Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture
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- Author：Sudhir Hazareesingh
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Summary
The definitive modern biography of the great slave leader， military genius and revolutionary hero Toussaint Louverture
The Haitian Revolution began in the French Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue with a slave revolt in August 1791， and culminated a dozen years later in the proclamation of the world's first independent black state。 After the abolition of slavery in 1793， Toussaint Louverture， himself a former slave， became the leader of the colony's black population， the commander of its republican army and eventually its governor。 During the course of his extraordinary life he confronted some of the dominant forces of his age - slavery， settler colonialism， imperialism and racial hierarchy。 Treacherously seized by Napoleon's invading army in 1802， this charismatic figure ended his days， in Wordsworth's phrase， 'the most unhappy man of men'， imprisoned in a fortress in France。
Black Spartacus draws on a wealth of archival material， much of it overlooked by previous biographers， to follow every step of Louverture's singular journey， from his triumphs against French， Spanish and British troops to his skilful regional diplomacy， his Machiavellian dealings with successive French colonial administrators and his bold promulgation of an autonomous Constitution。 Sudhir Hazareesingh shows that Louverture developed his unique vision and leadership not solely in response to imported Enlightenment ideals and revolutionary events in Europe and the Americas， but through a hybrid heritage of fraternal slave organisations， Caribbean mysticism and African political traditions。 Above all， Hazareesingh retrieves Louverture's rousing voice and force of personality， making this the most engaging， as well as the most complete， biography to date。
After his death in the French fortress， Louverture became a figure of legend， a beacon for slaves across the Atlantic and for generations of European republicans and progressive figures in the Americas。 He inspired the anti-slavery campaigner Frederick Douglass， the most eminent nineteenth-century African-American; his emancipatory struggle was hailed by those who defied imperial and colonial rule well into the twentieth。 In the modern era， his life informed the French poet Aimé Césaire's seminal idea of négritude and has been celebrated in a remarkable range of plays， songs， novels and statues。 Here， in all its drama， is the epic story of the world's first black superhero。
The Haitian Revolution began in the French Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue with a slave revolt in August 1791， and culminated a dozen years later in the proclamation of the world's first independent black state。 After the abolition of slavery in 1793， Toussaint Louverture， himself a former slave， became the leader of the colony's black population， the commander of its republican army and eventually its governor。 During the course of his extraordinary life he confronted some of the dominant forces of his age - slavery， settler colonialism， imperialism and racial hierarchy。 Treacherously seized by Napoleon's invading army in 1802， this charismatic figure ended his days， in Wordsworth's phrase， 'the most unhappy man of men'， imprisoned in a fortress in France。
Black Spartacus draws on a wealth of archival material， much of it overlooked by previous biographers， to follow every step of Louverture's singular journey， from his triumphs against French， Spanish and British troops to his skilful regional diplomacy， his Machiavellian dealings with successive French colonial administrators and his bold promulgation of an autonomous Constitution。 Sudhir Hazareesingh shows that Louverture developed his unique vision and leadership not solely in response to imported Enlightenment ideals and revolutionary events in Europe and the Americas， but through a hybrid heritage of fraternal slave organisations， Caribbean mysticism and African political traditions。 Above all， Hazareesingh retrieves Louverture's rousing voice and force of personality， making this the most engaging， as well as the most complete， biography to date。
After his death in the French fortress， Louverture became a figure of legend， a beacon for slaves across the Atlantic and for generations of European republicans and progressive figures in the Americas。 He inspired the anti-slavery campaigner Frederick Douglass， the most eminent nineteenth-century African-American; his emancipatory struggle was hailed by those who defied imperial and colonial rule well into the twentieth。 In the modern era， his life informed the French poet Aimé Césaire's seminal idea of négritude and has been celebrated in a remarkable range of plays， songs， novels and statues。 Here， in all its drama， is the epic story of the world's first black superhero。
Reviews
Margery Osborne
，
interesting。 i had read The Black Jacobins which， to tell the truth， i preferred。 i think i preferred its focus and the marxist analysis。
Becky
，
A fascinating history of a genuinely great man and a shameful piece of colonial history。
Brett Warnke
，
This is the best biography I've read in years。 Hazareesingh has expertly written about DeGaulle but his clear writing here makes me want to read all of his work。 A child of CLR James's great history， "The Black Jacobins，" Black Spartacus takes us into the thinking， actions， and personalities who shaped 18th century St。 Domingue。 By this biography's end， I learned about the petty treachery that created Louverture's downfall in addition to the literary and cultural legacies of the Haitian Revoluti This is the best biography I've read in years。 Hazareesingh has expertly written about DeGaulle but his clear writing here makes me want to read all of his work。 A child of CLR James's great history， "The Black Jacobins，" Black Spartacus takes us into the thinking， actions， and personalities who shaped 18th century St。 Domingue。 By this biography's end， I learned about the petty treachery that created Louverture's downfall in addition to the literary and cultural legacies of the Haitian Revolution。 But I also was intrigued by details--like how 1820s Haiti had to pay reparations to its former colonizer--or how the US sold weapons to the rebels while also absorbing the colony's slave-owning elite， scoundrels who arrived in America like garbage washed on the beach。 However， the richness of Hazareesingh's biography comes from the anecdotes and research of Toussaint himself。 He was careful about his food， a skilled horseman， family man， and a pious French patriot who knew the superstitions and strength of the freedmen and women who fought beside him。 He created an impressive constitution， stood in solidarity with and fought alongside whites and didn't fall prey to the genocidal rage of someone like Dessalines， his successor， who killed every remaining white on the island。 We also learn Toussaint's beliefs。 As a true child of the Enlightenment， he'd lived its antithesis: slavery。 He believed in the ideals of the French Revolution and saw himself as a Frenchman。 Some of Hazeersingh's these pages tear at your stomach。 The details of the cruelty and sadism of the French （who returned in 1802 to re-enslave a freed people） is something nearly unconscionable to a modern reader。 But the cross-racial solidarity， the personal heroism， and the solid mass movement for liberty and equality detailed in this book should be a manual for us today。 Toussaint's life and this great biography illustrates what Victor Hugo wrote in Les Miserables， "Justice has its anger， and the anger of justice is an element of progress。 In any case， and whatever anyone may say， the French Revolution is the greatest step forward taken by the human race since the advent of Christ。 Unfinished， maybe， but sublime。 It has worked out all the unknowns in the social equation。 It has tempered minds， calmed， appeased， enlightened。 It has sent tides of civilization sweeping across the earth。 It has been a good thing。 It is the consecration of humanity。” 。。。more
