died)also in the palace grounds, and re-bury the late Emperor there in Imperial splendor. This did much to win over the emensly pro-Menelik population to her side and against Lij Eyasu, who had played gugs as his grandfather died, and who had kept the news of Menelik's death from them so that they could not weep for their "father and Emperor". The people came out to bow and ulultate to the daughter of their beloved and much missed monarch of blessed memory. The child of "Imiye Menelik" whose very name brought tears to their eyes. The response to Zewditu was imense and solidified the new government's position. The reign of Lij Eyasu, the unproclaimed and uncrowned Emperor Eyasu V was over.
The Coptic Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Mattiwos, who was pursuaded to excommunicate Lij Eyasu and release the Nobility from it's Oath of Loyalty
Every effort was made to avert an angry reaction from Lij Eyasu's father, King Michael of Wollo with his tens of thousands strong Wollo army. Public statements of Lij Eyasu's crimes always included phrases that Lij Eyasu had done everything he did against the advice and urging of his father, who had tried his best to set Eyasu on the right path. It was of no use. Michael of Wollo was furious at the deposing of his son by the Shewans, and he promptly made preparations for war. In Harrar, news of his deposition reached Lij Eyasu and utterly shocked him. He ordered that seven priests from the Church of St. Gabriel at Kulibi be brought before him. As they stood before him, he placed his hand on a bible and a silver cross and swore that he was and always had been a faithful Christian and son of the Orthodox chruch. Although this act shook the clerics into doubting the story of his conversion to Islam, it did not help him. A force of soldiers was headed to Harar to seize him he was told. He called on the moslem population to defend the city against the government, and soon attrocities were being commited by the Harrari moslems on Christians and anyone who remained loyal to Ras Taffari. This did not last long, as Eyasu and his loyalists realized that they could not hope to hold on to Harrar as their military force was dwindling as soldiers were leaving by the minute to join the government forces. It was decided that Lij Eyasu should leave Harrar and join what was left of his force with that of his father in Wollo and march on Addis Ababa from there. It was a sensible plan, and had he been able to get a message to King Michael, his chances might have been better. Instead he was only bearly able to leave the city before the forces of the Imperial government swept in. In fact an advance force had approached the town of Meisso, and were about to enter, when suddenly, Lij Eyasu with his escort came out of the town and passed directly infront of them on his mule. Without specific instructions to arrest him, and probably in awe and instinctive respect for the heir of Menelik, the officers and soldiers that had been sent out to fight and capture him, instead fell to their knees and kissed the ground as the ex-monarch passed after a very brief shoot out. Lij Eyasu had escaped. The government forces entered the city of Harrar which was in open rebellion. An angry battle followed and Eyasu's loyalists were defeated. Hundreds died, and many fled into the Ogaden desert to disappear forever, or to engage in banditry for a while before fading away. Eyasu cut through the Afar lowlands northwards to Wollo. He would arrive too late. What he hadn't realized was that the trusted noble he had sent to Wollo to tell his father to wait for his arrival before marching on Shewa, had been attacked by a swarm of bee's and was forced to take to bed to recieve treatment and had never made it to Desse. Eyasu's father had already mobilized a huge force of close to 80,000 troops and marched south from Desse without waiting for Eyasu and his forces. An army was quickly assembled by the government under Ras Leul Seged Atnaf Seged, former husband of Ras Taffari's wife, Woizero Menen, the Crown Princess. Ras Leul Seged and King Michael met in battle at Tora Mesk on October 17th, 1916. The army of Wollo was victorious, and Ras Leul Seged was killed in battle. Panic spread among the nobles in Addis Ababa. Thoughts of defeat and being charged with treason must have cast fear into all their hearts. However, Fitawrarri Hapte Giorgis was determined. He sent conciliatory letters to the King of Wollo to buy time, and quickly assembled a new army. The Wolloye's and the Shewans met for the second time in battle at Segelle on October 27th. More Ethiopian blood would be shed at this battle than even at Adwa. The forces of Wollo were crushed utterly, King Michael was captured, and Lij Eyasu's chances of restoration reduced to ashes. In November of 1916, the King of Wollo, with gold chains marking his royal status shackled to his arms and legs, was made to march through the crowded streets of Addis Ababa carrying a rock of repentance on his shoulders. The King went into the throne room of the Imperial Palace and kissed the floor before his enthroned sister-in-law, the new Empress of Ethiopia, and asked for her mercy. Ras Tafari was not at the submission ceremony in consideration of the feelings of his wife Menen, who was the granddaughter of the King of Wollo. Thus publicly humiliated, the king was placed under house arrest at Emperor Menelik's country house at Holeta with his close relatives. He would die there in 1918.
