EMPEROR THEWODROS                                                                                            Nominated by Mezgebe Berhe
Thewodros ruled Ethiopia from 1855-1868. His original name was Kassa and he is widely known as Ethiopia 's first modern ruler. Not only did he reunify the various Ethiopian kingdoms into one empire, but he also attempted to focus loyalty around the government rather than the Church, which he sought to bring under royal control. He also worked to abolish the feudal system and create a new nobility of merit, dependent on the ruler alone. Although he failed in these aims, while alienating the church and important elements of the nobility, his example was followed by his successors.

Not of noble birth, Thewodros came to the throne through warfare against the feudal chiefs. One of his first acts as emperor was to break up the provinces into smaller districts with personally appointed governors. He also wanted to reorganize and modernize the army. To get the necessary weapons, he demanded first that European missionaries and adventurers living in Ethiopia build him a cannon – which was successfully done - and then he brought in artisans - especially arms makers - from England. He made relentless attempts mostly successfully to modernize Ethiopia 's army along European lines and hired European craftsmen to build weapons for him. Emperor Thewodros was a genius and charismatic leader with a lot of courage, ambition, and interest in technology.

Despite his cautious contact with Europeans and his attempts to establish good foreign relations - Europeans - particularly the British - were scheming his downfall. Thewodros seized on their ambitions and imprisoned several British missionaries and envoys - accusing them of plotting against him. The British sent their well-equipped army to Ethiopia to bring down the emperor. Aided by rebellious nobles along the way, the British force attacked Thewodros' forces at Magdela on April 10, 1868. The courageous emperor - who regarded capture by a foreign army as bringing shame on himself and his beloved country - committed suicide on April 13, 1868 at the top of Makdela Hill in Gonder. And his heroic story has gone down in history as the single most inspiring act of bravery for most Ethiopians to date. In doing so, Emperor Thewodros left Ethiopians with a legacy of not accepting defeat by any foreign army; and Ethiopia remains undefeated by any colonial power to date.

Soon after Theodros' suicide, the British looted and burned the city of Magdala including its churches. They took a large number of treasures that today can be seen in various museums and libraries in Europe, as well as in private collections. The widowed Empress Tiruwork and the young heir of Tewodros - Prince Alemayehu - were also to be taken to England. But Empress Tiruwork died on the journey to the coast, and Prince Alemayehu made the journey alone. The Empress was buried at Sheleqot Monastery in Tigrai among her ancestors. Prince Alemayehu grew increasingly lonely in imposed exile in England. The prince died at the age of 19 without seeing his homeland again. His body has never been allowed to be returned to Ethiopia.

EMPEROR YOHANNES IV                                                                                         Nominated by Mezgebe Berhe
Yohannes IV was Ethiopia 's emperor from 1872-1889. He succeeded to the Ethiopian throne on 21 January 1872 - four years after the death of Emperor Thewodros. His original name was Kassa Mercha and prior to becoming emperor, he was a dejazmatch or earl of Tigray in the northern Ethiopia . Like his predecessor - Thewodros II - Yohannes IV was a strong, progressive ruler, but he had to spend most of his time repelling military threats from Egypt , Italy , and the Mahdists of the Sudan. His main rival was Menilek II - king of Shewa - who did not recognize Yohannes as emperor. In 1882 – however - a dynastic marriage was arranged between Menilek's daughter and Yohannes' son, and it was agreed that Menilek would be Yohannes' successor as emperor. Their separate spheres of influence were carefully defined and Yohannes recognized Menilek's control of the south, while he took control of the northern half of the country.

Apart from the recurrent problem of the powerful king of Shewa, Yohannes' domestic concerns were mainly to reduce the power of the other regional nobles and to increase his hold on his subjects through enforced conversion to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. His attempt to use religion as a basis for unity aroused resistance, particularly from Muslims who were ordered to build churches, pay tithes, and eventually be baptized. In 1875, after the Egyptians had advance into Ethiopia , Emperor Yohannes drew them into battle and beat them resoundingly once at Gundat in 1875 and again at Gura in 1876. His victories not only ended any Egyptian desires on the territory, but also brought him much captured weaponry turning his army into the first well-equipped military force in Ethiopian history.

In 1869, the Suze Canal opened in eastern Egypt and it made it easier for European ships to effortlessly reach Ethiopia . Italy - the next aggressor in 1885 - occupied the Red Sea port of Massawa and began to expand inland toward the province of Tigray , only to be soundly defeated by Yohannes in 1887. Ethiopian forces – led by Emperor Yohannes – beat the Italians at the battle of Dogali in the far north of the country. In the same year, the Islamic revivalist Dervishes forces - gaining ground in the Sudan - invaded Ethiopia and devastated the old capital - Gonder. Emperor Yohannes fought the Dervishes severely and at the close of another Ethiopian victory, he was killed at the Battle of Metema in March 1889.

