Princesa Zenebework

La princesa Zenebework (25 de julio de 1917 - 24 de marzo de 1934), también conocida como Zeneba Worq , fue la segunda hija del emperador Haile Selassie de Etiopía y su esposa, la emperatriz Menen Asfaw . El título completo de Zenebework era "Su Alteza Imperial, Princesa Zenebework Haile Selassie".

Biografía

El 15 de junio de 1932, la princesa ( Leult ) Zenebework se casó con el príncipe hereditario de la provincia oriental de Tigray , Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa , bisnieto del emperador Yohannes IV . Ella aún no tenía 15 años cuando se casaron en Addis Abeba . Haile Selassie Gugsa era hijo de Ras Gugsa Araya Selassie . Por tanto, era bisnieto del emperador Yohannes IV de Etiopía y de su hijo Ras Araya Selassie. En ese momento, el oeste de Tigray estaba gobernado por Ras Seyoum Mengesha , hijo de Ras Mengesha Yohannes , otro heredero del emperador Yohannes. El matrimonio entre la princesa Zenebework y Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa formaba parte de una alianza dinástica que también incluía el matrimonio de su hermano, el príncipe heredero Asfaw Wossen, con la princesa Wolete Israel Seyoum , hija de Ras Seyoum Mengesha.

Ties were thus strengthened between the reigning Shewa branch of the Imperial dynasty with both rival sides of the Tigrean branch of the dynasty. The marriage between Princess Zenebework and Dejazmach Haile Selassie however was evidently not a happy one, and the Princess is said to have complained of poor treatment. On his side, Dejazmach Haile Selassie resented that his cousin and rival Seyoum held the title of Ras while he was relegated to the lower rank of Dejazmach. The two branches of Emperor Yohannes's family had long competed for seniority, and although the province of Tigray had been split between them, Haile Selassie Gugsa resented not having the title of Ras. Princess Zenebework died suddenly in 1934, and upon hearing of her death, the distraught Emperor ordered that her body be flown immediately from Mekele and be brought to Addis Ababa for burial. The reasons for this are unclear, but it may have had something to do with the Princess having repeatedly complained of her treatment at the hands of her husband and his family. This added to the resentment felt by her husband towards the Emperor, and a chill developed between the Emperor and his son-in-law.

Upon the Italian invasion in 1935, Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa shocked the Imperial family and his country by being among the first to join the Italians. The Italians rewarded him with the title of Ras, and recognized him as the senior prince of Tigray over Ras Seyoum who would later surrender to them and be placed under house arrest. Following the liberation of 1941, Haile Selassie Gugsa was labeled a traitor, and was placed under house arrest. His title of Ras that was bestowed by the Italians was not recognized by the Ethiopian government and he reverted to his old title of Dejazmach. He was not freed from his house arrest until after the fall of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, and died shortly thereafter.

Princess Zenebework is buried in the Imperial family crypt under Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. A hospital in the city was established in her memory.