Lij Eyasu realized that his cause was lost. He knew that nothing could restore him now that his father was defeated and Wollo crushed. Lij Eyasu would roam the Afar lowlands for years, eluding capture with a small band of followers. He even fortified Magdalla at one point to make a great last stand in a Theodorean fashion, but had to retreat when his position their became untenable. He entered Tigrai, and secretly entered the protection of the Hereditary Prince, Ras Seyoum Mengesha. However, the Prince got wind of the fact that the government had learned he was protecting Lij Eyasu and once again Eyasu had to flee. He entered Eastern Tigrai, the domain of the other Tigrean hereditary prince, Dejazmatch Gugsa Araya. However, one of Lij Eyasu's entourage betrayed his location, and on January 11, 1921, Lij Eyasu was surounded in the Church yard he was hiding in by the soldiers of Dejazmatch Gugsa Araya. Before he could even put up a fight, it was over. Dejazmatch Gugsa, grandson of Yohannis IV, walked into the presence of Eyasu Michael, grandson of Menelik II. Gugsa was so overcome with being in the presence of the man who might have been his Emperor, that he fell to his knees and kissed Eyasu's shoes before arresting him. Four months later, Gugsa handed him over to the government. The Empress rewarded her former step-son Gugsa (his father had been her first husband) with the title of Ras, and the Crown Prince would give him his neice, Princess Yeshashework Yilma as his wife. Eyasu himself was placed in the comfortable custody of his cousin Ras Kassa Hailu at Fiche, where he would remain. Empress Zewditu, inspite of her accepting the throne, seems to have been wracked with guilt for violating her father's will by going along with the deposing of Eyasu. She also seems to have had much personal affection for her nephew even though he had treated her abominably for years. However, Zewditu would die in 1930, and she was succeeded by Nigus Taffari Makonnen who became Emperor Haile Selassie. The new Emperor bore him deep resentment for not only violating their mutual oaths, but for treating his wife and newborn son with such disregard. Eyasu did not help matters by escaping from Fiche in 1931. He was quickly re-captured and a plot was uncovered that angered the Emperor deeply and lost Lij Eyasu the protection of Ras Kassa who was livid at the escape. The plot was an intreguing one. Apparently, Ras Hailu Tekle Haimanot of Gojjam was angry at not having been made king of Gojjam by Haile Selassie. He resented the fact that he had gone against his son-in-law Eyasu and supported his deposing and didn't get anything out of it. Negotiations to marry Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen to Hailu's daughter Dinkinesh had fallen through and the Prince had married Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum of Tigrai insted. Now he decided that one way or another he would become king of Gojjam, and a daughter of his would be an Empress, so he had arranged for Lij Eyasu's escape from Fiche. Money was paid to an Italian adventurer (with the knowledge of the Italian colonial government in Eritrea) to fly an airplane full of weapons to a field between Holeta and Addis Alem. Lij Eyasu would escape from Fiche and come to this location, and he and the weapons would be flown to Debre Marcos in Gojjam and Ras Hailu, where Eyasu would be proclaimed Emperor Eyasu V, and Seble Wongel Hailu restored as his only and legitmate wife and Empress (which would have required something be done about her new husband, Dejazmatch Yigezu Behapte). Ras Hailu would be proclaimed King of Gojjam and they would march on Addis Ababa and depose Haile Selassie. Unfortunately for Eyasu, he was unable to escape on the planned day, and by the time he reached the rendez-vous with the plane, the nervous Italian pilot had taken off and returned to Eritrea. Eyasu had then tried to make it to Gojjam by horse, but he was quickly captured and taken to Addis Ababa. Ras Hailu was arrested and found guilty of treason and sentenced to die. The Emperor commuted the sentence to life immprisonment, and confiscated Ras Hailu's considerable property. Lij Eyasu was put on a special train in Addis and taken to Harrar where he was imprisoned in a specially constructed prison in Garra Muleta in conditions much less comfortable than before, but far from uncomfortable. It is said he now had to live with bars over his windows, but that beautiful young