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History & Civilization +1 more

The Lion of Judah

How an Ethiopian emperor became a living god to Rastafarians while navigating the treacherous politics of 20th-century colonialism and world war.

36 min readReading time
13Sections

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Chapters

13 total
  1. 01Prologue
  2. 02Chapter One - The Solomonic Seed
  3. 03Chapter Two - Child of Empire
  4. 04Chapter Three - Crowned in Glory
  5. 05Chapter Four - The First Tremors
  6. 06Chapter Five - Hell in the Highlands
  7. 07Chapter Six - The Exile King
  8. 08Chapter Seven - Return and Restoration
  9. 09Chapter Eight - A God in the Caribbean
  10. 10Chapter Nine - Pan-African Prophet
  11. 11Chapter Ten - Empire in Crisis
  12. 12Chapter Eleven - Fall of the Lion
  13. 13Chapter Twelve - The Immortal Echo
Edition notes and short pages
Dedications, notices, acknowledgments, author notes, and short passages from this book.

The Lion of Judah

The Lion of Judah
How Haile Selassie Was Crowned and Worshipped

by James Johnson

Dedication

For those who remember what the world tried to forget.

And for those who still hear the Lion roar.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


HUGE THANKS TO the readers, thinkers, and diggers of truth who keep history alive — not in dusty books, but in sound, smoke, and spirit.

To the scholars who documented Selassie’s life, to the artists who carried his image, and to the Rastas who kept the flame lit long after the palace went dark — this book stands on your shoulders.

And to every rebel, every witness, and every believer in things bigger than empires:
this one's for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


JJ IS THE author of over 190 books on history, power, myth, and the lives that shaped the world. His work cuts through the noise — sharp, readable, and real. From emperors to outlaws, prophets to presidents, JJ digs for the story underneath the story.

He writes fast, thinks faster, and doesn't do filler.

Find his catalog at jjarchives.com

COPYRIGHT


© 2025 JAMES JOHNSON. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews or scholarly works.

This book is a historical interpretation based on primary and secondary sources. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, some elements have been stylized for tone, clarity, or emphasis.

This book is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representing any government, religious group, or official organization.

Names, dates, and quotes are drawn from historical records, public archives, and verified sources — but this is a work of narrative history, not academic citation.