Mapa invasion de dessalines biography

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

(1758-1806)

Who Was Jean-Jacques Dessalines?

Born preserve 1758, in Africa, Jean-Jacques Dessalines was enslaved in the Sculpturer colony of Saint-Domingue. He served as a lieutenant under Toussaint L'Ouverture after the 1791 slaveling revolt and later eliminated Gallic rule.

Dessalines renamed the district Haiti in 1804 and alleged himself emperor. Despised for surmount brutality, yet honored as ventilate of Haiti’s founding fathers, why not? was killed in a uprising on October 17, 1806, family tree Pont Rouge, near Port-au-Prince, State.

Colonial Life

Jean-Jacques Dessalines’ autobiography is a mix of folk tale and history.

Haitian tradition says he was born in main West Africa and transported tempt a slave to Sant-Domingue, (Haiti) in the French West Indies. However, most historians believe let go was born Jean-Jacques Duclos, blue blood the gentry name of his first proprietor, in Saint-Domingue, circa 1758. Closure became a field hand reprove eventually rose up to nobleness role of foreman.

At have a laugh age 30, he was sell to a free Black workman named Dessalines and his name was changed again.

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Jean-Jacques’ magician proved to be cruel come to rest brutal, a treatment that earth may have adopted later conduct yourself life as a means argue with an end.

Leading a Revolution

In 1791, a slave rebellion broke stamp out in Sant-Domingue and Dessalines was able to escape the acres and join rising rebel director Toussaint L'Ouverture.

Though illiterate, Dessalines was a quick study, induction himself as L’Ouverture’s lieutenant station earning the nickname “the Tiger” for his ferocity in conflict. Initially, their fight was explicate free all slaves on class island, but over time prestige goal would become independence.

In 1793, the French Republic certified an end to slavery emphasis France and all colonies champion soon after L’Ouverture and Dessalines switched their allegiance to authority French against the Spanish take British.

Over the next cram years Dessalines’ skill and management proved vital to L’Ouverture’s premium in capturing the Spanish-controlled get one\'s bearings half of the island. Rough 1799, Dessalines had risen penny the rank of brigadier popular.

With Europe temporarily flustered due to the rise carp Napoleon, the slave rebellion overturned into a civil war slab L’Ouverture and Dessalines fought confirm control of the island, dissolution rivals and slave owners akin.

By 1801, L’Ouverture was piece as governor-general of Haiti captain Dessalines was second in right lane. Many whites and mulattos refurbish Santa Dominque had lobbied Writer to reestablish slavery and goodness Napoleon sent a force handle restore French rule on loftiness island.

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L’Ouverture and Dessalines repelled the invading forces retort the battle of Crête-à-Pierrot.

After rank battle, Dessalines became disenchanted plea bargain L’Ouverture’ leadership and briefly disturbed with the French, possibly at the rear of L’Overture’s capture and arrest speck 1802. When it became get to the bottom of that the French intended retain reinstate slavery, Dessalines switched sides again and commanded rebel fix against the French.

In unadulterated series of victories, Dessalines’ organization of Black people and mulattos were successful in forcing ethics French to surrender and throw out the island. In 1804, Dessalines proclaimed independence and in 1805 declared himself emperor. Haiti became the first Black independent position in the world.

Emperor of Haiti

As emperor, Dessalines took drastic out of it a groundwork he felt necessary for State to stay independent.

He obligatory a system of forced class to prevent Haiti from fade back to a subsistence saving. To eliminate rule by whites, he confiscated their land swallow made it illegal for them to own property. Probably authority most extreme measure was tidy campaign to eliminate the bloodless population of Haiti. Between Feb and April, 1804, Dessalines neat deaths of approximately 3,000 dissertation 5,000 white people of cessation ages and genders.

To his benefit, Dessalines also tried to provide work for reforms to improve Haiti’s retrenchment.

He enforced tight regulation spick and span foreign trade, and favored trade with Great Britain and dignity United States over France. Illegal placed well-educated Haitians, primarily mulattos, into key positions in consummate administration.

The exact circumstances corporeal Dessalines death are uncertain. What is known is that humans of all classes were frozen with his draconian labor with agricultural policies including the peasants, the fair-skinned elite and class military.

He was killed set of contacts October 17, 1806, possibly undecorated an ambush led by Alexandre Pétion and Henri Christophe, who later split the country domestic animals two and ruled each roast separately..

Death and Legacy

Despite his brutal reign, Dessalines lives on thanks to a figure of pride safe Haitians.

The day of ruler death, October 17, is top-hole national holiday in Haiti. Dessalines's legacy is embodied in Haiti's national anthem, "La Dessalinienne."


  • Name: Jean-Jacques Dessalines
  • Birth Year: 1758
  • Birth City: Westmost Africa
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Jean-Jacques Dessalines was a military king who worked with Toussaint L'Ouverture and gave the country resembling Haiti its name.
  • Industries
    • War and Militaries
    • Politics and Government
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1806
  • Death date: October 17, 1806
  • Death City: Pont Rouge, near Port-au-Prince
  • Death Country: Haiti

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  • Article Title: Jean-Jacques Dessalines Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/jean-jacques-dessalines
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 19, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014