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Who is Henri Christophe?

Who is Henri Christophe?

He was Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government from October 17, 1806 to February 17, 1807. He became Governor-General for Life of Saint-Domingue from July 7, 1801 to May 6,1802.

Born on the island of Grenada, Henri Christopher was a slave, a cabin boy in British territory that was sold to French ships, and finally a king.

In March 1811, Henri became the official crowned King of Haiti to rule the Northern area. He was a good administrator who created an atmosphere of work, discipline and introduced a system of education in his empire. In his kingdom, he took a series of good administrative measures and put nobility in an order. He had 14 knights, 39 barons, and 22 counts, 4 princes, and seven dukes. He built the Citadel Laférrière, to prevent any comeback of the French. He propagated the idea of exodus for the U.S slaves and blacks to settle in Haiti which was further carried on by his successor Jean-Pierre Boyer and Emperor Faustin Soulouque and Fabre Nicolas Geffrard. He is credited with the creation of the magnificent royal residence San Souci (where he died), established an aristocracy, and created a court which was as elegant and lavish to the contemporary European courts.

In August 1820, he was physically paralyzed by a stroke, could not face a military rebellion that sparked on October 2, 1820, and committed suicide within a few days. The facts of Christophe's early life are questionable and confused; there is a confusion over his exact year of birth between 1757 and 1767.

Read more about Henri Christophe, provisional president, Provisional government, History

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