The First and Last King of Haiti

The dramatic story of a pivotal figure in the Haitian Revolution, who shook the Atlantic world to its core

“Impressively researched. . . . Everyone should know this story of revolution and of Christophe, the first and last king of Haiti.”—Simon Sebag Montefiore, Times (UK)

Finalist for the Cundill History Prize, 2025

Born to an enslaved mother in Grenada, Henry Christophe first fought to overthrow the British in North America, before joining the Black freedom fighters of Saint-Domingue in their quest to gain independence from France. But, at one point, Christophe turned his back on the revolutionaries to side with Napoleon's forces—only to later fight against them, afterward becoming Haiti's first and only king.
 
In this remarkable account, Marlene L. Daut shows how Christophe became by turns revolutionary, traitor and monarch. Why did he turn his back on Toussaint Louverture? Was Christophe involved in the assassination of Haiti’s first ruler, Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines? And how did Christophe ultimately become king?
 
The First and Last King of Haiti is the ultimate story of power and ambition in the age of revolutions—and shows how one extraordinary life shaped the course of nations.