Was Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia related to Solomon of the Old Testament?

Question

Was Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia related to (King) Solomon of the Old Testament?

Answer 1

The royal house of Ethiopia claimed descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.  According to Wikipedia, "Menelik I (originally named Ebna la-Hakim, 'Son of the Wise'), first Emperor of Ethiopia, is traditionally believed to be the son of King Solomon of ancient Israel and Makeda, Queen of Sheba and ruled around 204 - 179 BCE according to traditional sources."  However, those dates are much too late for him to have been the son of a man who lived in the 900s B. C.

Answer 2

Yes. The emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I "Power of the Trinity" (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the heir to a dynasty that traced its origins to the 13th century, and from there by tradition back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Haile Selassie is a defining figure in Ethiopian and African history.

Upon his ascension to Emperor in 1930, he took the name Haile Selassie, meaning "Power of the Trinity". Haile Selassie's full title in office was "His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, King of Kings of Ethiopia and Elect of God." This title reflects Ethiopian dynastic traditions, which hold that all monarchs must trace their lineage back to Menelik I, who in the Ethiopian tradition was the offspring of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Answer 3

Yes, he claimed to be descended from both King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.  The Queen of Sheba is reputed to be from Axum, Ethiopia, not far from, Asmara, Eritrea, where I was stationed while in the US Army (Kagnew Station) back in the 60's.  I actually saw Haile Selassie twice while he was on our post.  I'll bet you didn't know we had a base in that part of the world.  It was a super secret communications gathering post.  It's closed now (late 70's).  Haile Selassie's government  was overthrown and he was subsequently murdered in that same period of the late 70's.

Answer 4

ya he's claimed to be the last descendent of the Solomon dynasty which started in Ethiopia in 980 B.C. by the birth of king Menilik the first from the Axumait queen , Saba(also called "queen of Sheba") and King Solomom of Israel...