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]]