Chuck_Les
，
3 Stars。 I enjoyed Hazareesingh's biography of Toussaint but found it to be deeply flawed。 First， there is very little context given to the social and political dynamics in Saint Domaingue in the decades leading up to the revolution。 And while some nice detail is given to the grassroots political culture and organizations of revoultionary Haiti， I felt that a number of major figures （e。g。 Rigaud） weren't given enough detail to fully contextualize Toussaint's life。One of the major strengths of th 3 Stars。 I enjoyed Hazareesingh's biography of Toussaint but found it to be deeply flawed。 First， there is very little context given to the social and political dynamics in Saint Domaingue in the decades leading up to the revolution。 And while some nice detail is given to the grassroots political culture and organizations of revoultionary Haiti， I felt that a number of major figures （e。g。 Rigaud） weren't given enough detail to fully contextualize Toussaint's life。One of the major strengths of the book was in emphasizing Toussaint's originality。 As much as CLR James' Black Jacobins is one of my favorite works of history， it is notable that that books very title frames Toussaint as a derivative of European political thought。 Hazareesingh rightly emphasizes Toussaint's deep religiosity and leanings toward monarchism in his portrait of Toussaint as a unique and distinctly Haitian political figure。It is clear that the author has a great deal of respect for Toussaint， and it is to the book's credit that he engages with the historiography that so often paints Toussaint as unoriginal， tyranical， and unprincipled。 That racism and neo-colonial attitudes play a major role in this historical depiction goes without saying。 However， Hazareesingh goes a bit too far in his sympathy and veneration for Toussaint。 To be clear， this is not a unique issue among biographers of Great Men （David McCollough， Ron Chernow， etc） but it is still a flaw worth pushing back against。 Another reviewer pointed to Hazareesingh's weakly-sourced assertion that Toussaint， contra most depictions， actually had a major role in the original 1791 uprising。 As evidence， at one point he argues that the uprising's plotters engaged in political symbolism， and that Toussaint would later use political symbolism。 He also points to Toussaint knowing many of the major plotters。。 To call this circumstantial evidence would be generous。To me， the clearest example of Hazareesingh's overly-rosy view of Toussaint is his depiction of 1792 offer （which Toussaint was party to） to end the revolt and lead the fighters back into slavery in exchange for freedom for the leaders。 CLR James depicts this episode as a ghastly betrayal on the part of the leaders of the revolution。 The other works on the Haitian revolution that I have read followed suit。 And， to me， this episode has always stood as a symbol of the danger of romanticizing leaders as Great Men， even in the most righteous of causes。 Hazareensingh handwaves this episode away as a bit of crafty diplomacy aimed at dividing the opposition。 To me， that doesn't make any sense。 According to James， Toussaint had played a pivotal role in getting his fellow leaders to limit the demands from freedom for 400 leaders to freedom for only 60。 This seems like a good-faith effort to craft a deal that would be accepted。 And even if they were demanding freedom for 400 （let alone a mere 60） why would one assume that such an offer would split the opposition？ If the slaveowners had had any brains at all they would have leapt at such an offer to end the devestating rebellion at such a paltry cost。 In all likelihood a slaveowner wouldn't even want a slave who had a track-record of organizing rebellions anyway。None of this is to say that Toussaint is unworthy of admiration。 For the rest of his life he fought bravely for the principle of abolition and racial equality。 That makes him far more worthy of veneration than any of the American revolutionaries。 But still there is the danger in romanticizing political and military leaders， if only because doing so engenders an uncritical attitude toward leadership。 。。。more
Gauthier Myard
，
I was watching for this book when I first saw it as one of the contenders for the 2021 Wolfson prize。 I was actually not surprised to see it win as an inner feeling told me it probably would and I was pleased since it was in my top 2 of the list。I had poor knowledge about Toussaint Louverture prior to reading this book and like most historical figures， one would need to read much more than one book to truly understand such a character。 Yet， it helped me get a better grasp on his life， his person I was watching for this book when I first saw it as one of the contenders for the 2021 Wolfson prize。 I was actually not surprised to see it win as an inner feeling told me it probably would and I was pleased since it was in my top 2 of the list。I had poor knowledge about Toussaint Louverture prior to reading this book and like most historical figures， one would need to read much more than one book to truly understand such a character。 Yet， it helped me get a better grasp on his life， his personal traits， his achievements， and his legacy。 All these elements are masterfully conveyed by the beautiful eloquence of Sudhir Hazareesingh， a historian I will certainly look into further。I was enthralled by the idea of learning more about Toussaint but I knew from the beginning that this biography would not be entirely objective。 The title itself betrays a certain bias by depicting Toussaint's life as being epic。 While certainly not a false adjective， it still reveals a certain bias in favour of the man。 I remember a book written in the 1930s by a French historian about the Crusades。 The title was: The Epic History of the Crusades and the book gave an overly positive vision of the Crusades in favour of the Crusaders。 Since then， I am always wary of any book whose title includes hyperbolic terms such as epic。This bias seemed to be confirmed after delving quite deeply into the book as Toussaint seemed to be the symbol of perfection， forgiveness， cleverness， courage。 It seemed that he never made any mistakes， was impeccable at everything he did， always outsmarted or outmaneuvered his adversaries and so on。 In short， he seemed to have superhuman capabilities as some Haitian inhabitants believed。 Yet， it is only deep within the book that the author showed his flaws but it is true that he did not seem to have many。 More often than not， he seemed to engage in negative behaviour when there was a necessity， for a bigger purpose。 For example， he humiliated and sapped the authority of Roume， one of the French representatives sent by France。 I found that to be surprising coming from a man who swore by his honour given that Roume professed his admiration for Toussaint and the latter was even witness on the birth certificate of Roume's daughter。 Roume eventually ended up incarcerated in a cage open to the elements where he suffered greatly and almost died。 Toussaint freed him， mostly out of fear of being blamed for his death。 Toussaint's most fervent defenders will probably say that Toussaint did what needed to be done to secure his place as Governor of Saint Domingue and build the road toward the colony's autonomy but I still found this event to be revealing of Toussaint's ability to act in dishonourable ways。 Another aspect that seemed to contrast with his overall behavior is the fact that he defended the sacredness of mariage and implemented laws to make divorce more difficult。 Yet， he was not shy of having mistresses himself with one anecdote told by the author where he was seeing one of his mistresses while the latter's husband was guarding the door。 "Do as I say， not as I act"。However， those are obviously poor critics in the face of his achievements。 They simply show the man as being complex。 He is a human being after all。 More serious critics can be thrown at his laws to force laborers to stay in their plantation， and the establishment of severe working conditions to increase production and improve the colony's economic output which had fallen to almost nothing during the 1790s。 