Jean-Bédel Bokassa was a military officer and politician who became the ruler of the Central African Republic. He initially seized power in a coup in 1966 and later declared himself Emperor of the Central African Empire in 1976, adopting the title Bokassa I. His reign was marked by extravagant displays of wealth and a brutal regime. Bokassa's government faced criticism for human rights abuses and corruption. In 1979, he was overthrown in another coup led by French forces. After his exile, he returned to the Central African Republic in 1986 but was arrested and tried for various crimes, including murder and embezzlement.