Early life
On 23 July 1892 in Harar, Ethiopian Empire, Tafari Makonnen was born. His father, Ras Mekonnen Welde Mikael, was a governor and general, cousin of Emperor Menelik II. His mother was Yeshimebet Ali.
After his father died in 1906, Tafari was appointed governor of Gara Mulatta at age 14 and later governor of Sidamo. He studied with European tutors and Ethiopian scholars, learning Amharic and French. These early roles prepared him for higher office.