Again， there was a bigger purpose but the way to achieve it makes one pause。That said， it is undeniable that Toussaint was a unique figure in history and proved to be wiser than most people in many aspects。 He truly envisioned men （and women） to be equal， imagining and creating a society where all ethnicities could live and work together。 That is what he did in Saint-Domingue by offering an amnesty to all whites after the abolition of slavery in 1794， offering even to the colons and settlers who had fled to return to them their properties （meaning their lands， not their slaves）。 Alas， few people shared his vision and it lasted only as long as he was in power。 His successor， Dessalines， known as the terror of the whites， had most of the white settlers killed after Toussaint's capture。 This emphasizes how Toussaint was a true visionary who firmly believed in the principle of forgiveness。 He even treated humanely prisoners of war， be them Spanish， British， or French。His vision continued with the creation of his 1801 constitution which sought to ensure slavery would never be re-established and to place Saint-Domingue as an autonomous entity in the world。 In all aspects， he sought to use his power to advance the interests of Saint-Domingue but also of all slaves throughout the world。 What I found lacking in this book， which is a common omission， is the focus on the Fench attempt at re-establishing control over Saint-Domingue， allegedly purely out of racist views。 While this is entirely true， I think the book would have stood to gain from a more comprehensive vision of the dynamic。 Hazareesingh quickly mentioned that Napoléon sought to build a French Carribean empire with Saint-Domingue at its center but he forgets to mention that one of the reasons the French wanted to retake control of the island was simply because it used to be the richest colony of the region and that its economic advantages were enormous。 He also makes great case of the horrors caused by Rochambeau's troops during the invasion but I did not find any mention of the horrors caused by Toussaint's troops even though there have been cases of Fench soldiers being attached and sawed through。 There were also contradictions between Toussaint's statement of sparing no one when referring to invading French but then being recorded as treating his prisoners well。 Which is it？ How can you spare no one and at the same time make prisoners？ It is probably in these pages that the bias I mentioned above was most evident。Regardless， Toussaint has become an exemple of Black emancipation but also a symbol of the fight against injustice， no matter the ethnicity。 This portrait is very well depicted by Hazareesingh and his book ends on Toussaint's image in the imagination of people around the world throughout the centuries。 Even today， he remains an example to us in many ways， not least in his belief in an equal society where multiple ethnicities live together in harmony and where all look together toward the future without dwelling on the past。 A lesson for us all。 。。。more
Gemma Williams
，
Fantastic and deeply researched biography that really tackles the ambiguities of this inspiring figure。 I really enjoyed the chapter at the end on the cultural impact of Toussaint as well。
Yasmin
，
Very well detailed book。 Although not mentioned in the book I wonder if Bonaparte's sudden change towards Toussaint and Haiti had anything to do with his sudden venom towards Captain Thomas-Alexandre Dumas？ Indeed， Bonaparte was also encouraging of Dumas and had no problems with the rise of Dumas until it looked as though Captain Dumas's popularity would crest over Bonaparte and that's when Captain Dumas's life became miserable。 I am curious to know if there was a connection。 Very well detailed book。 Although not mentioned in the book I wonder if Bonaparte's sudden change towards Toussaint and Haiti had anything to do with his sudden venom towards Captain Thomas-Alexandre Dumas？ Indeed， Bonaparte was also encouraging of Dumas and had no problems with the rise of Dumas until it looked as though Captain Dumas's popularity would crest over Bonaparte and that's when Captain Dumas's life became miserable。 I am curious to know if there was a connection。 。。。more
Jud Barry
，
Mining rich lodes of correspondence （both official and private） and public documents in French， British， and US archives， author Hazareesingh casts a monumental biography that reveals the depth， breadth， and complexity of Toussaint Louverture's character， accomplishments， and legacy。 Not only is Toussaint shown to be the sine qua non of Haitian independence （even though he allowed himself to be spirited away to a French prison before its final accomplishment）， but -- arguably more importantly -- Mining rich lodes of correspondence （both official and private） and public documents in French， British， and US archives， author Hazareesingh casts a monumental biography that reveals the depth， breadth， and complexity of Toussaint Louverture's character， accomplishments， and legacy。 Not only is Toussaint shown to be the sine qua non of Haitian independence （even though he allowed himself to be spirited away to a French prison before its final accomplishment）， but -- arguably more importantly -- he is shown to be the founding prophet of the political ideal that today remains a much-desired and universal goal: multiracial civic equality。There is a game we like to play inside our heads -- call it "The Greatest" -- in which we draw necessarily-facile comparisons among accomplished people in different realms of endeavor （Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix？）。 If we set the parameters to "sine qua nons of modern nation-states，" we might arrive at a short list of George Washington， Napoleon Bonaparte， Kemal Ataturk， and Mao Tse-Tung。 I would put Toussaint Louverture ahead of them all for many reasons: the social distance traveled （slave to autocrat）， the cultural mix embodied （African， creole， Catholic， Enlightenment republican）， military accomplishments （building an army from scratch and then defeating or holding to a standstill the imperial power of France， Britain， and Spain）， national civic formation via a constitution， but once again and crucially the manner in which his ethos of multiracial fraternity gave secular birth to the doctrine that is the only hope for the world。Hazareesingh takes great pains both to delineate and combine the different strands of Toussaint's influences。 Here are a couple of examples: "At first sight， this Makandalist world of African stick fights， nocturnal chica and kalinda dances， vodou rituals and plantation brotherhoods seem far removed from Toussaint's practical preoccupations， to say nothing of his strongly held Catholic values。 Yet the frontier between vodou and Catholicism （and between both of these and African herbal science） was highly porous。 There were substantial overlaps between Toussaint and the beliefs and personal traits attributed to Makandal， which were embraced by his followers -- notably their deism， their visceral opposition to slavery， their intimate knowledge of natural medicine， their charisma， and above all their commitment to the ideal of fraternity。" （p。 35）"One of these convictions， for example， was that black emancipation could not be pursued in isolation from the interests of whites and people of color in the colony。 This was plainly spelled out in the 29 August [1793] proclamation， where he pledged to respect the rights and properties of white landowners who agreed to work with him。 He explicitly addressed the mixed-race population， urging their members not to form a 'separate party，' ending with the striking formula: 'equality cannot exist without liberty， and for liberty to exist we need unity。' Also in plain sight was Toussaint's combination of creole， republican， and Christian values。 He defined himself as a 'true brother' who was working for the 'public good' and was committed to the precepts of 'goodness， integrity， and humanity。' At the same time， he appealed to the principle of forgiveness: Toussaint distinguished between the 'darkness' which blinded his enemies and the 'light' which he sought to bring to them， and he further noted that God would 'punish the wicked and have pity on the innocent who have been led astray。'" （p。 