What medals did Emperor Haile Selassie wear?

[Hugh]

I have recently found a colour photograph of all the orders and decorations worn by Haile Selassie in the form of full size chest badges.

Alas, I cannot seem to attach the file because I keep being told that it is too big. It measures 604 x 453 and 801.6K.

Any solutions?

Cheers

James

Here's the photo from James.

[James Hoard]

Hugh,

Many, many thanks for uploading the picture.

For the benefit of the others, here is the list of the orders, decorations and medals that I can work out.

First row:

Sovereign's badge of the Orders of the Seal of Solomon, Queen of Sheba, Holy Trinity, Menelik II, and the Star of Ethiopia, St George Medal of War (with two palms), Haile Selassie I Medal of War (with three palms), Menelik II Military Medal in gold, Haile Selassie I Silver Medal, The Medal of the Campaign (or the Patriot Medal) with six torches, Medal of the Patriots of the Interior (or the Underground Medal) with five torches, Victory Star 1941, Medal of the Patriot Refugees (or the Exile Medal) with four torches, Scholarship Medal 1^st class, Commemorative Medal for the Korean War, Silver Jubilee Medal 1955, Haile Selassie I Medal for National Service.

Second row:

Medal of Military Merit 1^st class of Greece, GC of the Order of St Olav of Norway, Military Medal (Médaille Militaire) of France, British GCMG, GC of the Legion of Honour of France, Collar of Muhammad Ali of Egypt, KGC Military Order of Willem of the Netherlands, GC of the Order of the Tower & Sword of Portugal, KGC of the Civil Order of the Netherlands Lion, Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Chief Commander Legion of Merit of the USA, GC of the Order of the Redeemer of Greece, unknown, Collar of the Order of Pius IX of the Vatican, GC National Order of the Cedars of the Lebanon, British GCVO, Yugoslav Grand Star, unknown (riband of the Order of the House of Chakri of Thailand without badge?).

Third row:

unknown, GC Special Class of the Order of Merit of the FR of Germany, unknown (Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle of Mexico?), GC Order of Independence of Tunisia, GC National Order of the Ivory Coast, Order of the White Lion of Czechoslovakia 1^st class with collar, GC Leopold II of Belgium (should be Leopold military division received 1954), GC George I of Greece (civil, should be military), Commander GC of the Order of the Polar Star of Sweden, GC Southern Cross of Brazil, unknown, Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of the Vatican, GC Royal Order of Cambodia, unknown, unknown, unknown, GC Special Class of the Order of the Renaissance of Jordan, Knight of the Order of the Seraphim of Sweden, unknown.

Fourth row:

GC of the Order of the House of Orange of the Netherlands, Order of the Flag of the Hungarian PR 1^st class, Riband of the Three Orders of Portugal, GC Order of the Leopard of Somalia, GC extraordinary of the Lebanese Order of Merit, Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi of Iran, DMN of Malaysia, Knight of the Order of the White Eagle of Poland, GC National Order of Merit of Madagascar, GC National Order of Merit of Mauritania, Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan, KGC of the Order of Orange-Nassau of the Netherlands, unknown, Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma of Burma, Collar of the Order of Muhammad of Morocco, unknown, Collar of the Order of Bust of the Liberator Simon Bolivar of Venezuela, GC of the Order of the Sun of Peru, unknown.

Any suggestions regarding the unidentified decorations or corrections to my identifications would be welcome.

Cheers

James

[fjcp]

Great picture!!!

Is the last one on the fourth row perhaps an Iraqi order of al-rafidan??

cheers

JC

[James Hoard]

Is the last one on the fourth row perhaps an Iraqi order of al-rafidan??

I don't think so because the Rafidan badge is a star of of seven points. Also the white enamelled petals that appear between the points of the star, although rounded, do not appear to create a perfect circle as this does. My guess is that it is some South or Central American order.

Cheers

James

[Dragomir]

Hugh,

Many, many thanks for uploading the picture.

For the benefit of the others, here is the list of the orders, decorations and medals that I can work out.

