State of Haiti

The State of Haiti was the northern part of Haiti after the country split in 1806 following the assassination of Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Henri Christophe, a former slave and general, took control of the north, while Alexandre Pétion led a republic in the south. In 1807 Christophe proclaimed a constitution that made him president for life and created a nobility modelled on European titles. From his base at Milot, below the fortress of the Citadelle Laferrière, he built a disciplined state with its own army and currency. The economy was based on forced labour on the sugar and coffee plantations, which caused constant unrest. In 1811 Christophe abandoned the title of president and crowned himself King Henri I, transforming the State of Haiti into the Kingdom of Haiti. After his stroke and death in 1820 the monarchy collapsed, and the north was reunited with the south under Jean-Pierre Boyer.