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The two‑ton throne bankrupted his country and bought him an empire
A decorated soldier sat on a gilded bronze throne and declared himself Emperor of Central Africa-what did it cost him?
The two‑ton throne bankrupted his country and bought him an empire
In this episode, we follow Jean‑Bédel Bokassa from a childhood orphaned by colonial violence to a decorated soldier returned to a fragile new state, and we trace the choices and ceremonies that reshaped his life and nation. How did a single coronation and the power it symbolized transform both man and country?
Person: Jean‑Bédel Bokassa
Date: February 22, 1921 (birth); December 4, 1977 (coronation)
Location…
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