42）These examples -- summary as they are -- should not imply any vagueness or airiness about the biography， which is vivid with electric tangibility as to the frenetic energy with which Toussaint lived the latter dozen years of his life -- his constant comings and goings to all parts of the island to gather the knowledge and establish the personal connections that formed the glue of his rule。 One cannot come away from this book without a clear sense of the charisma， intelligence， charm， and good humor that must have emanated from Toussaint， and which seems to have impressed the lofty imperial agents with whom he had to deal。There were failures， the chief being his inability to devise a functioning governmental mechanism that could re-generate itself and operate without or after him。 He was also unable to see beyond the commercial plantation system as the economic basis for society: the cultivateurs， even when given a cut of the profits， still had to be bound serflike to the land and rankled at this limitation on their freedom。If there is a tragedy about Toussaint， it is that in the end he proved to be more French revolutionary than the French so-called-revolutionaries themselves。 He convinced himself that Napoleon's minions would permit a multi-racial St。 Domingue （as Haiti was then called） within the French metropole。 In fact the French were set on nothing of the sort: a return to slavery was the only thing in their sights。 Had Toussaint not yielded to the allure of Frenchness， he might not have let himself be lured into captivity。 He would have without doubt gone on to defeat them （as did of course his "successor" Dessalines） and become the leader of an independent Haiti。Finally， here is Hazareesingh on Toussaint's legacy: "Toussaint's life … stands as an example of classic republican ideals and virtues -- the equal dignity of all humans， irrespective of their race， creed or colour; steadfastness and courage， even in the face of overwhelmingly superior enemy forces; integrity and refill to compromise on one's fundamental values; coexistence and forgiveness， rather than separation and hatred; and above all the audacity to envision a world organized around radically different principles。 This ethic can serve as an effective basis for bringing back a politics of hope rather than fear， and promoting a robust internationalism which challenges the false idols of ethno-nationalism and 'identity politics，' while at the same time avoiding the self-pitying negativity which often corrodes post-colonial narratives。" （p。 369） 。。。more
Mark
，
This is a detailed account of a fascinating man's life， but his story is complex and I had to read this slowly。 My previous exposure to Gen。 Louverture was Madison Smartt Bell's magnificent historical fiction trilogy （curiously mentioned neither in Hazareesingh's biography nor in his chapter on artistic work based on TL's life - a possible instance of one of my laws， namely， the more closely someone's work is to your own， the less likely they are to cite you）。 This is a detailed account of a fascinating man's life， but his story is complex and I had to read this slowly。 My previous exposure to Gen。 Louverture was Madison Smartt Bell's magnificent historical fiction trilogy （curiously mentioned neither in Hazareesingh's biography nor in his chapter on artistic work based on TL's life - a possible instance of one of my laws， namely， the more closely someone's work is to your own， the less likely they are to cite you）。 。。。more
Neil
，
A hagiography that somehow left me disliking Toussaint
Andres Herrera
，
En las varias ocasiones que he leído sobre la Independencia de Haití no deja de maravillarme el hecho de cómo aquel suceso， la primera revolución de esclavos， pudo ser posible en el mundo contemporáneo del siglo XIII。 Las causas， estrategias， maniobras， todo ello siempre será muy interesante para cualquier curioso de la historia。 Gracias a ello， conocía el papel fundamental que jugó Toussaint en la independencia。 Sin embargo， nunca me había parado a analizar directamente su personalidad y movimi En las varias ocasiones que he leído sobre la Independencia de Haití no deja de maravillarme el hecho de cómo aquel suceso， la primera revolución de esclavos， pudo ser posible en el mundo contemporáneo del siglo XIII。 Las causas， estrategias， maniobras， todo ello siempre será muy interesante para cualquier curioso de la historia。 Gracias a ello， conocía el papel fundamental que jugó Toussaint en la independencia。 Sin embargo， nunca me había parado a analizar directamente su personalidad y movimientos específicos en la revolución。 Y mucho menos lo había relacionado con el tema del liderazgo。 Pero ahora que terminó de leer esta maravilloso libro me encuentro con el hecho que Toussaint se suma a mi lista de personajes ilustres líderes que comparten características interesantes， desde el carisma， el aprovechar las oportunidades， el ser versátil， dinámico y siempre humano comprometido con sus ideales y valores。 Si bien， al final la historia le puso una mala carta， y quizá no tenía mucho conocimiento de administración pública cuando llegó al poder， leer todo el recorrido desde los inicios de la revolución hasta su culminación son suficientes para darle un espacio en la historia mundial。 Este libro lo narra de manera excepcional y se vuelve una de mis biografías must que toda persona debería leer。 。。。more
Aminur Rahman
，
Nothing special
Chirag
，
Such a brilliant and zealous life Toussaint Louverture led。 So much to learn from him。 Really filled me with a great sense of pride for the rights and causes he fought for。
Chintushig Tumenbayar
，
Гаити улсын түүхийг төдий л сайн мэддэггүй бид одоо байгаа ядуу зүдүү хэцүү орноор төсөөлдөг шүү дээ。 Гэтэл үнэн дээ маш хүнд хэцүү замаар тусгаар тогтнолоо олж авсан ард иргэд байдгийг энэ номноос олж танилаа。 Наполеоны өмнөөс зогсож эрх чөлөө тусгаар тогтнолыг хожмын үр хүүхдүүддээ өвлүүлсэн Tusan-ий биограж сонирхолтой болоод дуу алдмаар байлаа。 Бүх цаг үед манлайлагч лидерүүд төрдөгийн нэг нь тэр байжээ。
Christopher TobeChukwu Okolo
，
The journey to self determination is a long one and subjugation is a 'white-beast'。 Such fights still hold till this day in different forms but all efforts will someday lead to some form victory as exemplified by Toussaint's resolve and tenacity。 Beautify read！ The journey to self determination is a long one and subjugation is a 'white-beast'。 Such fights still hold till this day in different forms but all efforts will someday lead to some form victory as exemplified by Toussaint's resolve and tenacity。 Beautify read！ 。。。more
Jung
，
Throughout history， there have been many， many slave rebellions。 From the earliest human societies， enslaved people have risen up against their conditions in a fight for their freedom。 A lot of these rebellions got close to victory， but no slave revolts – at least none that we know of – have actually succeeded in keeping their brief， but hard-won freedom。 Despite the efforts of the enslaved people， the ruling regimes always prevailed。 Except in one case， the life and times of Toussaint Louvertur Throughout history， there have been many， many slave rebellions。 From the earliest human societies， enslaved people have risen up against their conditions in a fight for their freedom。 A lot of these rebellions got close to victory， but no slave revolts – at least none that we know of – have actually succeeded in keeping their brief， but hard-won freedom。 Despite the efforts of the enslaved people， the ruling regimes always prevailed。 Except in one case， the life and times of Toussaint Louverture。 A man born into slavery， who rose up and helped lead the first ever successful revolt of enslaved people。 Chapter 1Historians are still unsure about Toussaint Louverture’s exact date of birth。 In fact， many details of his life remain shrouded in mystery。 According to his descendants， he was born in May of 1740。 But other sources suggest he was born as early as 1736 or as late as 1746。 We just don’t know。