Ethiopia - Imperial Order of Emperor Menelik II, knight grade. Imperial Order of Emperor Menelik II, knight grade, gilded with red and green enamel cross pattée alisée on imperial Ethiopian crown suspension; the face with a central green enamel medallion bearing a gilt metal Lion of Judah encircled by a red enamel ring inscribed in gilt Amharic characters in Ge‘ez (Mo’a Anbasa Z. Y = an abbreviation for ‘The Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath conquered’); the reverse with a central green enamel medallion bearing the cipher of Emperor Menelik II in gilt letters encircled by a red enamel ring; height 62.3mm (2.45 inches), diameter 41.14mm (1.62 inches); on correct ribbon.
Condition: enamel work in good order, Good very fine
The Order of Emperor Menelik II was founded in 1924 by the then Regent, Ras Tafari Makonnen (later Emperor Haile Selassie), during the reign of Empress Zauditu to honour the late Emperor and was awarded in five grades. The Order is also referred to as The Order of the Lion of Judah and The Order of the Ethiopian Lion and the insignia were made by Arthus Bertrand of Paris