women continued to be brought to him for his pleasure. Eyasuism would continue to rise it's head in small outbursts of rebellion here and there, especially in Wollo during the rest of Eyasu's life. However upon the facist Italian invasion in 1935, leaflets were said to have been dropped by Italian airplanes over Addis Ababa and Wollo announcing that Italy only wanted to restore "the legitimate Emperor Eyasu V". Only a short time later, it was announced that Abeto-hoi Lij Eyasu Michael, grandson of Menelik II, had died. Stories of his death are plentiful, but none can be confirmed. One states that Emperor Haile Selassie's father confessor, Abba Hanna Jimma, came to Garra Mulleta and personally strangled Lij Eyasu, and that his remains were tossed into the Shebele River or left somewhere in the open in the Ogaden desert. Another story, advocated by Lij Eyasu's grandson, Lij Girma Yohannis, maintains that shortly before the Emperor was to leave for the northern front, he had Lij Eyasu brought to Addis Ababa, to his Guenete Leul Palace (the Little or New Guibi as it was called then)which is now the campus of the Addis Ababa University. Lij Eyasu was killed there he claims, and buried in the yard of St. Markos Church in the palace compound with Empress Menen (Lij Eyasu's neice) and some of her Wollo relatives in attendance at the burial. Others maintain that Eyasu was poisoned and buried near Garra Mulleta. None of these stories can be confirmed, and are all rather farfetched. What is certain is that Lij Eyasu died sometime in late 1935. His legal wife, Seble Wongel Hailu had remarried Dejazmatch Yigezu Behapte, and would live a relatively peaceful and uncomplicated life as a respected senior member of the aristocracy and granddaughter of a king, if never an Empress.
Eyasuist Claimants
Lij Eyasu's daughter Alem Tsehai Eyasu, the only legitimate great-granddaughter of Menelik II was given the title of Emebet-hoi by Emperor Haile Selassie, married a nobleman, and remains in Ethiopia, largely unharrased through the governments of Emperor Haile Selassie, the Derg, and the current Federal Republic of the EPRDF, the elderly matriarch of the Eyasuist house. She has never claimed the Imperial throne for herself or her heirs. The same cannot be said of all her half brothers and nephews. Lij Yohannis Eyasu, son of Lij Eyasu by the daughter of the Sultan of Jimma was closely watched by Emperor Haile Selassie. Upon the facist invasion, he led a guerilla band of soldiers against the Italians, and corresponded regularly with the exiled Emperor. This won him a degree of favour from the Emperor, and when Haile Selassie returned to Addis Ababa in triumph on May 5th 1941, Lij Yohannis Eyasu was riding in an open car, alone, immediately behind the Emperor. Given the title of Dejazmatch, he fell back out of favor, suspected in being involved in a host of anti-government plots, and ended his days banished from court in Jimma, quietly. Another son, Lij Menelik Eyasu was the son of Eyasu by the daughter of the Afar Sultan. He lived most of his early life in exile in the French territory of Afars and Issas (French Somaliland) which is the Republic of Djibouti today. Upon the news of the death of his father, the Italians had approached him about him accepting the Ethiopian throne as a puppet monarch when their defeat of Haile Sellassie at Maichew made victory probable for them. Lij Menelik refused saying that Ethiopia had only one Emperor. Emperor Haile Selassie was greatful and he recieved Menelik in audience when Lij Menelik returned to Ethiopia after the restoration. He lived quietly also, acting as an occasional emmisary of the Emperor to the Afars. Two other sons and a grandson have been much more agressive with their claims. Lij Meleke Tsehai Eyasu was a boy of 16 when in 1936, Balambaras Abebe Aregai, and other notable guerilla leaders assembled on Amba Aradam and crowned him "Emperor of Ethiopia" as a symbol to rally the people against the Italians. In return "Emperor" Meleke Tsehai bestowed the title of Ras on Abebe Aregai. The Italians mobilized a huge force to hunt down this "Emperor" or the "little Nigus" as the Italians called him, and pitched battles were fought all over northern Shewa to find the pretender. Emperor Haile Selassie was furious at this afront to his title as well. However it was not the exiled Emperor or the Italian occupiers that did Meleke Tsehai in, but malaria, which killed Lij Eyasu's son later that