What we do know is that Toussaint was born into slavery in the French colony of Saint-Domingue， now known as Haiti。 But， while Toussaint may have begun his life in bondage， he was destined to take a different path。 Toussaint began his life on a sugar plantation owned by a French marine officer named Count Pantaléon de Bréda。 The estate was one of many large sugar-producing farms set up by the French colonizers。 The land was worked by more than 150 enslaved people， including Toussaint’s parents。 Conditions on these plantations were dire。 Only one in every three children born lived to see adulthood。 The young Toussaint was particularly at risk。 As a child， he was so weak and sickly that he received the nickname “Fatras-Bâton，” which in the local creole dialect meant “skinny stick。”However， Toussaint didn’t remain Fatras-Bâton for long。 Through sheer determination， the fragile boy grew into a strong young man。 By his teen years， he was known to be the fastest runner， strongest swimmer， and most agile climber on the plantation。 He even developed a knack for taming wild horses， a skill which earned him a role as one of the estate’s animal keepers。Even as a young man， Toussaint had a bold personality and a deep sense of confidence in his abilities and worth。 On Saint-Domingue， enslaved people were often subject to harsh and inhumane treatment by their captors。 Any resistance or disobedience could be met with severe physical punishment or even death。 Even so， Toussaint refused to be disrespected by his French overlords。 On one occasion， a teenage Toussaint brawled with a young Frenchman who’d called him a “dog-eater。” Toussaint won the fight and somehow escaped any retaliation。Toussaint’s resolute personality was partially forged by his strong Catholic faith。 Some scholars suggest that the young man even began training to be a priest in the Jesuit order。 Alongside this Catholic influence was Toussaint’s connection to his African heritage。 For example， the young Toussaint developed an interest in the vodou religion which drew on beliefs and rituals brought over from Africa。 He especially loved learning about herbalism and traditional natural medicines。We know very little about Toussaint’s early adulthood。 But a few fragments of his life have survived。 We know that in the early 1760s， he was briefly married to a woman named Cécile。 They had three children before the partnership dissolved。 Later on， in the early 1780s， Toussaint married again。 This time， his wife was Suzanne， the niece of his godfather and mentor Pierre-Baptiste。 We also know that， during this time， Toussaint also forged a strong working relationship with Antoine-François Bayon de Libertat。 Bayon was a French “colon，” or officer in the local military。 Toussaint served as his right-hand man。 He helped the colon with everything from driving his coach to accompanying him on business trips throughout the colony。 This was a prestigious role for a slave， and it helped Toussaint acquire a bit of wealth and respect。 In fact， Bayon was so impressed with Toussaint’s work that， in 1776， he helped free him。Toussaint became one of the few free Black men on Saint-Domingue。 This status was surely an improvement， yet， he remained tethered to the Bréda plantation。 Even as a freeman， there were few opportunities for him on the island and all of his extended family remained enslaved on the estate。 So， Tousaint stayed at Bréda。 He worked in a managerial role and helped place his loved ones in relatively desired roles as cooks， housekeepers， and seamstresses。Still， although Toussaint had himself escaped the bonds of slavery， he abhored it as an institution。 He always remembered the indignity of his former position and saw the injustice in the continued enslavement of his friends and family。 He wasn’t alone either。 With revolutions raging in France and the American colonies， the Enlightenment idea of liberation was also taking root on Saint-Domingue。Chapter 2By the early 1790s， Toussaint was about fifty and still living on the Bréda sugar plantation。 But huge change was on the horizon。 In Europe， the French revolution was in full swing。 Spurred on by the concepts of "liberty， equality， and fraternity，" the underclass of France had overthrown the ruling Bourbon dynasty。 In 1789 the revolutionaries signed the Declaration of the Rights of Man， granting popular sovereignty and civil rights to men。Back on Saint-Domingue， there was heated debate on whether the Declaration would include rights for the island’s mixed-race and Black population。 There were even suggestions that the revolution should end slavery completely。 The French colonizers argued in the streets and in local government assemblies throughout the island。 In the end， a more conservative faction of white landowners won out。 Any talk of granting rights to non-whites or freeing enslaved people was banned。But， the idea of liberty could not be suppressed。 Many literate Black people around Saint-Domingue read the same revolutionary pamphlets as their French counterparts。 They knew that they， too， deserved freedom and the right to participate in government。 In August of 1791， tensions on Saint-Domingue finally boiled over。 A militia of thousands of Black and mixed-race residents stormed plantations in the north of the island。 As they burned each estate to the ground， they recruited the enslaved workers to join their forces。 In this way， the insurrection grew and grew。 By November， more than 80，000 people had been freed from more than 100 plantations。The revolution grew in power， but French forces fought back。 Beginning in October 1792， the tide began to turn in favor of the French。 That winter， a bevvy of reinforcements from Europe launched a heavy counter-offense that forced the rebels back on their heels。Slowly， he was emerging as the most important figure of the rebellion。 It was looking more and more likely that the revolution would succeed。 And as this dream started to look possible， Toussaint became increasing fixated with ending slavery for good。 After years of fighting， he was no longer willing to settle for anything less than complete emancipation for all enslaved people on the island。 Yet， his newfound commitment to universal freedom caused friction。 His colleagues， Jean-François and Georges Biassou， were wavering on the issue of emancipation。 Moreover， the more conservative-leaning factions of the Spanish forces were reluctant to follow through on their pledge to take in Black people as citizens。 By the end of 1793， the conflict in the colonies had descended into a mess of fighting。 Toussaint was openly feuding with the other leaders。 Spanish troops， inflamed with racial hatred， had begun battling the rebel forces who they previously supported。 Militias of French landowners continued to fight back。 And， finally， as if all this wasn’t enough， Britain entered the fray， in a vain attempt to capture the colony for its own purposes。Faced with this disarray， Toussaint made a bold decision。 He contacted Étienne Maynaud de Laveaux， the new French governor of Saint-Domingue。 Laveaux was a strange figure， a resolute French aristocrat who believed in the principles of the French Revolution。 Laveaux assured Toussaint that the political tides were changing in France。 The French republicans were now， more than ever， ready to emancipate slaves in the colonies。 So， in May 1794， Toussaint cut ties with the Spanish and joined forces with his former enemies， the French。Following his deal with the French， Toussaint truly came into his own as a military commander and political leader。 At the beginning of 1795， Laveaux and his French republicans weren’t in a particularly strong position。 They only controlled small enclaves around the cities of Cap and Port-de-Paix。 And， worse still， they had few supplies。 If they were to win the conflict， they would somehow have to overcome these obstacles to defeat the Spanish， the British， and the remaining pro-slavery French forces。Yet， Toussaint rose to the challenge。 In the next few years， he completely dedicated himself to the war effort。 Leading small forces of just a few thousand men， he masterfully outmatched his enemies again and again。 