First row:

Sovereign's badge of the Orders of the Seal of Solomon, Queen of Sheba, Holy Trinity, Menelik II, and the Star of Ethiopia, St George Medal of War (with two palms), Haile Selassie I Medal of War (with three palms), Menelik II Military Medal in gold, Haile Selassie I Silver Medal, The Medal of the Campaign (or the Patriot Medal) with six torches, Medal of the Patriots of the Interior (or the Underground Medal) with five torches, Victory Star 1941, Medal of the Patriot Refugees (or the Exile Medal) with four torches, Scholarship Medal 1^st class, Commemorative Medal for the Korean War, Silver Jubilee Medal 1955, Haile Selassie I Medal for National Service.

Second row:

Medal of Military Merit 1^st class of Greece, GC of the Order of St Olav of Norway, Military Medal (Médaille Militaire) of France, British GCMG, GC of the Legion of Honour of France, Collar of Muhammad Ali of Egypt, KGC Military Order of Willem of the Netherlands, GC of the Order of the Tower & Sword of Portugal, KGC of the Civil Order of the Netherlands Lion, Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Chief Commander Legion of Merit of the USA, GC of the Order of the Redeemer of Greece, unknown, Collar of the Order of Pius IX of the Vatican, GC National Order of the Cedars of the Lebanon, British GCVO, Yugoslav Grand Star, unknown (riband of the Order of the House of Chakri of Thailand without badge?).

Third row:

unknown, GC Special Class of the Order of Merit of the FR of Germany, unknown (Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle of Mexico?), GC Order of Independence of Tunisia, GC National Order of the Ivory Coast, Order of the White Lion of Czechoslovakia 1^st class with collar, GC Leopold II of Belgium (should be Leopold military division received 1954), GC George I of Greece (civil, should be military), Commander GC of the Order of the Polar Star of Sweden, GC Southern Cross of Brazil, unknown, Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of the Vatican, GC Royal Order of Cambodia, unknown, unknown, unknown, GC Special Class of the Order of the Renaissance of Jordan, Knight of the Order of the Seraphim of Sweden, unknown.

Fourth row:

GC of the Order of the House of Orange of the Netherlands, Order of the Flag of the Hungarian PR 1^st class, Riband of the Three Orders of Portugal, GC Order of the Leopard of Somalia, GC extraordinary of the Lebanese Order of Merit, Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi of Iran, DMN of Malaysia, Knight of the Order of the White Eagle of Poland, GC National Order of Merit of Madagascar, GC National Order of Merit of Mauritania, Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan, KGC of the Order of Orange-Nassau of the Netherlands, unknown, Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma of Burma, Collar of the Order of Muhammad of Morocco, unknown, Collar of the Order of Bust of the Liberator Simon Bolivar of Venezuela, GC of the Order of the Sun of Peru, unknown.

Any suggestions regarding the unidentified decorations or corrections to my identifications would be welcome.

Cheers

James

Some comments regarding the identification:

First row: I am not aware that "torch" ribbon distinction mark was used in Ethiopia. Is it possibly palm?

Third row: German Order of Merit displays here star with 6 points in stead of 8 for the Special Class,Aztec Eagle is (for me) invisible (perhaps the last unidentified ribbon in the 2nd row is more likely Aztec Eagle?), between Tunisia and Czechoslovakia there is apparently Liberia Pioneers, not Ivory Coast, the unidentified item between Brazil and Holy Sepulchre looks like Korean thing (Taeguk in middle)second "unknown of sequence of three is Orthodox Crusaders of the Holy Sepulchre of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem,;

Fourth row: Lion of Senegal is better choice than Leopard of Somalia, unknown item between Netherlands and Burma should be Order of St. Mark of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandra, and item between Morocco and Venezuela might be Rumanian (Communist)Star Order.

Yours,

Dragomir

[James Hoard]

Some comments regarding the identification:

First row: I am not aware that "torch" ribbon distinction mark was used in Ethiopia. Is it possibly palm?

Third row: German Order of Merit displays here star with 6 points in stead of 8 for the Special Class,Aztec Eagle is (for me) invisible (perhaps the last unidentified ribbon in the 2nd row is more likely Aztec Eagle?), between Tunisia and Czechoslovakia there is apparently Liberia Pioneers, not Ivory Coast, the unidentified item between Brazil and Holy Sepulchre looks like Korean thing (Taeguk in middle)second "unknown of sequence of three is Orthodox Crusaders of the Holy Sepulchre of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem,;

Fourth row: Lion of Senegal is better choice than Leopard of Somalia, unknown item between Netherlands and Burma should be Order of St. Mark of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandra, and item between Morocco and Venezuela might be Rumanian (Communist)Star Order.