same year. Emperor Haile Selassie resented Abebe Aregai for this action for a long time, and it was only under the strong urging of his British allies that he desided to recognize and confirm the title of Ras for him in order to co-opt his soldiers into the liberation forces in 1941. Ras Abebe knew the Emperor was resentful and angry over this episode, but won him over with a spontaneous gesture. Shortly before the Emperor was about to board his car to re-enter his liberated capital from Mt. Entoto, Ras Abebe arrived with a huge guard of honor for the Emperor, rushed up to him and with tears streaming down his face, said in very simple language, without using words like Emperor or majesty, "I never thought I would live to see your face again!" and fell to his knees and embraced the Emperor's shoes, moving Haile Selassie deeply. All was forgiven, but not forgotten. Eyasuist pretenders and their supporters did not generate much sympathy from Emperor Haile Selassie. Another Eyasuist claimant was Lij Mesfin Eyasu. Unknown before the 1974 revolution, he claimed that he had been confined to a monastery by Emperor Haile Selassie, and had only been able to leave because of the revolution. His arrival in Addis at the hieght of the Red Terror was interesting in that he would attend mass at Holy Trinity Cathedral and cry out the full titles of the Emperor of Ethiopia in the places where the Emperor's name had now been omitted from the service. Even Lij Eyasu's known decendants voiced doubts as to the truth of whether or not he was a true son of Eyasu, and in fact never aknowledged him as such. Although he started out poor in Addis Ababa in the mid seventies, he ended up quite wealthy by the time the Derg fell. When a demonstration was held to ask the new transitional government to demolish the statue of Emperor Menelik II in Addis Ababa by revisionists, Lij Mesfin conspicuously paid for the statue of his great grandfather be guilded with silver (much to the chagrin of many who thought this ruined a beautiful statue). Lij Mesfin also personaly wrote a letter to then Transitional-President (now Prime Minister) Meles Zenawi requesting that the wall built accross the main entrance to Holy Trinity Cathedral by the Derg be removed. The government printed his letter in the newspapers, and then dismantled the wall the following week much to the jubilation of Addis Ababa's Christian population. When the Emperor-in-Exile, Amha Selassie (former Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen) announced from Washington D.C. the formation of the Moa Anbessa monarchist movement, and gave some interviews to the press, Lij Mesfin made his own pretentions official by giving an interview to the Ethiopian Review Magazine and stating that "Prince Asfaw Wossen is welcome to return to Ethiopia" but that "I (Lij Mesfin) am the legitimate and true Emperor of Ethiopia." His public behavior was reduced to theatrics as he insisted people bow to him, kiss his hand and refer to him as "majesty". He ran afoul of the EPRDF government and rumors spreat that he was to be arrested although he remained free. He died in 1999 and was buried at the Bale Wold Church (Church of the Feast of God the Son, also known as the Church of the Four Heavenly Creatures) which is part of the complex of Holy Trinity Cathedral. The current Eyasuist pretender to the imperial throne of Ethiopia is Dr. Girma Yohannis Eyasu, known also as Lij Girma Yohannis Eyasu. Lij Girma is listed in the Almanach de Bruxelle as the Eyasuist claimant, with the claimed title of Crown Prince of Ethiopia, and his German wife Claudia Bertram with the claimed title of Princess Claudia Iyasu Menelik. Like Lij Mesfin, Lij Girma also claims to have been confined to a monastery (in his case Asebot Monastery) during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. He insists on carrying the style and titles Abeto Lij Girma Eyasu Menelik, Crown Prince of Ethiopia (both the name and titles other than the title of Lij are not legitimate, as they imply he is the son of Eyasu and that Eyasu is the son of Menelik, when in fact they are the grandson of each). Lij Girma Yohannis claims that all the post 1917 governments in Ethiopia are illegitimate. Eyasuist claimants have seen much of their support dwindle from broad support in the mid-twenties to virtually nothing today. They are outside of the mainstream monarchist movement in Ethiopia.
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