Who is l ouverture

How did Toussaint L'ouverture born into bondage in the French colony of Saint-Domingue present-day Haiti and enslaved for more than half his life, come to lead the most successful slave revolt in history—and help precipitate the downfall of European colonialism in the western hemisphere?

Saint-Domingue in the late 18 th century thrived as the wealthiest colony in the Americas. Its sugar, coffee, indigo and cotton plantations minted money, fueled by a vast enslaved labor force. A French colony since , it occupied the western third of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, while the Spanish had colonized the eastern side, called Santo Domingo now the Dominican Republic. As the island's enslaved workers organized to burn plantations and kill many owners, Toussaint initially laid low.

Eventually, wielding knowledge of African and Creole medicinal techniques, he entered the war as a physician. But he quickly distinguished himself as a canny tactician and a strategic, charismatic leader. As a general, Toussaint led his forces to victory over the planter class—and thousands of invading French troops. But that was only the start. He conquered the Spanish side of Hispaniola, uniting the island and establishing himself as governor.

Toussaint Louverture ca. Louverture was likely well-educated throughout his youth, as his letters demonstrated knowledge of both French and Creole and a familiarity with Greek, Italian, and French philosophers.

In , at the age of 33, Louverture was freed and the following year, he married Suzanne Simone Baptiste. The spark of the French Revolution in inspired free people or color in Saint-Domingue to seek addition rights under the law.

After joining the Spanish-allied military forces of Georges Biassou, he took on a leadership role in the rebellion, discussing strategy and negotiating supplies with the Spanish. Having temporarily secured peace with the European powers, Toussaint turned to the domestic unrest still festering on the island.

Prior to , the mulatto population, who were not enslaved, had owned slaves themselves. Many wanted them back.

In , Toussaint was able to defeat the mulatto army with the help of Dessalines. Toussaint was now the de facto ruler of the entire island of Hispaniola. He introduced a constitution, which reiterated the abolition of slavery and declared himself Governor-General for Life, with nearly absolute powers.

Hoping to bring some stability back to Hispaniola, he set out to reestablish agriculture and improve the economic conditions. Toussaint established trade agreements with the British and the Americans, who supplied his forces with arms and goods in exchange for sugar and the promise not to invade Jamaica or the American South. Defying French Revolutionary laws, he allowed plantation owners, who had fled during the rebellion, to return.

In , Napoleon Bonaparte gained control of France, amidst the chaos of the French Revolutionary government. He issued a new constitution that declared all French colonies would be ruled under special laws. Toussaint and others suspected this would mean the return of slavery. He was careful not to declare full independence and professed himself a Frenchman to convince Napoleon of his loyalty. Napoleon also forbade Toussaint from invading Santo Domingo, the eastern half of the island, where he had French authorities, trying to restore order after the Spanish departure.

The temptation to have complete control over the entire island was too tempting for Toussaint. In January , his 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. It was completed in May and Louverture signed it in July He then sent it to Napoleon. Louverture claimed to have been in Santo Domingo, on the eastern side of the island, which had been ceded to France by Spain in , when Leclerc arrived off the coast of Le Cap in late January with between 20, and 40, French troops.

General Henri Christophe, commander over the city, took it upon himself to deny entry to the French.

Leclerc responded with a combination of disbelief and fury. And even upon these ashes, I will fight you. Louverture would pay dearly for this opposition to Leclerc, both personally and politically. In the midst of such violence and destruction, I must not forget that I am carrying a sword As such, if, as you have said, General Leclerc sincerely desires peace, let him stop the advance of his troops.

Things would unravel in a surprising way for Louverture. In April Christophe held a private meeting with Leclerc that Isaac Louverture would later say had devastated his father.

Christophe subsequently negotiated his surrender on the condition that he be permitted to preserve his rank as general in the French army. His defection was decisive. It was almost immediately followed by that of General Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the founder and future emperor of independent Haiti. By May he had officially retired from the French army and had gone home to his family in Ennery. French newspapers, as well as the letters of Leclerc, constantly referred to secret missives supposedly exchanged between Louverture and Generals Belair, Dommage and Fontaine, who were commanders over regions of the colony still in open rebellion.

In September, about a month after he had arrived at the Fort de Joux, Cafarelli arrived and questioned Louverture about the existence of government funds Leclerc said he had stolen. Other French officials at the prison described further tactics designed to humiliate, disorient and torture Louverture. The autopsy also recorded that both his lungs were filled with blood.