Key to his success was the brilliant mix of tactics he employed on the battlefield。 Toussaint knew the geography of the island like the back of his hand and was able to coordinate quick， strategic strikes that caught his opponents off guard。 In one notable campaign， he directed a small contingent of troops to attack the British at Port-au-Prince， then retreat as if in defeat。 When the British gave chase， they were ambushed by a much larger force laying in wait outside the city。By late 1798， Toussaint’s heroic efforts had paid off。 As the commander-in-chief of Saint-Domingue’s army， he had successfully defeated both the Spanish and the British。 As a new century dawned， the area was back in French republican control and Toussaint stood as one of the most powerful figures on the island。 However， another fight was just around the corner。 Chapter 3After years of rebellion and war， Saint-Domingue was in crisis。 The colony’s infrastructure was in terrible shape。 The plantations， which were at the heart of the island’s economy， were heavily damaged and unproductive。 And， there were lingering political tensions as well。 While Toussaint was popular with much of the local population， he was increasingly at odds with political agents sent over by France。 In fact， in October of 1798， he had even personally expelled the republic’s main representative on the island。In order to rebuild the island， and protect his own power， Toussaint began forging diplomatic ties with a new emerging power: The United States。 In 1799， the commander began negotiations with the American president， John Adams。 Initially， the president was reluctant to cosy up to Toussaint， as the US feared the prospect of their own slaves revolting。 Yet， by February， the two came to an agreement and began a healthy trading relationship – the US agreed to buy much of the colony’s sugar， coffee， and other commodities。 The economic partnership was a boon for Saint-Domingue and a much-needed win for Toussaint as a statesman。By 1800， even after a full decade of perpetual conflict， Toussaint was showing no signs of slowing down。 According to contemporary reports， he would work for 16 hours each day， only pausing briefly for one small meal。 However， the French did not share his revolutionary zeal。 Napoleon， who had recently seized power in France， was reluctant to start a war with Spain。 Throughout 1800， French envoys and agents from the mainland worked to discourage Toussaint from taking any military action against Santo Domingo。 Their efforts were in vain。 In the winter of 1800， Toussaint gathered a force of 10，000 men and marched on the eastern half of the island。The Spanish put up surprisingly little resistance。 In a matter of weeks， Toussaint was victorious。 After a grand victory celebration in the capital city of Santiago， Toussaint issued an emancipation proclamation declaring that all enslaved people on Santo Domingo were now free。 Moreover， he declared that all persons， regardless of race， would receive equal protection under the law。 Toussaint’s unification of Hispaniola ushered in an era of rapid change on the island。 Shortly after his victory at Santiago， Toussaint organized a General Assembly to ratify a new constitution for the colony。 However， the celebrations would not last long。 The European powers had become wary of Toussaint’s massive popularity and hostile to the idea of an entire free， Black republic in the Caribbean。 And so in a few months， the colony would once again be thrust into conflict。In the fall of 1801， a creeping sense of dread was circulating through the cities， towns， and farmlands of Saint-Domingue。 One word was on everybody’s mind: Invasion。 In the past， there’d been periodic rumors that France would send troops to reimpose strict imperial rule over the island。 Usually， these were nothing but rumors。 But， now， with Toussaint running Hispaniola almost like an independent country， the prospect of a French attack seemed more likely than ever。And， people were right to be worried。 Back in Paris， Napoleon had been closely monitoring Toussaint’s actions。 He was not happy with what he was hearing。 He disliked that Toussaint disrespected and sidelined French officials and was displeased with the boldness of Toussant’s new constitution。 But， most of all， he was furious that Toussaint had invaded Santo Domingo。 He wanted to put a stop to this insubordination before it was too late。 So， in October of 1801， Napoleon dispatched an invasion force to the Caribbean。 It was led by a general named Victoire-Emmanuel Leclerc， and his instructions were simple: depose Toussaint and reinstate slavery on the island。Chapter 4On 29 January 1802， Leclerc’s fleet was spotted off the shores of Santo Domingo。 Consisting of more than 25 massive vessels and a dozen more smaller warships， the invasion force was more powerful than expected。 Clearly， the French commander had no intention of negotiating。 They planned to overwhelm the island with superior firepower and crush the native army before they had time to mount a defense。But， Toussaint was ready。 For months he had imported huge stores of weapons from America and hid them in secret stashes across the island。 The plan was to slow down the French army by burning Saint-Domingue’s coastal cities。 Then， Toussaint’s forces could stage a war of resistance from the countryside as the French struggled to live off their meager supplies。 It was a risky plan but Toussaint was determined to repel the invasion。 In a letter to his generals， he did not mince words， declaring， “destroy and burn everything， so that those who come to re-enslave us always have before their eyes the image of hell they deserve。”Leclerc had expected a quick victory。 But， by the spring of 1802， it was clear that his dreams of a fast win weren’t coming true。 His initial landing on the island was met with fierce resistance。 Leclerc had planned on winning over local leaders with promises of liberation and brotherhood。 However， no one was easily fooled and very few locals willingly joined the French forces。 Instead， they sabotaged the invaders at every turn。 They destroyed French supplies and secretly spied on their movements for Toussaint。Meanwhile， Toussaint was back in his element as a military leader。 From his hidden position in the mountains， the general staged a series of surprise attacks on the French。 Just as in the war a decade earlier， Toussaint personally led troops into battle。 Once again， he risked life and limb on the front lines only to emerge unscathed。 Over the course of 70 days， Toussaint’s forces slowly wore down the French invaders。 By March 1802， they even managed to retake several key cities。Unfortunately， Toussaint would not see any peaceful future。 In June 1802， he was invited to a dinner by the French general Jean-Baptiste Brunet。 Shortly after Toussaint arrived at Brunet’s estate， a contingent of Leclerc’s men seized the commander and placed him under arrest on charges of sedition。Mere days later， Toussaint was placed on a ship and sent to France as a prisoner。 It was the first time he had left the island。 When he arrived in August， he was confined to a cell in Fort de Joux in the Jura Mountains。 Here in the medieval fortress， thousands of miles from his home， he was stripped of his military uniform and given meager rations。 It was a grim existence but Toussaint faced it with steady resolve。 In a series of letters to Napoleon， the captured leader reaffirmed his commitment to the republican ideals of liberty and freedom。 He wrote of his time serving France with “fidelity， probity， zeal and courage” and lamented that racism remained a driving force in French society。 He asked Napoleon， “did my color prevent me from serving my country with zeal and loyalty？ Does the color of my skin get in the way of my honor and my bravery？”Eventually， the cold weather and dire conditions of Fort de Joux became too much for the aging revolutionary。 In the winter of 1803， he developed a strong cough and rapidly lost weight。 On the morning of April 7， Toussaint was found dead in his cell。 He was quickly and quietly buried at the fort’s chapel。 But， while Toussaint himself had died， the struggle he had led continued。 Back on Saint-Domingue， the French forces were losing control。 The local population – incensed about Toussaints capture and wary of new rumors that slavery would be reinstated – was in open revolt。 Jean-Jacques Dessalines， one of Toussaint’s comrades and confidants， seized the moment。 On January 1， 1804， Dessalines declared independence from France。 From that moment on， Saint-Domingue would no longer be a colony， but it’s own country， Haiti。The Haitian Revolution， and the legacy of Black liberation it represents， owes a huge debt to Toussaint’s leadership。 His vision of a society based on equality and self-determination helped guide the colony from its dark beginnings as a slave-state to the first Black democracy in the new world。 While Toussaint himself didn’t live to see Haiti’s independent future， he knew it was inevitable。 As the captured general was being delivered to France， he made a final declaration from the deck of the ship， “by striking me， you have cut the tree of Black liberty in Saint-Domingue，” he declared， “but it will spring back up from its roots， for they are many and deep。”THE END 。。。more
