Central African Empire 176318 222916176 2008-07-01T18:54:36Z Mkpumphrey 3443016 /* Imperial currency */ {{Infobox Former Country |native_name = Empire Centrafricain |conventional_long_name = Central African Empire |common_name = Central African Empire |continent = Africa |region = Central Africa |country = Central African Republic |government_type = Monarchy | |event_start = |year_start = 1976 |date_start = December 4 |event_end = |year_end = 1979 |date_end = September 20 |p1 = Central African Republic |flag_p1 = Flag of the Central African Republic.svg |s1 = Central African Republic |flag_s1 = Flag of the Central African Republic.svg |image_flag = Flag of the Central African Republic.svg |flag = Flag of the Central African Republic |image_coat = |image_map = LocationCentralAfricanEmpire.png |image_map_caption = Location of the Central African Empire | |capital = Bangui |national_motto = |national_anthem = |common_languages = [[French language|French]] |religion = [[Protestantism|Protestant]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]], [[Sunni Islam]] |currency = [[Central African CFA franc|Franc]] | |leader1 = [[Bokassa I of Central Africa|Bokassa I]] |year_leader1 = 1976-1979 |title_leader = [[Heads of state of the Central African Republic and Central African Empire|Emperor]] |deputy1 = Ange-Félix Patassé |year_deputy1 = 1976-1978 |deputy2 = Henri Maïdou |year_deputy2 = 1978-1979 |title_deputy = [[Heads of state of the Central African Republic and Central African Empire|Prime minister]] |footnotes = }} The '''Central African Empire''' ({{lang-fr|Empire Centrafricain}}) was the name of the short-lived, self-declared [[autocracy|autocratic]] [[monarchy]] that replaced the [[Central African Republic]] and was, in turn, replaced by the restoration of the republic. The Empire was formed when [[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]], President of the republic, declared himself Emperor Bokassa I on [[December 4]], [[1976]]. Bokassa spent the equivalent of over 20 million [[United States dollar]]s, a quarter of the country's annual income, on his [[coronation]] ceremony. The monarchy was abolished and the name "Central African Republic" was restored in [[September 20]], [[1979]] when Bokassa was ousted in a [[France|French]]-backed [[coup d'état]]. Throughout the Empire's history the [[Flag of the Central African Republic|national flag]] remained unaltered, although there was an imperial flag for Bokassa's personal use. ==Postage stamps== The national postage stamps of the Empire, except the ones with Bokassa on them, had nothing to do with Central Africa, or Africa at all, instead presenting writers (such as [[Luigi Pirandello]], [[Jules Verne]] and [[Ernest Hemingway]]), mathematicians (such as [[Albert Einstein]]), and even [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]], Holy Roman Emperor from 1508-1519. Moreover, it was asserted that many of these stamps were not truly needed for internal or international postage, and were mainly issued for sale to collectors and generating foreign currency income. {{Fact|date=June 2008}} <gallery> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Imperial stamp.jpg|The Stamp issued in honor of Bokassa's coronation, 1977 --> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Imperial stamp 2.jpg|[[Ernest Hemingway]], 1977 --> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Imperial Stamp 3.jpg|[[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]], 1978 --> </gallery> <gallery> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Pirandelo stamp).jpg|[[Luigi Pirandello]], 1977 --> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Einstein stamp.jpg|[[Albert Einstein]], 1979 --> Image:Jules Verne stamp.jpg|[[Jules Verne]], 1979 </gallery> ==Imperial currency== <gallery> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Imperial coinage 100 franks.jpg|The only Imperial coin, equivalent to 100 Francs --> </gallery> The currency of the Empire was almost the same as that of the previous state<!--. All the banknotes bore his picture, and on on the bottom,-->, replacing the text "Republique Centrafricaine," with "Empire Centrafricain". ==See also== * [[Saint-Sylvestre coup d’état]] ==External links== *[http://daria.no/skole/doc/html/1784.doc-filer/image005.jpg The Imperial Palace] *[http://jv.gilead.org.il/stamps/afric79.html Jules Verne Stamp] *[http://readliterature.com/stamps/P/images/Pirandello1977CF.jpg Luigi Pirandello stamp] *[http://www.linns.com/howto/refresher/africa_20050620/rc5_0620_big.jpg Imperial stamp example] *[http://www.notafilia.com/colecciones/images/billetes/central%20african%20rep/caf005_f.jpg Imperial currency example] *[http://www.flag.de/FOTW/images/c/cf_empir.gif Imperial flag] *[http://www.everyculture.com/images/ctc_01_img0224.jpg Men in traditional robes celebrating Bokassa's coronation] [[Category:History of the Central African Republic]] {{Africa-hist-stub}} {{CentralAfricanRepublic-stub}} [[de:Zentralafrikanisches Kaiserreich]] [[es:Imperio Centroafricano]] [[ko:중앙아프리카 제국]] [[lt:Centrinės Afrikos Imperija]] [[nl:Centraal-Afrikaans Keizerrijk]] [[ja:中央アフリカ帝国]] [[pl:Cesarstwo Środkowoafrykańskie]] [[zh:中非帝國]]