Selassie becomes emperor

Ras (Duke) Tafari was crowned as Emperor Haile Selassie in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, after the death of Empress Zaudito. After 45 years of rule, Selassie was ousted by Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam during the 1974 revolution, which transformed Ethiopia into a Republic. He is worshiped by Rastafarians as a Lion of Judah, meaning that he is an African messiah. Click here to read about his burial Click here to read more about the history of Ethiopia