Kingdom of Haiti

The Kingdom of Haiti (French: Royaume d'Haïti, Haitian Creole: Ini an Ayiti) was the state established by Henri Christophe on 28 March 1811 when he was self-proclaimed as King Henri I after having previously ruled as president. This was Haiti's second attempt at monarchial rule, as Jean-Jacques Dessalines had previously ruled over the Empire of Haiti. Following the assassination of Emperor Jacques, the country was split. Henry, a former slave, ruled over the north of the country as President of the State of Haiti and Alexandre Pétion, a free person of color, ruled as President of the Republic of Haiti in the south.

During his reign, Henry built six castles, eight palaces (including the Sans-Souci Palace and the Citadelle Laferrière fortress, built to protect the Kingdom from possible French invasions. He created a noble class and appointed four princes, eight dukes, 22 counts, 37 barons and 14 chevaliers.

Following a stroke and with support for his rule waning, Henry I committed suicide on 8 October 1820. He was buried at the Citadelle Laferrière. His son and heir, the Jacques-Victor Henry, Prince Royal of Haiti, was assassinated 10 days later at the Sans-Souci Palace by revolutionaries.

The general Jean-Pierre Boyer was named the successor to Alexandre Pétion in the southern Republic of Haiti. He became President, reunited the two parts of the country and ruled for several years.