We don’t know if modern history textbooks touch upon Haile Selassie, but in our view, he is a noteworthy figure who should be known if only for being the Emperor of Ethiopia.

He is a defining figure in Ethiopian history for his attempts to modernize Ethiopia before famine and political opposition from Marxist dictator, Mengistu Haile Mariam, forced him from office in 1974. There are also those who believe that Selassie was the direct descendent of an unbroken line of 225 rulers dating back to Menelik I, who, according to legend, was the first emperor of Ethiopia and the child of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Rastafarians regard Haile Selassie I as God because of UNIA founder, Marcus Garvey’s prophecy: “Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the Redeemer.” Haile Selassie ascension as Emperor of Ethiopia soon afterwards seemed to seal the deal, as it were.  Haile Selassie never regarded himself as God, nor did he adhere to Rastafari, but he is held in high regard by Rastafarians around the world. 

A well-known animal lover, Haile Selassie was often seen in photographs in the presence of cheetas and lions,  and as a dog lover, it’s not surprising that he would gravitate to the Great Dane as a companion canine, including one named, “Bull.” A bit more surprising is that in his later years, ‘the conquering lion of the tribe of Judah’ became very fond of Chihuahuas. There was “Cheecheebee,” but a particular favorite was “Lulu.”

Samuel King of the U.S. Secret Service who once travelled with Selassie from Los Angeles to Vancouver said, “The dog Lulu travels everywhere with the emperor. The emperor, as you can see, is extremely fond of him. Don’t ask me why a male dog is called Lulu.”

Mammo Haile, Emperor Haile Selassie’s valet for thirty years, was interviewed by Philip Marsden, an English travel writer, and he talked about Lulu. “If there was a reception, Lulu would go around among the legs of the officials. If one one of them was holding a bad feeling about His Majesty, Lulu would touch the man’s foot and that was how His Majesty knew. One minister was very popular, but Lulu touched his foot and after that, no one trusted that man again. Lulu was a very brilliant dog.”

Sadly, Lulu died as a result of an attack by a large palace dog named, “Paul.” Mammo went on to say that Paul “took Lulu by the neck, and shook her and shook her. She was only a tiny dog-and finito! Lulu finito. Such a tiny little dog.”

A 2001 article by By John Ryle suggests that Lulu accompanied Selassie during his last automobile drive from his office at the Jubilee Palace. Haile Selassie was assassinated in 1975.