The "Pirate of the Republic" crosses the River Styx

Bob Denard

Abstract

On October 13, 2007, Colonel Pierre-Robert “Bob” Denard, one of the most famous white mercenaries in modern African history, died at the age of 78. During the era of decolonization, he and a handful of armed men conspired in many countries, mostly by illegal means, to maintain the direct influence of Paris. Denard’s adventurous life, sometimes behind the scenes and sometimes in the headlines, took him to Congo, Angola, Benin, Nigeria, and the Comoros, among others, and his appearances mostly led to coups, armed clashes, and violent overthrows of governments.