So Long Selassie

In December 13, 1960 there was an attempt to dispose Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia while he was on a trip to Brazil. The conspirators tried to replace him with his son Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen who accepted and promised to lead a progressive government that would address the economic problems of Ethiopia. But in the end the loyalists regained control over Addis Ababa and Selassie was restored to his throne.

Was there any chance that the coup could succeed? If there is then what would happen and how would it affect modern Ethiopian history?
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
If you really dig into Selassie's reign you'd realize there was several attempts to dethrone him. Early on by Reactionaries, later by Reformists (and once by a pretender). If any of the attempts would have been succesful we'd have a whole different Ethiopia. (sometimes I even play with the ideas to have Iyasu V assassinate Ras Tafari in the early 1910s. I'd probably still have Iyasu deposed and Zewditu becoming empress, but instead of the reform friendly Tafari as her regent and heir there would be some reactionary like the empress' husband Ras Gugsa.)
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
How would and coups against Selassie affect the Rastafarian movement and the culture rising from it?
THAT is an interesting question. Let's say he is overthrown in '32 by Ras Hailu and Iyasu V, or in '42 by Yohannes Iyasu. Or even in 1960 (although I don't think this would affect Rastafarianism that much if his son is kept as figurehead). How would the Rastafarians react?
 
So, we get a series of movies:
Selassie Come Home
Son of Selassie
Courage of Selassie
The Hills of Home
The Sun comes Up
Challenge to Selassie
The Painted Hills
Selassie's Great Adventure
the Magic of Selassie

:)
(Except it would eventually be revealed that the actor who played the role was actually female.)
 
Depending how early he's out, then likely some other African King becomes "annointed" to fill Marcus Garvey's "prophesy".

Rashailuism doesn't quite have the same ring, mon.

:eek: Idiaminism?!?!?

"I'll skip communion, thank you."

So, we get a series of movies:
Selassie Come Home
Son of Selassie
Courage of Selassie
The Hills of Home
The Sun comes Up
Challenge to Selassie
The Painted Hills
Selassie's Great Adventure
the Magic of Selassie

:)
(Except it would eventually be revealed that the actor who played the role was actually female.)

"What's that Selassie? Iyasu's fallen down the well?"
 

archaeogeek

Banned
Maybe the then president of Liberia? Although it has the problem that said president would probably be a US puppet around then and it's ultimately a colony...
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
May I please have something more relevant to my question?
The question would be would the US support the new government. With US support they'd fare quite well, without it... well they'll probably do like the derg did, embrace Communism, cozy up to the USSR and abolish the monarchy.
 
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