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| Country | Central African Empire |
| Founded | Extant |
| Founder | Bokassa I |
| Current head | Crown Prince Jean-Bédel Bokassa |
| Final ruler | Bokassa I |
| Titles | Emperor of Central Africa |
| Deposition | 21 September 1979 |
The House of Bokassa is an African noble and imperial house. Its founder ruled as Emperor over the territories of the Central African Empire from 4 December 1976 and until he was overthrown on 21 September 1979.
Establishment and ruling history
The House of Bokassa was created in 1976, when Jean-Bédel Bokassa, formerly authoritarian President of the Central African Republic, changed the name of the state and transformed it into a monarchy. Jean-Bédel Bokassa II was declared Crown Prince and heir to the imperial throne. The Emperor's sixth wife—he had a harem of nineteen, also after converting to Roman Catholicism—Catherine Denguiadé became Her Imperial Majesty The Empress of Central Africa.
The ruling house was deposed along with Emperor Bokassa I when he was succeeded as head of state by David Dacko in 1976. Bokassa continued to consider himself the head of state in exile. Jean-Bédel Bokassa II is the current pretender to the Imperial Throne of Central Africa and the current head of the Imperial Family.
The Emperor was sentenced to death for murder in absentia. He later served a jail sentence in his home country, was pardoned and died of natural causes in 1996.
Neither the US nor any European country acknowledged or supported the newly founded monarchy, with the exception of France whose President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing held close ties to Bokassa. By 1979, France had withdrawn its support as well. Pope Paul VI refused to take part in the coronation ceremony.
Ancestry
The remotest known ancestor of the Imperial House was Dobogon Gbo Hosegoton Bokassa, a person possibly living in the 17th century. The Emperor Bokassa himself was the son of Mindogon Mbougdoulou, a tribal nobleman who reigned over their birthplace and who was married to Marie Yokowo. Further distant relatives most probably exist from the side of Bokassa's uncles, the other sons of his grandfather Mbalanga, who, excluding his father, totaled a grand number of 31.
Descent
Bokassa I had 40 children by his 19 wives. Among these are:
- Georges Bokassa, 24 December 1949. Among others, he is the father of Romuald Bokassa and Estelle-Marguerite Bokassa.
- Martine Bokassa, born 2 February 1953. She herself is the mother of six children, amongst which are Jean-Barthélémy Dédéavode-Bokassa and Marie Catherine Yokowo Dédéavode-Bokassa
- Jean Charles Bokassa
- Saint Cyr Bokassa
- Saint Sylvestre Bokassa
- Jean Le Grand Bokassa
- Charlemagne Bokassa
- Jean-Serge Bokassa
- Jean-Bédel Bokassa II, the Heir Apparent
- Jean Bédel Bokassa Jr., born 1985, last recorded child of Emperor Bokassa
Bokassa also adopted several children, three of which were Africans. One of these, however, was born in Vietnam as Martine Nguyễn Thị Bái and became Martine Bokassa upon her adoption.
Other relatives bearing imperial titles
- Catherine Bagalama, sister of Bokassa I
- Constantin Mbalanga, cousin of Bokassa I
- Elisabeth Kpomanzia, aunt of Bokassa I
References
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7803421.stm BBC: "Good old days under Bokassa?"