Princess Ijigayehu Amha Selassie’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

Princess (Leult) Ijigayehu Amha Selassie (known during her life as Her Imperial Highness Princess Ijigayehu Asfaw Wossen; 1936-1976) was the eldest child of Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen of Ethiopia by his first wife, Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum and was the granddaughter to Emperor Haile Selassie.

Lineage and Marriage

Through her mother’s family she was a great-great granddaughter of Emperor Yohannes IV. Princess Ijigayehu was married to Dejazmach Fikre Selassie Hapte Mariam, the heir to the old Welega Kingdom of Leqa Naqamte, and brother to Woizero Atsede Habte- Mariam (wife of General Mulugeta Bulli) and Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam (wife of Prince Sahle Selassie). Dejazmach Fikre Selassie and Princess Ijigayehu were the parents of six children (all created Princes and Princesses by their grandfather Emperor Amha Selassie while in exile):

• Lij Samson Fikre Selassie (born 10 October 1954).
• Woizero Rahel Fikre Selassie (born 19 December 1957).
• Woizero Meheret Fikre Selassie (born 19 December 1959).
• Woizero Aster Fikre Selassie (born 30 April 1960).
• Leul Bekere Fikre Selassie (born 1962).
• Lij Yishaq Fikre Selassie (born 1964).

Princess Ijigayehu notably accompanied her grandfather Emperor Haile Selassie on his state visit to Italy and also on his state visits to South Korea, Australia, and Malaysia.

The Derg Uprising

Princess Ijigayehu was imprisoned with the rest of the Imperial family on September 11, 1974, the day before Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by the Derg. She died in early 1976 after medical neglect while still in prison. She was buried at the Ketchene Medhan Alem Church in Addis Ababa by her children and her mother who were under surveillance but not imprisoned. Early the following year, all her children, along with other children of the Imperial family, escaped from Ethiopia. Her husband remained imprisoned for 8 years and died in August 1996.

Honours

National honours [3]

Foreign honours [3]

Ancestry