Louverture's lieutenant who led the Indigenous Army to victory, proclaimed Haitian independence in 1804 and reigned as Emperor Jacques I
Born a slave in 1758 on the Cormier plantation in the north of Saint-Domingue, he rose to foreman and took the surname of the free man of colour who bought him. He joined the rising of 1791 as a lieutenant of Jean-François and from 1794 was Toussaint Louverture's chief lieutenant, brigadier general by 1799. In 1802 he held Crête-à-Pierrot with 1,300 men through a twenty-day siege, submitted to Leclerc, and when the French moved to restore slavery rose again with Pétion in October, becoming leader of the rebels. He defeated Rochambeau at Vertières in November 1803 and on 1 January 1804 at Gonaïves proclaimed independence. He ordered the massacre of the remaining French, 3,000 to 5,000 people, was crowned Emperor Jacques I in October 1804, enforced plantation labour and was assassinated at Pont-Rouge on 17 October 1806.
Also known as: Jean-Jacques Duclos · Jacques I · Jan-Jak Desalin
Activities and affiliations
- 1802–1803 Military command
- 1804–1806 Monarchs and royalty
- 1794–1802 Military command · French First Republic state institutions
Career Timeline
- 1791Lieutenant in Jean-François's rebel army
- 1794–1802Toussaint Louverture's lieutenant, brigadier general from 1799
- 1803General-in-chief of the Indigenous Army
- 1804Governor-general for life of Haiti
- 1804–1806Emperor Jacques I of Haiti