The Queen of Sheba: Ethiopia's Queen Makeda

The Queen of Sheba from Ethiopian fresco (c.1100s-1200s), Lalibela, Ethiopia. Zagwe dynasty.

The Queen of Sheba 
Ge'ez: Nigist Saba; Hebrew: מלכת שבא‎;
Malkat Shva; Arabic: ملكة سبأ‎)

According to the Kebra Negast (Kebra Nagast, Ge'ez: kəbrä nägäst, "the Glory of Kings"), a nearly 700 year old text from Ethiopic antiquity, the imperial family of the Nile region are offsprings of The Queen of Sheba, named Makeda (mākidā) in the Ethiopian account, which translates literally to "pillow."

Batisterio san giovanni Florence (Italy), Salomon meets the Queen of Saba,
on the Paradise Door of the Florence Baptistry

Menelik I (Menyelek I) (also known as Ebna la-Hakim, Ibn Al-Hakim, "Son of the Wise") was the only offspring of The Queen of Sheba of the ancient Kingdom of Sheba / Axumite Kingdom. King Solomon of ancient Israel was his father.  The Queen of Sheba and King Solomon are both referenced within the Christian, Hebrew, and Qur'anic (Koran) Biblical accounts (See Table of Nations (Genesis 10:7)).

Map shows Nile region communities, including
Kingdom of Axum (Aksum) cir. 565 A.D.

This East African kingdom at historical points may at least have included parts of areas of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen. This early kingdom of antiquity, under the historical throne of Sheba, may have reached as far south as Zanzibar (“San-Sheba” or see Persian: "Zangi-bar" with "Zangi" meaning "Black" and "Bar" meaning "the") in Tanzania. See also Kemet [keh-MET translates "Black Land").

Kebra Negast, available in book form today

The Kebra Nagast is an account originally written in the Ge'ez language (Semetic/Ethiopic/Nilotic) and recounts the origins of the paternal Solomonic line of the Emperors of Ethiopia. The Kebra Nagast is considered by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Rastafarian communities in the Africas as an inspired and accurate historical account of how The Queen of Sheba met King Solomon and about how the Ark of the Covenant came to the Axum (Aksum, Aksûmite, Tigray-Tigrinya Province) region of current day Ethiopia and Eritrea, upon The Queen's return from ancient Israel with the male child, Menelik I.

According to the Kebra Nagast, Menelik I became the first Imperial ruler of Ethiopia, the first of a line of Aksûmite Kings. The translation of the ancient text records of the Kebra Nagast also contain accounts of the early creation stories of the people of this region, which today's science definitively concludes is the birthplace of humankind and human civilizations.  

It is said that Menelik's father, King Solomon, gave the Ark of the Covenant to The Queen of Sheba  to be delivered as his prayer that "the New Jerusalem" would have its throne at Axum. In 1967, Edward Ullendorff stated in his famous lectures that "[t]he Kebra Nagast is not merely a literary work, but -- as the Old Testament to the Hebrews or the Qur'an to the Arabs -- it is the repository of Ethiopian national and religious feelings."

Photo of an Ethiopian antiquity art
 The Queen of Sheba made the northern city of Axum home after returning from her trade journey to Israel. According to Ethiopian tradition, Menelik I and the Ark of the Covenant was brought with Makeda. Many believe Haile Selassie I, born Tafari Makonnen, to be of direct blood lineage from Menelik I, who began the East African Kings' long rule in the region, starting around 950 BCE. Haile Selassie I's royal lineage has been a fact of debate among African scholars. It is known, however, that royal imperial families continue on the African continent despite the more recent historical development of African national governments. The African Continents Kingdom Federation's (ACKF) current leader is Imperial Matriarch Empress Shebah `Ra - Queen Shebah III of the royal family line of African Continent Nubian Nations Sheba Imperial Empire Kingdoms (0/1 Dynasty – 2nd Millennium – 7 Dynasty), a matriarchal throne. 

Nights Over Egypt by Incognito (original by The Jones Girls)

As it was in antiquity, priests gather at Lalibela, Ethiopia

Axum Girl

And the dialogue continues...


  1. The woman that is behind the queen of Sheba, on the first image, seems to wear something that really looks like a Japanese kimono...

  2. she's not black she's from yemen here is her statue

    1. The ORIGINAL people of Yemen ARE Black. Many of them still live there today. Yemen is a place not a race. Black is a Universal Nation and the Foundation of all. Yemen and Ethiopia were part of her Queendom. Why do people get offended when someone great is pointed out as Black (and BEAUTIFUL)? See the work of Dr. Leakey and learn true origins. Stop displaying your envy, ignorance and other than Black Supremacy desire.

    2. If people actual do their research Ethiopia was actually a part of africa and our dark skinned people were ruling there as time whent on our dark skinned people was pushed out of Ethiopia through the breeding of european Whites. Also, if you do your research Africans also inhabited Asia so there are a lot of original dark asians if you look at their century old art and statues they are all in the form of a black person... I love that being black makes people uncomfortable see we are a strong race and when and if we ban together again WATCH OUT.. We ruled contents... nations...WE WILL RULE AGAIN

    3. Im trying to research her. My common sense says shes black but didnt know for sure.Black doesnt make me uncomfortable.Does talking about white people make you uncomfortable.Seems like. Chill out

  3. Throne of Sheba was at Axum, Ethiopia. This ancient African kingdom spread from East Africa region across the Red Sea into what is now called Yemen. The Saba (Sheba) kingdom has its origins in Africa. Today's so-called Arab "Middle East" did not exist back then. See Bloomberg article Queen of Sheba's Palace Discovered in Ethiopia, University Says:

  4. Vital information and my curiosity for the myth or the truth has set in motion ambition to continue to research QUEEN of SHEBA

    1. I have been studying her for this whole year now... Not sure how conscious you are but you should really make it a point in 2016 to research our history you would be surprised and at the same time question what should be questioned and answer some questions that you may have had deep in your mind.

  5. Song of Solomon 1:5 (in the bible)

    King James Version (KJV)
    @Ethiopianz (Twitter)


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