Coronation of Bokassa I and Catherine

Did You Know?

• After Bokassa's fall in 1979, some coronation items were looted; the empress took the two crowns and the imperial scepter to France.
• The bronze parts of the throne were melted down by the local population; only the metal frame remains, in the courtyard of the Ministry of Culture in Bangui.
• A faithful full-size replica of the throne was created in 2023 by French artist Rémi Le Forestier for an exhibition at the Palais Vivienne in Paris.

Background

In spring 1976, Bokassa informed French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing of his plan to proclaim the Central African Republic an empire. Bokassa argued that a monarchy would improve the country's standing in Africa and internationally. Giscard d'Estaing advised a modest, traditional African ceremony to avoid economic harm, given the country's poverty. Bokassa persisted, and France agreed to assist, motivated by its profitable mining interests in uranium and diamonds and a desire to maintain influence in the region. French anxiety grew after Bokassa approached Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who had strained relations with France and pro-French Chad. Giscard d'Estaing promised material aid in exchange for Bokassa cutting ties with Gaddafi. On 4 December 1976, at an extraordinary congress of the ruling MESAN party, Bokassa renamed the country the Central African Empire and proclaimed himself emperor. A new constitution made the monarchy hereditary, with succession through the male line unless the emperor appointed another heir. Bokassa's full title became "Emperor of Central Africa by the will of the Central African people, united within the national political party, the MESAN." Shortly after, Bokassa, who had converted to Islam during a visit by Gaddafi, reverted to Catholicism.

Preparations

Bokassa scheduled his coronation for 4 December 1977, exactly one year after the empire's proclamation, following the example of Napoleon, crowned on 2 December 1804. He regarded Napoleon as his idol. Their son Jean-Bédel Bokassa Jr. was proclaimed Crown Prince and heir apparent; he remains the head of the House of Bokassa and pretender to the throne. Other close relatives received princely titles. Several special committees were formed: one secured accommodation for 2,500 foreign guests by requisitioning apartments, houses, and hotels in Bangui; another transformed the capital's appearance, cleaning streets, painting buildings, and removing beggars and vagrants from central areas. Textile enterprises sewed hundreds of ceremonial costumes, with a dress code: white for children, dark blue for mid-level officials, and black for high-ranking officials and ministers. Bokassa invited foreign artists to Bangui to commemorate him. West German artist Hans Linus Murnau painted two large portraits—one bareheaded, one crowned—the latter used on a commemorative postage stamp. In France, the Imperial March, Imperial Waltz, and a coronation ode of 20 quatrains were composed.

Ceremony

On 4 December 1977 at 07:00 West Africa Time, Mercedes-Benz limousines carried guests to Bangui's new basketball stadium, renamed "Coronation Palace" for the occasion. The route passed repaired streets, the Jean-Bédel Bokassa Sports Palace, Bokassa Avenue, and near the Jean-Bédel Bokassa University. By 08:30, about 4,000 guests and participants were seated. The stadium was decorated with banners, tapestries, red curtains, and carpeting. Low platforms held the thrones: the Emperor's was large and red; the Empress's was a high chair of red velvet with a gold-fringed velvet canopy; to the left was a small seat for the Crown Prince. French troops guarded the stadium. Bokassa's motorcade was delayed; a 120-member French Navy orchestra played Chevaliers de la table ronde to distract guests. The stadium's air conditioning failed, and temperatures exceeded 35°C, causing discomfort for those in suits and evening dresses. The imperial motorcade arrived around 10:10. Along the route, unable to bear the heat in a closed carriage, Bokassa and Catherine moved to an air-conditioned Mercedes, then returned to the carriage a few hundred meters before the stadium.

Assessment

The coronation provoked mixed global reactions, with mainly negative comments in Africa. Kenya's Daily Nation referred to Bokassa's "clowning glory," and the Zambia Daily Mail deplored his "obnoxious excesses." European reaction was generally dismissive; French journalists likened the event to a masquerade, ridiculing Bokassa's wastefulness and vanity. French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was more optimistic, calling the ceremony "beautiful" and emphasizing its "certain dignity." He compared Empress Catherine to Napoleon's wife Joséphine, calling both "incarnations of modesty and charm." Although the coronation severely damaged the state budget, Bokassa was not alone in staging lavish events: in 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran spent about US$100 million on the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire, far exceeding Bokassa's expenditure.