Sara Gizaw

Princess Sara Gizaw
Dowager Duchess of Harar
Spouse Prince Makonnen, Duke of Harrar
Issue Prince Paul Wossen Seged, Duke of Harrar
Prince Mikael
Prince Dawit
Prince Taffari
Prince Beede Mariam
Father Gizaw Abera
Born 1 January 1928
Religion Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo
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


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

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Monarchical styles of
The Dowager Duchess of Harar
Reference style Her Imperial Highness
Spoken style Your Imperial Highness
Alternative style Ma'am

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Ethiopia Frees 7 Relatives of Haile Selassie". The New York Times. Reuters. 22 May 1988. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  2. Paul B. Henze, Layers of Time (New York: Palgrave, 2000), p. 260
  3. Per Nordenvall, Kungliga Serafimerorden 1748-1998 (1998). See List of Knights of the Order
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Royal Ark