|
African
Royalty - Queen Makeda's Story
 Makeda
was the queen of Ethiopia and Saba, ancient
lands in Africa and the southern Arabian
peninsula. Some believe that the capital of her
kingdom, Axum, was founded 100 years after the
Great Flood depicted in the Bible.
Known to the
Ethiopian people as Makeda, she has been called
a variety of names by different peoples in
different times. In Islamic tradition she was “Bilqis.”
The ancient Greeks knew her as the “Ethiopian
Diana.” To King Solomon of Israel she was the
Queen of Sheba.
Queen Makeda was
known to be beautiful, intelligent, patient, and
resourceful. She had an unquenchable desire for
truth and wisdom. A life of luxury could not
satisfy her soul despite her royal power and
vast riches of gold, jewels and rare spices. Her
adventurous spirit led her not only to explore
the African and Middle Eastern kingdoms that
surrounded Ethiopia but also to capture the love
of Solomon, the most powerful king of the time.
In her journeys and
at her royal court, she heard a great deal about
the wisdom of King Solomon. The more she heard,
the more she wanted to travel to see this king
in all of his glory. Queen Makeda began her
journey with a huge entourage consisting of
scores of retainers, hundreds of mules, donkeys
and camels that carried a vast treasure in gold,
rare gems and valuable spices.
During her six-month
visit with Solomon, Queen Makeda conferred
frequently with the King. She was so impressed
with his wisdom that she adopted Jehova as the
one true God. Shortly thereafter she returned to
her own country. Although Solomon would have
preferred that she stay, he pulled her aside
saying, "Take this ring so that thou mayest not
forget me."
The queen departed
for home, and nine months and five days after
Queen Makeda left King Solomon, she gave birth
to a male child, Ibn al-Hakim, "Son of the wise
man." His royal name was Menelik.
 When
he was 15 years old, Menelik traveled to
Jerusalem to visit his father. As it turned out,
he did not need the ring Solomon had given his
mother to be recognized by the ruler. When he
arrived in the kingdom, the people could see
immediately that he was the son of Solomon.
When the young
prince approached his father, Solomon said, "He
is handsomer than I am, and his form and stature
are those of David, my father, in his early
manhood." Solomon kissed and embraced his son,
and asked him to stay. He promised Menelik the
kingdom of Israel upon his death, but Menelik
replied, "My lord, it is impossible for me to
abandon my country and my mother; I swore that I
would return to her."
When Solomon came to
understand that his son would not stay in
Jerusalem, he proclaimed him the King of
Ethiopia, bestowed upon him the name of David,
and provided him with councilors and officers
for his kingdom in Ethiopia.
Except for a brief
period during the ninth and tenth centuries, and
until the demise of His Imperial Majesty Haile
Selassie I, Conquering Lion of Judah,
descendants of Queen Makeda have ruled the
throne of Ethiopia. |
