Sara Gizaw

Imperial Family of Ethiopia

HIH The Crown Prince HIH Princess Lideta Zera Yacob HIH Princess Ijigayehu HIH Prince Samson Fikre Selassie HIH Prince Bekere Fikre Selassie HIH Princess Donna Fikre Selassie HIH Prince Yisehaq Fikre Selassie HIH Princess Rahel Fikre Selassie HIH Princess Aster Fikre Selassie HIH Princess Meheret Fikre Selassie HIH Princess Maryam Senna HIH Princess Sehin Azebe HIH Princess Sifrash Bizu Extended family Descendants of Prince Makonnen: HIH The Dowager Duchess of Harar HIH The Duke of Harar HIH Prince Mikael Amde Yesus Makonnen HIH Princess Asrat Amaha Yesus HIH Princess Adey-Abeba Makonnen HIH Prince Yokshan Dawit Makonnen HIH Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen HIH Prince Philip Tafari Makonnen HIH Princess Aster Abatow HIH Prince David Tafari Makonnen HIH Prince Isaiah Tafari Makonnen HIH Princess ... Makonnen HIH Prince Baeda Maryam Makonnen HIH Princess Mahelate Baeda Mariam HIH Princess Blaine Baeda Mariam Descendants of Prince Sahle Selassie: HIH Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam HIH Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie HIH Prince Christian Sahle Selassie HIH Prince Rufael Fiseha Tsieon Ermias Descendants of Princess Tenagnework: HH Princess Hirut Desta HH Princess Seble Desta HH Princess Sophia Desta

Extended family Descendants of Emperor Yohannes IV: HH The Prince of Tigray Lij Mikael Sehul Lij Yohannes Mengesha Seyoum Lij Stefanos Mengesha Seyoum Lij Jalye Mengesha Seyoum Lij Seyun Mengesha Seyoum Immabet Menen Mengesha Seyoum

Princess Sara Gizaw, Dowager Duchess of Harar is the widow of Prince Makonnen,^[1] Duke (Mesfin) of Harar and second son of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.

Biography

She was born in 1928. Her father was Gizaw Abera, a former Nibure Id of Axum, and her paternal grandfather was Dejazmach Abera Tedla.

She was educated at the Royal Infirmary Nursing School of Edinburgh.

She is the mother of five sons, Paul Wossen Seged Makonnen, Mikael Makonnen, Tefferi Makonnen, Beede Mariam Makonnen and the late Dawit Makonnen (also known as Makonnen Makonnen). In her day, Princess Sara was renowned as one of the most beautiful women at the Court of the Emperor of Ethiopia. She was widowed in 1957 when her husband, the Duke of Harar, was killed in a car accident.^[2] She often accompanied the Emperor on foreign visits, and acted as one of his official hostesses along with Princess Tenagnework after the death of Empress Menen.

Princess Sara was imprisoned with the other women of the Imperial Family of Ethiopia in 1974, and was released from prison in 1988.^[1] She currently resides in Addis Ababa. Princess Sara's eldest son, Prince Paul Wossen Seged (current titular Duke of Harar) is second in line to the Ethiopian throne, and is expected eventually to become Heir Presumptive as the current claimant, Crown Prince Zera Yacob Amha Selassie has no legitimate son.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• Her Imperial Highness The Duchess of Harar.
• Her Imperial Highness The Dowager Duchess of Harrar

Honours

National honours

• Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Queen of Sheba.
• Jubilee Medal (1955).
• Jubilee Medal (1966).

Foreign honours

•  Sweden : Member of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (15 November 1954).^[3]
•  Germany : Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1954).^[4]
• Greece : Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Beneficence (1954).^[4]
•  Austria : Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria (1954).^[4]

References