The Central African Empire (French: Empire Centrafricain) was the name of the short-lived, self-declared 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 dollars, a quarter of the country's government 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 Western backed coup.
Throughout the Empire's history the national flag remained unaltered, although there was an imperial flag for Bokassa's personal use. Many people in the Central African Republic see the Emperor's flag as a symbol of his brutality and his undeserved pride.
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 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.citation needed
Imperial currency
The currency of the Empire was almost the same as that of the previous state, replacing the text "Republique Centrafricaine," with "Empire Centrafricain".
See also
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