Ntare V of Burundi

Ntare V of Burundi (born Charles Ndizeye, 2 December 1947 — 29 April 1972) was the last king of Burundi from June to November 1966. Until his accession, he was known as Crown Prince Charles Ndizeye. He deposed his father, Mwambutsa IV in 1966. King Ntare himself was deposed in a military coup led by Michel Micombero in 1966; the King went into exile in West Germany and later Uganda.

Early life

His mother was Queen Baramparaye (1929—2007); he had one brother (Prince Louis Rwagasore, assassinated 1961 whilst Prime Minister, and two sisters; Princess Rose Paula Iribagiza (born 1934) and Princess Regina Kanyange (died 1987). Ntare V was educated at Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland.

He once made a short visit to Denmark because of his great interest in the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.

Execution

Ntare V returned to Burundi in March 1972. Soon afterwards the Hutus began an uprising against the government. Uganda’s president, Idi Amin, claimed he received a written guarantee from president Micombero that Ntare could return to Burundi and live there as a private citizen. Using the helicopter at his disposal from the Uganda chief of state, Ntare arrived where he and his ancestors had ruled as kings. Within a few hours he was put under house arrest in the former palace in Gitega. Soon after, an official radio broadcast proclaimed that Ntare was trying to instigate a mercenary invasion of Burundi to take back rule. Some ministers favored that he would be kept under restricted protection in Gitega, while others wanted him dead. The situation was unofficially resolved when Ntare was assassinated sometime between Saturday evening, April 29, and the following morning, under circumstances which are still unclear.

Whether there was a conspiracy or his death was involved with a violent outbreak in Gitega has not been determined.^[1] Radio Nationale du Burundi (RNB Broadcasting) announced that the king was shot while attempting to escape from the palace where he had been "under arrest". The king's supporters claim he was taken from the Royal Palace and executed by a firing squad before being thrown into a common grave. Mwami N’tare V was 24 years old. Meanwhile, the Hutu uprising was quelled by Micombero's forces. About 150,000 people, mostly Hutus, died in the ensuing inter-tribal fighting.

Family

He married Marie Claudette daughter of a chief in 1960. They have two daughters together Princess Jacqueline Ndizeye (born 1965), and Princess Noelle Ndizeye (born 1969). In 2012, Ntare V grandson Prince Israel Kiyogera was awarded the Mwambutsa Meritorious Service Medal. This is the highest Humanitarian award in Burundi.

External links

• http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Burundi/burundi6.htm
• http://internationale.monarchiste.com/?art=20110505_50000_bi_gb&pn=1&l=fr&l2=gb&home__

References