On This Day: Emperor Haile Selassie I Receives Field Marshal Rank from Queen Elizabeth II
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January 25, 1965 (Tir 18, 1957 Ethiopian Calendar)
Exactly 61 years ago today, a ceremony of profound diplomatic significance took place in London when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II conferred the honorary rank of Field Marshal of the British Army upon His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. This distinction represented not merely a military honor, but a symbolic recognition of decades of alliance, mutual respect, and shared history between two ancient monarchies navigating the complexities of the post-colonial world.
The bond between Ethiopia and Great Britain had been tempered in the crucible of the Second World War. When Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, the Emperor had stood before the League of Nations in Geneva, delivering his prophetic warning about collective security that would echo through history. After five years of exile in Bath, England, from 1936 to 1941, Haile Selassie had worked alongside British forces in the East African campaign that liberated his nation from Italian occupation. The Emperor’s courage in returning to fight alongside British and Ethiopian patriot forces, entering Addis Ababa on May 5, 1941, exactly five years after the Italian occupation began, had earned him deep respect in British military and diplomatic circles. This shared struggle created bonds that transcended mere diplomatic courtesy.
The rank of Field Marshal represents the highest achievable rank in the British Army, traditionally reserved for the most distinguished military leaders.
By 1965, it was rarely conferred, making this honor particularly meaningful. For Haile Selassie, who had led his nation through war, reconstruction, and the challenges of African independence movements, this recognition acknowledged both his personal military leadership and Ethiopia’s strategic importance. Ethiopia held a unique position in Africa never colonized except for the brief Italian occupation, maintaining its independence for millennia, and serving as a founding member of both the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, which Haile Selassie had helped establish in Addis Ababa in 1963.
The 1965 conferral took place during a period when Haile Selassie remained one of Africa’s most influential statesmen. At 72 years old, he had ruled Ethiopia for over three decades since his coronation in 1930 and had become a father figure to African independence movements and a voice for the continent on the world stage. The ceremony itself reflected the pageantry and protocol befitting two ancient monarchies. Queen Elizabeth II, who had ascended to the throne in 1952, personally bestowed the honor, underscoring the respect between the two sovereigns. The field marshal’s baton, uniform insignia, and formal recognition placed Haile Selassie among an exclusive group of international figures to receive this British military distinction.
By 1965, Ethiopia had positioned itself as a crucial bridge between Africa and the wider world. The nation hosted the headquarters of the newly formed Organization of African Unity, maintained its unique status as Africa’s oldest independent nation, and under Haile Selassie’s leadership, pursued a careful diplomatic balance during the Cold War era. The Emperor’s modernization efforts including educational reforms, infrastructure development, and the 1955 revised constitution, had transformed Ethiopia while maintaining its distinct cultural and religious heritage. The Field Marshal honor recognized not only past military collaboration but also Ethiopia’s continuing geopolitical significance.
This honor represents a moment when traditional monarchical diplomacy intersected with the emerging post-colonial African order. For Ethiopians, it symbolized international recognition of their nation’s sovereignty and historical resilience. For the British, it acknowledged a valued ally and a leader whose wartime courage and post-war statesmanship had earned genuine admiration. The relationship between these two monarchs Elizabeth II, who would reign until 2022, and Haile Selassie, whose reign would end with the 1974 revolution captures a pivotal moment in 20th-century history when ancient institutions adapted to a rapidly changing world.
As we remember this day 61 years later, we recall not merely a ceremonial honor, but a symbol of Ethiopia’s enduring independence, the complex legacies of international alliance, and a chapter in African diplomatic history when Ethiopia stood as a beacon of sovereignty and dignity for the entire continent. Tir 18, 1957 Ethiopian Calendar a day when two crowns acknowledged shared history and mutual respect in a world being rapidly transformed by the winds of change sweeping across Africa and beyond.
