Catherine Denguiadé

Catherine Martine Denguiadé became Catherine Bokassa (born August 7, 1949) was a Central African Republic (CAR) Empress Consort.

Catherine Martine Denguiadé
BornAugust 7, 1949
Sarh
NationalityCentral African Republic
Known forbeing Empress Consort of the Central African Empire
Spouse(s)Jean-Bédel Bokassa
ChildrenJean-Bédel Bokassa Jr.

Life

Denguiadé was born in Sarh in Chad. Her father was from the CAR but her mother was from Chad and that was where she began her education. Her secondary education was in Bangui.

She married when she was fourteen. She was kidnapped by Bokassa to become his third wife. He would later marry fourteen other women.[1]

She was involved in some way in 1977 when her husband's fall from power began. He issued a decree to say that every child attending school in his empire should wear a school uniform. It then appeared that Denguiadé owned the company that made the uniforms.[2] In December 1977 her husband decreed himself Emperor of Central Africa and the Central African Republic became the Central African Empire. He chose to crown Catherine as Empress Consort and she was in an outfit by French fashion house Lanvin (company). Many of the extravagant items required for the coronation were imported from France. The French President sent eight horses from Normandy to pull their coach. In the event two of the horses died and the couple had to use a car.[1] Her four year old son Jean-Bédel Bokassa Jr. attended the ceremony as the heir apparent. He was named crown prince (prince héritier de Centrafrique). Her son had elder brothers and half-brothers. One of her son's half brothers, Georges, was made a cabinet minister but her husband said he was not strong enough to be an heir.[3]

In 1979 she was in Geneva living in exile with her and the ex-Emperor's seven children. She was said to sell a diamond every time she was short of money.[1]

After Bokassa died she was supported by friends. In time both she and her children returned to the Central African Republic.

References
  1. Marlowe, Lara. "The Central African Republic, where Emperor Bokassa ruled with violence and greed". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  2. "The Exile Factor: Wives of Deposed Dictators". The Independent. 2011-10-23. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  3. Titley, Brian (1997) Dark Age: The Political Odyssey of Emperor Bokassa, McGill-Queen's University Press, ISBN 0-7735-1602-6, pp. 86–87
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