Dragomir

Many thanks for the identifications.

As regards palms and torches, palms were awarded for the St George Medal of War, Haile Selassie I Medal of War and the Menelik II Military Medals in Gold or Silver. For the three 1936-1941 Medal of the Campaign (or the Patriot Medal), Medal of the Patriots of the Interior (or the Underground Medal) and Medal of the Patriot Refugees (or the Exile Medal) they were torches, a special local type of reed whose name escapes me, which were tied up in little bundles and used for flaming torches

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2009/post-3236-125411810701.jpg.

The picture above shows the difference.

Cheers,

James

[Dragomir]

Dragomir

Many thanks for the identifications.

As regards palms and torches, palms were awarded for the St George Medal of War, Haile Selassie I Medal of War and the Menelik II Military Medals in Gold or Silver. For the three 1936-1941 Medal of the Campaign (or the Patriot Medal), Medal of the Patriots of the Interior (or the Underground Medal) and Medal of the Patriot Refugees (or the Exile Medal) they were torches, a special local type of reed whose name escapes me, which were tied up in little bundles and used for flaming torches

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2009/post-3236-125411810701.jpg.

The picture above shows the difference.

Cheers,

James

Thank you James.

Regarding torches, you are certainly right, only I erroneously considered both things to be palms of different design.

Regards,

Dragomir

[lilo]

Great picture!!!

Is the last one on the fourth row perhaps an Iraqi order of al-rafidan??

cheers

JC

Hi JC,

To me it's just the Iraq Order of Al-Rafidan !

You can see in the post Nr. #7 by Antonio Prieto the photo in which He wears the Military ribbon for this Order (last bottom row, the central red ribbon with 3 black stripes)

Lilo

Edited October 13, 2009 by lilo

[James Hoard]

Hi JC,

To me it's just the Iraq Order of Al-Rafidan !

You can see in the post Nr. #7 by Antonio Prieto the photo in which He wears the Military ribbon for this Order (last bottom row, the central red ribbon with 3 black stripes)

I don't think so.

It could be the Al-Rafidian only if the star suddenly morphs into a perfect circle round and its seven points turn into eight!

James

[JDM]

RIBBONS OF EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I.

In Gregory R. Copley's book "ETHIOPIA REACHES HER HAND UNTO GOD" (published by Defence & Foreign Affairs, part of the International

Stategic Studies Association) ISBN 1-892998-00-9 (softcover) 1-892998-01-7 (hardcover) Alexandria, Virginia, 1988, he shows a smallish set of ribbons (which during the revolution was in London with Henry Poole for repair, & it survived.

The ribbon bars are copyright, but they show 11 rows of 4 accross (44 out of his full set of about 56 known Ribbons).

It was lovey to see the actual medals shown within these pages. I have been intrested in Haile Selassie's ribbons ever since visiting Ethiopia before

the revolution, sometime in 1965. I have 3 photos of the ribbons, I will ask Megan if she will post them here.

JDM

[Megan]

And here is Megan to do as she is bid

First one (I think a version of it was earlier in the thread...)

and the next:

[Megan]

And the third (as I ran out of upload space...):

[Megan]

Another picture from John, Meganised...

John says "different photo of Haile Selassie's 14 rows of 56 Ribbons, this is the most I have ever seen him wear. The photo must have been taken in or after 1973."

[Jah Jim]

Greetings all.  Thank you all for your contributions on this subject and anything to do with Imperial Ethiopia.  I offer a great selection of original vintage Imperial Ethiopian Orders, wearable Medals, Table Medals and Insignia at all times and have for over 30 years.

 

Did you know a new book was completed and published with both French and English texts and captions?  I offer author signed copies.  It focuses on ALL of the orders and medals awarded to His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I.

 

Thanks and blessings for your interest in this  wonderful part of history.

 

Jim Marshall

 

Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia

 

Reggae and Ethiopian Archives, since 1980

 

I welcome emails for further communications and have more photos of the remarkable book to share.

 

RasTafariLives@gmail.com

[Jah Jim]

I should have mentioned above that in support of the author, subject and scholarship, I bought a number of author signed copies of the book for resale.  As I said above, the book is in both French and English.

 

It lists about 127 different awards.

 

Thanks to you all.