Medferiashwork Abebe
| Medferiashwork Abebe | |
|---|---|
| Empress Consort of Ethiopia | |
| Born | Amete Maryam 1925 |
| Died | 13 March 2009 (aged 83-84) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Burial | Holy Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa |
| Spouse | Amha Selassie |
| Issue |
Princess Maryam Senna Princess Sehin Azebe Princess Sifrash Bizu Zera Yacob |
| House |
House of Solomon (by marriage) |
| Father | Dejazmatch and Mayor-General Abebe Damtew |
| Mother | Woizero Wosenyelesh Mangasha |
| Religion | Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo |
Empress Medferiashwork Abebe (Crown Princess Medferiashwork), baptismal name Amete Maryam (1925 – March 13, 2009), was the titular Empress-consort of Amha Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia in Exile. (Her full title used by monarchists was "Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Medferiashwork", but she was officially regarded in post-Derg Ethiopia as "Her Imperial Highness Princess Medferiashwork Abebe".)
Her father was Dejazmach and Major-General Abebe Damtew, so she was a niece of Desta Damtew who was the first husband of her sister-in-law, Princess Tenagnework. She was thus a member of the aristocratic Adisge clan. Her mother was Woizero Wosenyelesh Mangasha, who in turn was daughter of Ras Bitwodad Mangasha Atikam of Damot and Agawmeder, Viceroy of Gojjam, who was a major figure during the reign of Emperor Menelik II, by his second wife Sifrash Bizu Yifru. Medferiashwork was thus a member of two of Ethiopia's most influential noble families. Empress Medferiashwork was the daughter-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Medferiashwork Abebe Damtew married Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen Haile Selassie in 1945, and they had three daughters (Princess Maryam Senna, Princess Sehin Azebe and Princess Sifrash Bizu) and a son, Prince Zera Yacob.
Princess Medferiashwork was said to have played a key role in organizing the opposition to the attempted 1960 coup against Emperor Haile Selassie. Her husband had been coerced into reading a radio statement declaring that he was to henceforth assume his father's throne as a "salaried monarch" and also announce far reaching political reforms. The Crown Princess was one of the few members of the Imperial family not placed under detention, and she played a role in getting the members of the nobility that had not been detained together with the leaders of the Army in order to crush the Imperial Guard which had launched the coup.
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