Pearse Anderson
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A fascinating history of a pre- and post-indepdendent Haiti which revealed the depth of French racism and oppression， but also the many camps of abolitionists and the give/take of various demands， strategies， cultures， and influences。 Louverture was a fascinating character and I wished the book had put a bit more time into what happened surrounding his death， the liberation of Haiti soon after， and the influence of his legacy on the country， instead of on French museums and memorials （although i A fascinating history of a pre- and post-indepdendent Haiti which revealed the depth of French racism and oppression， but also the many camps of abolitionists and the give/take of various demands， strategies， cultures， and influences。 Louverture was a fascinating character and I wished the book had put a bit more time into what happened surrounding his death， the liberation of Haiti soon after， and the influence of his legacy on the country， instead of on French museums and memorials （although important）。 。。。more
Adrian
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This is the full treatment of the great black leader and father of the country of Haiti。 Born a slave on a sugar plantation Toussaint rose quickly through the ranks of the Sainte Domingue （Haiti） army proving himself as a great horseman and leader of men。 The French Revolution sparked a movement for the end of slavery in the French colony， Toussaint a major intellectual force behind it。 The revolt was successful and Toussaint rose to commander in chief of the army。 His accomplishments over the n This is the full treatment of the great black leader and father of the country of Haiti。 Born a slave on a sugar plantation Toussaint rose quickly through the ranks of the Sainte Domingue （Haiti） army proving himself as a great horseman and leader of men。 The French Revolution sparked a movement for the end of slavery in the French colony， Toussaint a major intellectual force behind it。 The revolt was successful and Toussaint rose to commander in chief of the army。 His accomplishments over the next ten years are legion。 He defeated both British and Spanish insurgencies into the state and successfully invaded Santo Domingo （Dominican Republic）。 Three French governors of Sainte Domingue were outwitted by him。 The author takes a very sunny view of Toussaint's abilities with good reason but doesn't sugar coat his tendency towards being an autocrat。 Toussaint had his finger on everything from international diplomacy to city building codes。 In 1801 Toussaint wrote a constitution for his country which made it clear he desired independence from France。 Napoleon was having none of it and sent a large fleet to deal with the rebellion。 Toussaint's army fought a guerrilla war against the French and gained a truce with the French leader Leclerc。 But Toussaint was taken captive and shipped to France where he was jailed in the mountains dying early in 1803。A final two chapters deals with Toussaint's legacy and the effect he's had on freedom movements around the world。 。。。more
Eric Anderson
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I always look forward to seeing what books have been listed for the annual Wolfson History Prize which consistently highlights quality new nonfiction。 Since its publication I've had my eye on reading Sudhir Hazareesingh's “Black Spartacus” because of its strikingly beautiful cover and a curiosity about its subject of Toussaint Louverture， a man born into slavery who became a military and political leader of The Haitian Revolution which occurred in the late 18th century。 So its listing on this ye I always look forward to seeing what books have been listed for the annual Wolfson History Prize which consistently highlights quality new nonfiction。 Since its publication I've had my eye on reading Sudhir Hazareesingh's “Black Spartacus” because of its strikingly beautiful cover and a curiosity about its subject of Toussaint Louverture， a man born into slavery who became a military and political leader of The Haitian Revolution which occurred in the late 18th century。 So its listing on this year's prize gave me the perfect excuse to dive into this fascinating and authoritative biography of a man who Hazareesingh dubs “the first black superhero of the modern age”。 Indeed， Louverture appeared to have almost superhuman powers as the author describes how this was a man who consistently subsisted on only a few hours of sleep and consumed a meagre amount of food yet led battles from the front and utilized his considerable intelligence to strategize methods to build a Haiti liberated from slavery。 This book is a fascinating account about his spectacular rise to power， the enormous challenges he faced， the competing myths surrounding him and his enduring legacy as a black leader with strong libertarian values。 Like Spartacus， Louverture used his strength， intelligence and cunning to rise out of his oppressed origins and galvanize his brethren to follow。Read my full review of Black Spartacus by Sudhir Hazareesingh on LonesomeReader 。。。more
Sadie Nott
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This book took me the better part of five months to get through （with some other books interspersed）。 It is DENSE for sure。 But wow - as someone who doesn't typically read biographies or historical non-fiction， Hazareesingh had me hooked。 Toussaint Louverture lived an incredible life; moreover， he is a crucial figure not only in Haiti's history and abolition of slavery， but in the global fight against the institution of slavery， racial equity， and freedom。 This should （or portions of it） be requ This book took me the better part of five months to get through （with some other books interspersed）。 It is DENSE for sure。 But wow - as someone who doesn't typically read biographies or historical non-fiction， Hazareesingh had me hooked。 Toussaint Louverture lived an incredible life; moreover， he is a crucial figure not only in Haiti's history and abolition of slavery， but in the global fight against the institution of slavery， racial equity， and freedom。 This should （or portions of it） be required reading in history courses。 。。。more
Lindsey
