Empire of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is thought of today usually in the context of drought and famine, yet it is one of the oldest independent states in the world. The Ethiopian ruling family traced its lineage back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, although the "Solomonic" imperial dynasty came to power in the 13th century. The last reigning emperor, Haile Selassie I, was perhaps best known for his impassioned and futile call for the League of Nations to live up to its charter and principles after Italy invaded his homeland in 1935. That, or for his being considered a messianic figure by the Rastafarians of Jamaica (Haile Selassie was his reign name. His birthname was Tafari Makonnen; "Ras" is a title of honor.). Ethiopian troops fought the Italian invaders in 1935-36, in guerrilla campaigns thereafter, and alongside the British in the 1941 campaign which finally threw the Italians out of Ethiopia. An Ethiopian contingent from the Imperial Bodyguard was sent to Korea in 1950, and eventually 5,000 Ethiopians would serve with distinction there, attached to the US 7th Infantry Division. A force of 3,000 Imperial Bodyguard troops and an Imperial Air Force squadron would serve in the Congo from 1960 to 1964. Another air force unit would return to Zaire in 1967 to help the government deal with a mercenary-led uprising in the Katanga province. After a communist coup in 1974, Haile Selassie I fled the country. He died in prison in 1975, officially due to complications from surgery, but reportedly he was murdered. A few years after the overthrow of the communist regime, his remains were reinterred in a formal funeral ceremony. With significant Soviet and Cuban support, the Ethiopian communist regime had prevailed in 1978 in the Ogaden War against Somalia, but the army would be wasted away in brutal counterinsurgency campaigns. Today, the country, now a republic, is in the process of rebuilding the military, but has been embroiled in several border conflicts with Eritrea. The Ethiopians took pride in their military traditions and the empire had established several orders and decorations to reward gallantry and meritorious service. Some Imperial orders continued to be awarded by the royal family in exile. Common design features of Imperial decorations are the Coptic Cross, the trilobe design (representing the Trinity) and the Trinity star.

Order of the Star of Ethiopia

First Class set

Fifth Class

Military Medal of Merit of the Order of St. George

The Military Medal of Merit of the Order of St. George was a decoration for gallantry and distinguished military service that ranked highest among military decorations and usually came immediately after orders. The recipient was entitled to use the post-nominal initials MMM.

Distinguished Military Medal of Haile Selassie the First

The Distinguished Military Medal of Haile Selassie the First was another high decoration for gallantry and military merit. The palm branch device on the ribbon indicates a second award. The medal was created during the war against Italy. The recipient was entitled to use the post-nominal initials DMM.

Patriot's Medal

I am unsure of the criteria for this medal, but it has been described to me as being called the "Patriot's Medal." The obverse has text in Amharic around a bust of Haile Selassie. Below are crossed swords. The reverse has the same text as the Refugee's Medal (see below): "Hope established in faith is a proven instrument of victory". On the ribbon are three branches, each featuring a scroll with a date on it. The dates are "1931", "1932" and "1933", which correspond to 1939, 1940 and 1941 on the Western calendar.

Refugee's Medal

This medal was created during the war against Italy. It was for meritorious service in assisting the many refugees created by the Italian invasion. On the obverse is the phrase "The star led them" on either side of a Trinity star. On the reverse is the Amharic phrase "Hope established in faith is a proven instrument of victory." The last line is the date "1935."

Star of Victory

Created in 1941, this is the medal awarded for victory over the Italians by the joint Anglo-Ethiopian force. It is in the form of a Coptic Cross with a Trinity Star in the center. Around it is the name "Star of Victory" and the phrase "Unforgettable Achievement" in Amharic, and the date "1933". On the reverse is the name "Star of Victory" in English and the date "1941" (1933 on the Ethiopian calendar corresponded to 1941 on the Western calendar).