EMPEROR MINILIK                                                                            Nominated by Samson Kebede & Meseret Berhanu
Minilik was emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 – 1916 after the reign of Emperor Yohannes IV. Emperor Tewodros before him is widely known to have made relentless attempts to unify and modernize Ethiopia . And it was Emperor Minilik who successfully brought about tangible changes which would have long-lasting effects in terms of unification and modernization.

Among the greatest achievements of Emperor Minilik, the resounding victory of his mighty army over colonial Italy in Adwa in 1896 has a very special place not only in the history of Ethiopia but also in the history of the African continent for the defeat of Italy in Ethiopia came at a time when almost all of Africa was colonized by European powers. Minilik's leadership at that crucial time was one of the reasons why Ethiopia is the only country in Africa to have never been colonized. He introduced electricity, telephones and modern automobiles to Ethiopia for the first time. He also paved the way for a railway network to be setup between Ethiopia and Djibouti and oversaw the installation. The railway network remains to be the only railway in Ethiopia to date. The emperor also founded Addis Ababa in 1889 as the nation's capital and arranged Eucalyptus trees to go to Ethiopia from Australia in order to curb shortages of firewood and other environmental problems. In many ways Emperor Minilik was a pioneer and we commend him.

EMPRESS TAITU BETUL                                                                                Nominated by Addis Alemayehu
Taitu Betul was Empress of Ethiopia from 1889 – 1913. She was born in 1851, the third of four children in an aristocratic Ethiopian family that descended from the Solomonid dynasty. Taitu is known to have wielded considerable political power as the wife of Menelik, both before and after they were crowned Emperor and Empress in 1889. Deeply suspicious of European intentions towards Ethiopia , she was a key player in the conflict over the Treaty of Wuchale with Italy , in which the Italian version made Ethiopia an Italian protectorate, while the Amharic did not do so. The Empress held a hard line against the Italians, and when talks eventually broke down - and Italy invaded the Empire - she marched north with the Emperor and the Imperial Army, commanding a force of cannons at the historic Battle of Adwa which resulted in a humiliating defeat for Italy in March, 1894.

Not only was she the first lady of Ethiopia behind the mighty Emperor as a proud African history was being made at Adwa , she was also alongside the Ethiopian Army at the frontier of the battlefield serving her country. In 1889, she collaborated with Emperor Minilik to found Addis Ababa as the nation's capital. And it was Taitu who named Addis Ababa , Addis Ababa. When Minilik's health began to decline around 1906, Taitu started making decisions on his behalf. Minilik died in 1913 and was succeeded by Lij Iyasu. After Minilik's death, Taitu banished to the old Palace at Entoto, next to the St. Mary's church she had founded years before, and where Minilik had been crowned Emperor. Taitu lived out the rest of her life at Entoto Maryam Church near Addis Ababa , where she died on February 11, 1918. Taitu and Menelik did not have any children. Taitu was a remarkable and powerful Ethiopian who is best remembered for her love of Ethiopia, hich makes her a true credit to her country.

EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE                                                                                 Nominated by Fikirte Ketema
Haile Selasse, whose name was Tafari Mekonnen prior to becoming emperor, was a great-grandson of Sahle Selassie of Shewa and a son of Ras Makonnen, a chief adviser to Emperor Menilek II and he was married to Empress Menen, a great-granddaughter of Menilek II. Haile Selassie was progressive and modernist who sought to modernize his country and who steered Ethiopia into the mainstream of post-World War II African politics. He engineered Ethiopia's entry into the League of Nations in 1923, reasoning that collective security would protect Ethiopia from colonial aggression. Upon the end of World War II in 1945, Haile Selassie made Ethiopia one of the founding members of the United Nations. And most importantly, Haile Selassie presided over the establishment of the Organization of African Unity in 1963 and made Addis Ababa the major center for this organization, which gave him the name 'the father of Africa'.

From the 16th century right up to the 19th, Ethiopian slaves were sold across the world in what is known as The Ethiopian Slave Trade. And it was Haile Selassie who effectively abolished this practice in the early 1920s. He sought to modernize the many institutions of Ethiopia and made practical attempts to take the country into a market economy. In 1924 he visited Rome, Paris, and London, becoming the first Ethiopian ruler ever to go abroad. Rastafarians, mainly in Jamaica, consider Haile Selassie to have been a divine being, the Messiah, and the champion of the black race who will lead the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora to freedom. Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974, which effectively ended Ethiopia's longstanding Solomonic Dynasty.