House House of Bokkasa Mother Catherine Denguiade Name Jean-Bedel Crown | Father Jean-Bedel Bokassa Religion Catholic Church | |
Reign 4 December 1976 – 21 September 1979 Reign 3 November 1996 – present Born 2 November 1973 (age 50) ( 1973-11-02 ) | ||
Jean-Bédel Bokassa, Jr, or Jean-Bédel Bokassa II (born 2 November 1973) is a son of Jean-Bédel Bokassa, head of state of the Central African Republic and its successor state, the Central African Empire, by his sixth wife Catherine Denguiadé, who became Empress on Bokassa's assumption of the throne. Following his father's decision to become "Emperor", Jean-Bédel was named, at the age of 4, as heir apparent with the title of Crown Prince (prince héritier de Centrafrique). He was chosen despite having several older brothers and half-brothers. Bokassa I's eldest son by another wife, Georges, was a cabinet minister but Bokassa considered him weak.
Jean-Bédel was included in Bokassa I's lavish coronation of 4 December 1977, which Pope Paul VI refused to attend.