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A well-written political and military biography， if you're in to that。 I am glad to have read it especially since I knew absolutely nothing about Toussaint or the Haiti slave revolt。 The writing is very good， and even if you don't really care about all of the colonial politics and alliances， you will understand it all。 However if you are like me and read biographies to understand character as well as specific times and places and cultures， you may be disappointed。 Again， this is a political and A well-written political and military biography， if you're in to that。 I am glad to have read it especially since I knew absolutely nothing about Toussaint or the Haiti slave revolt。 The writing is very good， and even if you don't really care about all of the colonial politics and alliances， you will understand it all。 However if you are like me and read biographies to understand character as well as specific times and places and cultures， you may be disappointed。 Again， this is a political and military biography。 The excellent introduction sets the scene of 1790s Haiti （did you know the indigenous people are extinct）， but other than that the book is European in-fighting and battles and a thorough account of Toussaint's excellent political maneuvering。 He was quite good at it and many of the accounts will have you chuckling because boy did he really play that governor！ But then you'll read a throw-away sentence referencing his mistresses and wonder more about Toussaint as a man versus a legend。 Was he good to his wife？ How did he actually practice his Catholicism？ What was it actually like to live in that time and place？ There's plenty of references to vodou religion but it never quite comes to life。 So your enjoyment of this book will depend heavily on your expectations。 。。。more
Edward Sullivan
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A deeply researched， thorough reconstruction and thoughtful interpretation of of Toussaint Louverture's political， military and intellectual accomplishments。 A deeply researched， thorough reconstruction and thoughtful interpretation of of Toussaint Louverture's political， military and intellectual accomplishments。 。。。more
Maxo Marc
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Bar none the most complete biography on Toussaint。 I’m of Haitian extraction so it was a far gone conclusion I’d read it。 I knew Toussaint L’ouervature to be great but this book made him even greater in my imagination。
Christopher Rusko
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A thorough and fascinating biography of the Haitian revolutionary figure。 Hazareesingh’s depth of knowledge in broader French intellectual history —honed over years of scholarship — allows him to provide the reader with essential historical context and to draw illuminating linkages and comparisons with other figures of the age。 His review of the global cultural legacy of Touissant — in music， in art， in literature — was particularly interesting。
Phil Brett
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Brilliant book！
Graydon Hazenberg
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This is a worthy book， although not a truly great literary work。 The historical story of Toussaint Louverture， one of the great independence heroes of the Western Hemisphere， is spellbinding。 Sudhir Hazareesingh does a fine job of laying out the basic biographical facts of Toussaint's life， and an even better job of showing how Toussaint was part of a broader Caribbean and French world。 He has done a great deal of research in the historical archives， and as a result his book is full of interesti This is a worthy book， although not a truly great literary work。 The historical story of Toussaint Louverture， one of the great independence heroes of the Western Hemisphere， is spellbinding。 Sudhir Hazareesingh does a fine job of laying out the basic biographical facts of Toussaint's life， and an even better job of showing how Toussaint was part of a broader Caribbean and French world。 He has done a great deal of research in the historical archives， and as a result his book is full of interesting tidbits， and well-supported arguments。 The depiction of Toussaint's strategic and tactical brilliance， as well as his philosophical stances on questions of the rights of man and the wrongs of slavery， is very solid。 I learned a huge amount about Toussaint and about the Haitian Revolution that I knew nothing about beforehand。 The only real complaint （and it's a fairly minor one） is that the book plods rather than soars; it comes across as slightly too academic and not sufficiently engaging to the casual reader。 It is， notwithstanding this caveat， a very educational and well-researched piece of historical writing。 。。。more
Ross Beck-MacNeil
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（read as e-book） What's it about？ It's a biography of Toussaint Louverture， a former slave and a leader of a rebellion in Haiti in the 1790s （then called Saint Domingue） that led to the abolishment of slavery in the French colony。 Louverture rose to become the leader of the colony， trying to walk a line between autonomy and maintaining good relations with France。 Napoleon ended up sending a large army to Saint Domingue reassert control。 Louverture initially fought this invading army， but ended u （read as e-book） What's it about？ It's a biography of Toussaint Louverture， a former slave and a leader of a rebellion in Haiti in the 1790s （then called Saint Domingue） that led to the abolishment of slavery in the French colony。 Louverture rose to become the leader of the colony， trying to walk a line between autonomy and maintaining good relations with France。 Napoleon ended up sending a large army to Saint Domingue reassert control。 Louverture initially fought this invading army， but ended up coiming to terms。 However， he was betrayed， captured and sent to France where he died in imprisonment。The book is written in a very academic style。 The prose is very readable， but fairly dense。 There is a lot of focus on the "meaning" of Louverture actions， and his legacy （historiography？）。 What did I think？ I found the book a bit of slog。 I skimmed the last few chapters， which talked about r how Louverture legacy was interpreted， rather than anything Louverture actually did。 I found the descriptions of Louverture's tactics and strategies to be very interesting。 He combined diplomacy with knowledge of terrain and populace to defeat stronger adversaries。 Louverture needed to use these tactics because he was often the underdog。 You could see this in how he tried to maintain ties with France while pushing for a constitution that guaranteed that slavery would not return。 I found the book to be fairly dry and boring though。 While it was interesting to dive a bit into what Louverture's policies "meant" and his legacy， and I thought that there was too much of that。 There wasn't enough details about his personal life or actions。 It seems like there are not a lot of primary sources。 It is clear that the book was well researched。 。。。more
Sarah
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I think it would be nearly impossible for a biography of this man not to be interesting。 What a life！ Plays have been written about him and his life in French but I'm surprised that more has not been written about him in English; that broadway or the west end have not turned to him for a musical or blockbuster play。 His life has everything: starting out a slave on a plantation， educating himself， a polyglot， family and friend betrayals， besting the British， Spanish and others， extra-marital affa I think it would be nearly impossible for a biography of this man not to be interesting。 What a life！ Plays have been written about him and his life in French but I'm surprised that more has not been written about him in English; that broadway or the west end have not turned to him for a musical or blockbuster play。 His life has everything: starting out a slave on a plantation， educating himself， a polyglot， family and friend betrayals， besting the British， Spanish and others， extra-marital affairs， extraordinary feats of physical prowess and intellectual manoeuvres。 I knew of Toussaint Louverture。 But really only that he lead the first successful slave revolt in Haiti。 But had never really read or seen anything about him。 I have to say that this book is rather dry and academic。 But as stated above it would be impossible to make his life boring。 There's a lot of detail about specific battles and strategies。 Despite that I really enjoyed this book and feel hopeful that more will be written about him in the future。 。。。more
John Windt
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Great subject。 Text way to scattered。。。 needed much more structure。 Learned a lot but a difficult read。
Tolu Fatogbe
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