Jean-Bédel Bokassa: Difference between revisions
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The "friendly and fraternal" cooperation with France—according to Bokassa's own terms—reached its peak with the imperial coronation ceremony of Bokassa I on 4 December 1977. The French Defence Minister sent a battalion to secure the ceremony; he also lent 17 aircraft to the new Central African Empire's government, and even assigned French Navy personnel to support the orchestra. The coronation ceremony lasted for two days and cost 10 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GBP GBP], more than the annual budget of the Central African Republic. The ceremony was organized by French artist Jean-Pierre Dupont. Parisian jeweller Claude Bertrand made his crown, which included diamonds. Bokassa sat on a two-ton throne modeled in the shape of a large eagle made from solid gold. | The "friendly and fraternal" cooperation with France—according to Bokassa's own terms—reached its peak with the imperial coronation ceremony of Bokassa I on 4 December 1977. The French Defence Minister sent a battalion to secure the ceremony; he also lent 17 aircraft to the new Central African Empire's government, and even assigned French Navy personnel to support the orchestra. The coronation ceremony lasted for two days and cost 10 million [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GBP GBP], more than the annual budget of the Central African Republic. The ceremony was organized by French artist Jean-Pierre Dupont. Parisian jeweller Claude Bertrand made his crown, which included diamonds. Bokassa sat on a two-ton throne modeled in the shape of a large eagle made from solid gold. | ||
On 10 October 1979, the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_Encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9 Canard Enchaîné]'' satirical newspaper reported that President Bokassa had offered the then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Finance Minister of Finance] Valéry Giscard d'Estaing two diamonds in 1973. This soon became a major political scandal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Affair Diamonds Affair], which contributed significantly to Giscard d'Estaing's losing his reelection bid. The Franco-Central African relationship drastically changed when France's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignements_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9raux Renseignements Généraux] intelligence service learned of Bokassa's willingness to become a partner of [http://real-life-villains.wikia.com/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafi Muammar Gaddafi]<span style="font-size:24px;line-height:18.99147605895996px;"> </span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">of | On 10 October 1979, the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_Encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9 Canard Enchaîné]'' satirical newspaper reported that President Bokassa had offered the then [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Finance Minister of Finance] Valéry Giscard d'Estaing two diamonds in 1973. This soon became a major political scandal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamonds_Affair Diamonds Affair], which contributed significantly to Giscard d'Estaing's losing his reelection bid. The Franco-Central African relationship drastically changed when France's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignements_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9raux Renseignements Généraux] intelligence service learned of Bokassa's willingness to become a partner of [http://real-life-villains.wikia.com/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafi Muammar Gaddafi]<span style="font-size:24px;line-height:18.99147605895996px;"> </span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">of Libya</span><span style="font-size:13px;line-height:21px;">.</span> | ||
After a meeting with Gaddafi in September 1976, Bokassa converted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam Islam] and changed his name to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa, but in December 1976 he converted back to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism Catholicism]. It is presumed that his conversion to Islam was a ploy calculated to ensure ongoing Libyan financial aid. When no funds promised by Gaddafi were forthcoming, Bokassa abandoned his new faith—which was also incompatible with his plans to be crowned emperor in the Catholic cathedral in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. | After a meeting with Gaddafi in September 1976, Bokassa converted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam Islam] and changed his name to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa, but in December 1976 he converted back to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism Catholicism]. It is presumed that his conversion to Islam was a ploy calculated to ensure ongoing Libyan financial aid. When no funds promised by Gaddafi were forthcoming, Bokassa abandoned his new faith—which was also incompatible with his plans to be crowned emperor in the Catholic cathedral in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. | ||