Toussaint louverture brief biography of william

In Januaryhis armies invaded Santo Domingo and took control with little effort. He instituted French law, abolished slavery, and set out to modernize the country. These men were hand-picked for their experience in the campaigns in Europe and would be a formidable force against Toussaint. This paved the way for western expansion throughout the 19th century.

Though Toussaint was able to put up strong resistance for several months, eventually his coalition fell apart. Most Europeans and mulattos living on the island sided with the French. By June,the end was near. Under the pretense of discussing peace, French General Jean-Baptiste Brunet sent a letter to Toussaint inviting him to his quarters. Under intense interrogation, he died of pneumonia and starvation on April 7, Soon after, Jean-Jacques Dessalines switched sides again and commanded rebel forces against the French.

InDessalines proclaimed independence and declared himself emperor. Hispaniola became the first black independent republic in the world. The Biography. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists.

Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. Marcus Garvey. The 13 Most Memorable Inauguration Performances. Officially as ruler of Saint-Domingue, he discouraged its practice and eventually persecuted its followers. Historians have suggested that he was a member of high degree of the Masonic Lodge of Saint-Domingue, mostly based on a Masonic symbol he used in his signature.

The memberships of several free blacks and toussaint louverture brief biography of william men close to him have been confirmed. In his absence, Jean-Jacques Dessalines led the Haitian rebellion until its completion, finally defeating the French forces in ; this officially ended the only slave rebellion in world history which successfully established an independent nation.

John Brown claimed influence by Louverture in his plans to invade Harpers Ferry. During the 19th century, African Americans referred to Louverture as an example of how to reach freedom. He was the epitome of the charismatic military leader: a model of sobriety; he slept only a few hours every night, drank no alcohol, and his capacity for physical endurance was greater than even the hardiest of men.

The youngest child of Toussaint and Suzanne, Saint-Jean Toussaint, was affected by the death of his father, and died in in Agen. His wife, Suzanne, underwent torture from French soldiers until Toussaint's death, and was deported to Jamaica, where she died on May 19,in the arms of their surviving sons, Placide and Isaac. Both surviving brothers returned to France.

Of the three, only Rose lived to adulthood. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata item. Haitian general and revolutionary — This article is about the Haitian Revolution leader. For other uses, see Toussaint Louverture disambiguation.

For other uses, see Ouverture disambiguation and Overture disambiguation. Posthumous painting of Louverture. Early life [ edit ]. Birth, parentage, and childhood [ edit ]. First marriage and manumission [ edit ]. Second marriage [ edit ]. Education [ edit ]. Haitian Revolution [ edit ]. Main article: Haitian Revolution. Beginnings of a rebellion: — [ edit ].

Alliance with the Spanish: — [ edit ]. Alliance with the French: — [ edit ]. Third Commission: — [ edit ]. Treaties with Britain and the United States: [ edit ]. Expansion of territory: — [ edit ]. Further information: War of Knives. Constitution of [ edit ]. Leclerc's campaign: — [ edit ]. Arrest, imprisonment, and death: — [ edit ]. Views and stances [ edit ].

Religion and spirituality [ edit ]. Legacy [ edit ]. Family [ edit ]. Literature [ edit ]. See also [ edit ]. Notes and references [ edit ]. Notes [ edit ]. Jameswriting in References and citations [ edit ]. Retrieved 24 December Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Pearson, Napoleon's Overseas Army 3rd ed. ISBN ISSN S2CID Archived PDF from the original on 15 August Retrieved 15 August Duke University Press.

McKay; Bennett D. Wiesner-Hanks; Joe Perry Zest Books. The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December Toussaint Louverture: A Revolutionary Life.

Toussaint louverture brief biography of william

Basic Books. A Concise History of the Haitian Revolution. Citizen Toussaint. Greenwood Press. Boston: James Redpath. Paris: Ed. Revue d'histoire. Negro History Bulletin. JSTOR Callahan University of Missouri Press. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. The Americas in the Age of Revolution: — New Haven: Yale University Press. Bloomington: Indiana University Press,pp.

London: Pluto Press,p. Freedom's Mirrorp. Port-au-PrinceL Dalencour,pp. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press,pp. James, Black Jacobins London: Penguin,p. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan,p. Jewish History. Retrieved 30 June Retrieved 10 August July He wrote in simple language and attempted to translate complicated foreign affairs—such as the Haitian struggle for independence—into terms that every reader could understand.

Beard's biography of L'Ouverture was first published in London on the fiftieth anniversary of L'Ouverture's death. Ten years later, inBoston publishers reissued Beard's biography under the title Toussaint L'Ouverture: A Biography and Autobiographyreplacing a brief history of Haiti's fight for independence after L'Ouverture's exile with the first English translation of a thirty-five page autobiography written by L'Ouverture, along with toussaint louverture brief biography of william documents, including a copy of L'Ouverture's autopsy certificate and tributes written by public figures such as Haiti's King Henri Cristophe, English poet William Wordsworth and abolitionist Wendell Philips.

L'Ouverture writes his autobiography while imprisoned at Joux in order "to render to the French Government an exact account of my conduct" and to acquit himself of treason in the conflict between his Hatian forces and those of French general Charles Leclerc p. L'Ouverture explains that he had been charged "to prevent the enemies of the Republic from penetrating into the island" and so ordered "all the commanders of the sea-ports not to permit any ships of war to enter into the roadstead, except they were known and had obtained permission from me" p.

When Leclerc's forces arrive, commanders of the ports naturally refuse him admission until they can confer with L'Ouverture, but Leclerc grows impatient and attacks the harbor. Toussaint also encouraged the return of white planters. Some say this was because he believed in a multi-racial future for Saint-Domingue in which he saw a role for European expertise; others regard it as disguised hostage taking, as many planters were not given their estates back.

While acting the role of loyal servant of France, Toussaint conducted his own foreign policy, signing in a nonaggression treaty with Britain and the United Stateswhich were then at war with France. In July he angered the new head of state, Napoleon Bonaparte, when he promulgated his own constitution, which made him dictator for life.

While maintaining the system of remunerated serfdom for former slaves, the document blended the egalitarianism of the French Revolution with some culturally conservative features reflecting Toussaint's piety. In politics, it anticipated Bonaparte's own military authoritarianism. Above all, it allowed France no effective role in the colony. Toussaint stopped short of declaring independence, perhaps because the provocation might have caused Britain and the United States to cut off the commerce on which his army depended.

Or perhaps he was more interested in the substance of statehood than in its symbolism. Bonaparte wanted to restore France's authority and then reintroduce racial discrimination and slavery. He sent a large military expedition that reached Saint Domingue in February Caught unawares and uncertain of Napoleon's intentions, Toussaint resisted but failed to rally his followers under the banner of independence.

Defeated in a three-month campaign, he surrendered and was deported to France. He died in prison in April but left behind others who finally expelled the French and founded the state of Haiti. He was popular with France's enemies because he stood up to Bonaparte, and he was celebrated by abolitionists and radicals as a symbol of black accomplishment and antislavery.

Generally vilified as sanguinary and duplicitous by French writers, he was an inspiration to enslaved and free blacks around the Caribbean. Some slave owners in the U. South praised him for his respectful attitude toward whites and for imposing forced labor on the former slaves. Modern biographers have variously depicted him as a revolutionary idealist, a black nationalist, or the first of many postcolonial dictators.

Bell, Madison Smartt. Toussaint Louverture: A Biography. New York : Pantheon, Geggus, David. William Weisberger.