Lorenzo Taezaz
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Taezaz was an important diplomatic official for Ethiopia
. He served as Emperor Haile Selassie's diplomatic representative during the Emperor's exile in Britain following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, being the permanent delegate from Ethiopia to the League of Nations
. After the restoration of the Ethiopian government, Lorenzo was Minister of Foreign Affairs
, Minister of Posts and Telegraph, and served in the Ethiopian Senate.
, then an Italian colony. One source believes he received his earliest education in Italian schools in Asmara and Keren, although Bahru Zewde believes he studied at the Swedish mission school in Asmara. Following a chance meeting with Ras Taferi Makonnen (the later Emperor Haile Selassie), he received a scholarship to study in France, and spent eight years at the University of Montpellier
, where he received his doctorate in Law. On returning to Ethiopia, he served in the Ministry of Justice, and was a member of the Anglo-Ethiopian Boundary Commission which demarcated Ethiopia's borders with former British Somaliland, and that later investigated the causes of the Walwal Incident of 1934. Lorenzo is said to have seen action at the Battle of Maychew
in 1936. He literally followed Emperor Haile Selassie's departure from Ethiopia, riding on the next train to Djibouti
, along with three Swedish officers, most of the ministers and other notables of the Imperial court.
After Haile Selassie addressed the League of Nations, and after Lorenzo was appointed Permanent Delegate to that body, although during the Italian occupation
, he secretly entered Ethiopia on several occasions for the Emperor. One such occasion was in November 1940, when he accompanied three elders who were returning to Armachiho in northern Ethiopia after waiting in Khartoum for help from the British; another was not long after this, he travelled to Kenya where he aided in organizing Ethiopian soldiers who had been interned there for years, having fled there not long after the Italian conquest in 1937.
After Haile Selassie's return to Ethiopia, Lorenzo was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs (1941–1943), and subsequently Minister for Posts, Telephones and Telegrams (1943). According to Bahru Zewde, Lorenzo came into conflict with the powerful Tsehafi Taezaz ("Minister of the Pen") Wolde Giyorgis Wolde Yohannes
, who had him appointed to the ceremonial President of the Chamber of Deputies (1943–1944), then ambassador to the Soviet Union (November 1944) -- effectively exiled from the center of power, then a delegate to the Paris Peace Conference
(May 1946); after being in Sweden for only a month, he died in a hospital in Stockholm.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. He served as Emperor Haile Selassie's diplomatic representative during the Emperor's exile in Britain following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, being the permanent delegate from Ethiopia to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. After the restoration of the Ethiopian government, Lorenzo was Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ethiopia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Ethiopian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Ethiopia....
, Minister of Posts and Telegraph, and served in the Ethiopian Senate.
Life
Lorenzo Taezaz was born in the Akele Guzaie province of EritreaEritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, then an Italian colony. One source believes he received his earliest education in Italian schools in Asmara and Keren, although Bahru Zewde believes he studied at the Swedish mission school in Asmara. Following a chance meeting with Ras Taferi Makonnen (the later Emperor Haile Selassie), he received a scholarship to study in France, and spent eight years at the University of Montpellier
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
, where he received his doctorate in Law. On returning to Ethiopia, he served in the Ministry of Justice, and was a member of the Anglo-Ethiopian Boundary Commission which demarcated Ethiopia's borders with former British Somaliland, and that later investigated the causes of the Walwal Incident of 1934. Lorenzo is said to have seen action at the Battle of Maychew
Battle of Maychew
The Battle of Maychew was the last major battle fought on the northern front during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. The battle consisted of a failed counterattack by the Ethiopian forces under Emperor Haile Selassie making frontal assaults against prepared Italian defensive positions under the...
in 1936. He literally followed Emperor Haile Selassie's departure from Ethiopia, riding on the next train to Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
, along with three Swedish officers, most of the ministers and other notables of the Imperial court.
After Haile Selassie addressed the League of Nations, and after Lorenzo was appointed Permanent Delegate to that body, although during the Italian occupation
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
, he secretly entered Ethiopia on several occasions for the Emperor. One such occasion was in November 1940, when he accompanied three elders who were returning to Armachiho in northern Ethiopia after waiting in Khartoum for help from the British; another was not long after this, he travelled to Kenya where he aided in organizing Ethiopian soldiers who had been interned there for years, having fled there not long after the Italian conquest in 1937.
After Haile Selassie's return to Ethiopia, Lorenzo was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs (1941–1943), and subsequently Minister for Posts, Telephones and Telegrams (1943). According to Bahru Zewde, Lorenzo came into conflict with the powerful Tsehafi Taezaz ("Minister of the Pen") Wolde Giyorgis Wolde Yohannes
Wolde Giyorgis Wolde Yohannes
Wolde Giyorgis Wolde Yohannes was an important government Minister during the reign of Haile Selassie of Ethiopia...
, who had him appointed to the ceremonial President of the Chamber of Deputies (1943–1944), then ambassador to the Soviet Union (November 1944) -- effectively exiled from the center of power, then a delegate to the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference may refer to:* Paris Peace Conference, 1919, negotiated the treaties ending World War I* Paris Peace Conference, 1946 July 29 to October 15, 1946See also...
(May 1946); after being in Sweden for only a month, he died in a hospital in Stockholm.