Ethiopia's Personalities Of The Millennium - Emperor Menelik II.
Addis Ababa (The Monitor - Addis Ababa, September 16, 1999) - This weekly column was created to celebrate our heroes of the past, to learn from them, to acknowledge those modern day compatriots who continue to make a difference in our lives and in our society today. You, too, can nominate your hero.
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Menelik was born in August 1844 at Angolela, west of Dabre-Birhan. His father was Negus Haile Melekot of Shewa.
His mother was Wayzero Ejigayehu, a lady of humble birth who, for sometime, was employed as children's nurse in the royal household. The young prince learned to repeat by rote the psalms of David and other prayers in Geez, the liturgical language.
He was only about 11 years old when Shewa was conquered by Tewodros and he, together with other chiefs and leaders of the kingdom, was taken prisoner to Maqdala. It was here, therefore, that he spent most of his adolescent and formative years. …
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