20 Facts About Henri Christophe

On 26 March 1811, Henri Christophe created a kingdom in the north and was later proclaimed Henry I, King of Haiti.

Henri Christophe created a nobility and named his legitimate son Jacques-Victor Henry as prince and heir.

Henri Christophe is known for constructing Citadel Henry, now known as Citadelle Laferriere, the Sans-Souci Palace, the royal chapel of Milot, the Palais de la Belle Riviere and numerous other palaces.

Henri Christophe reached an agreement with the United Kingdom to respect its Caribbean colonies in exchange for their warnings to his government of any French naval activity threatening Haiti.

Henri Christophe was said to have gained his freedom from slavery as a young man, before the slave uprising of 1791.

Henri Christophe fought for years with Toussaint Louverture in the north, participating in numerous battles during the revolution, and eventually rising to the rank of commander-in-chief at Cap-Francais.

Henri Christophe was in charge of the northern section of the country, where he notably supervised the first steps of the construction of Citadelle Laferriere.

Henri Christophe ordered his troops to seize all black children of both genders below the age of 14 years to be sold into slavery.

On 6 April 1805, having gathered all his troops, Henri Christophe took all male prisoners to the local cemetery and proceeded to slit their throats, among them Presbyter Vasquez and 20 other priests.

Henri Christophe suspected he was at risk of assassination in the south.

In 1811, Henri Christophe declared the northern state of Haiti a kingdom and had himself crowned by Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Brelle, the archbishop of Milot.

Henri Christophe renamed Cap-Francais as Cap-Henry.

Henri Christophe named his legitimate son Jacques-Victor Henry heir apparent, giving him the title of Prince Royal of Haiti.

Henri Christophe's second son was a colonel in his army.

Henri Christophe built six chateaux, eight palaces and the massive Citadelle Laferriere, on a mountain near Milot.

Henri Christophe had to choose whether to enforce a version of the slave plantation system to increase agricultural production, or to subdivide the land into parcels for peasants' subsistence farming.

Henri Christophe made an agreement with Britain that Haiti would not threaten its Caribbean colonies; in return, the Royal Navy would warn Haiti of imminent attacks from French troops.

Henri Christophe founded a College of Arms to provide armorial bearings for the newly ennobled.

Henri Christophe's realm was constantly challenged by Petion's government of the south, in which gens de couleur held power.

Henri Christophe's descendants continued to be among the powerful of Haiti.