1. Menen Asfaw was Empress of Ethiopia as the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie.
18 Facts About Menen Asfaw
2.
Menen Asfaw was born in Ambassel, located in Wollo Province of Ethiopian Empire on 25 March 1889.
3.
Menen Asfaw was the daughter of Asfaw, Jantirar of Ambassel and Woizero Sehin Michael.
4.
Menen Asfaw's mother was the daughter of the King Mikael of Wollo and her half-uncle was Lij Iyasu.
5.
Menen Asfaw bore her second husband two children as well, a daughter, Woizero Desta Amede, and a son, Jantirar Gebregziabiher Amede.
6.
Woizero Menen Asfaw probably met Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen at the home of her half-uncle, Lij Iyasu.
7.
Menen Asfaw therefore terminated the arrangement between Woizero Menen and Ras Leulseged, and sent her to Harar to marry Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen.
8.
When Tafari Makonnen became Emperor of Ethiopia as Haile Selassie I, Menen Asfaw was crowned as Empress at his side.
9.
Empress Menen Asfaw was active in promoting women's issues in Ethiopia, was Patroness of the Ethiopian Red Cross, and the Ethiopian Women's Charitable Organization.
10.
Menen Asfaw was patroness of the Jerusalem Society that arranged for pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
11.
Menen Asfaw founded the Empress Menen School for Girls in Addis Ababa, the first all-girls school which had both boarding and day students.
12.
Menen Asfaw was a devoutly religious woman who did much to support the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
13.
Menen Asfaw built, renovated and endowed numerous churches in Ethiopia and in the Holy Land.
14.
Menen Asfaw gave generously from her personal funds towards the building of the new Cathedral of St Mary of Zion at Axum, but did not live to see it completed and dedicated.
15.
Empress Menen Asfaw performed perfectly in the role of empress consort.
16.
Menen Asfaw took no public stand on political or policy issues.
17.
Menen Asfaw avoided the publicly political role that her predecessor as Empress-consort, Empress Taytu Betul, had taken, which had caused deep resentment in government circles during the reign of Menelik II.
18.
Prince Menen Asfaw Wossen was first married to Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum and then following their divorce to Princess Medferiashwork Abebe.