Jean-Baptiste Riché
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Riché was a career officer and general in the Haïtian Army. He was made President of Haïti
on March 1, 1846.
Riché was born free, son of a prominent free black man of the same name in the North Province. His father was a sergeant in the colonial militia and probably served in the rebel forces. Riché himself joined the Haïtian Revolution
aries probably some time in 1801. After Haïti gained independence at the end of the revolution in 1803, Riche joined the forces of Henri Christophe
, who in 1807 promoted him to the rank of general and deputy commander of his army. During the civil war that followed between Alexandre Petion
and Christophe, Riché was instrumental in Christophe's victory at the Battle of Siebert on January 1, 1807. During the siege of Port-au-Prince
in 1811, Riche commanded the left wing of Christophe's army. A loyal officer, Riché quickly became one of Christophe's most trusted commanders, and as a consequence he was placed in command of Haïti's Northern Province, where he was effective in subduing the mulatto
population.
After Christophe's downfall in 1820, Riché supported the new government and was therefore able to retain his post during the subsequent administration of Jean-Pierre Boyer, and those that followed. This continued until Jean-Louis Pierrot
who became President of Haïti
in 1845. Pierrot attempted to reform the Haïtian government, causing the Boyerist hierarchy of Haïti to sponsor a rebellion in the provinces of Port-au-Prince and Artibonite
in 1846. The rebel army under mulatto control proclaimed Riché President of Haïti on March 1, 1846. After much of the Haïtian army sided with the rebels, President Pierrot relinquished his office on March 24, 1846. After gaining the Presidency of Haïti one of Riché's first acts was to restore the Constitution
of 1816.
As President, Riché was considered a failure by his Boyerist backers. Originally intended to be a figurehead, Riché quickly began to take an active role in the presidency. He soon proposed reforms similar to those espoused by former President Pierrot. Probably as a result of these proposals he died on February 28, 1847, possibly from being poisoned, although this has never been established. Riché's presidency, considered ineffective by historians, opened the way for considerable changes in the political landscape of Haïti during the succeeding administrations. As a result his presidency can be considered a turning point in the history of Haïtian politics.
After Riche's death in 1847, he was replaced by Faustin-Élie Soulouque, who was anticipated to be similar to Riche. Soulouque later appointed himself Emperor Faustin I.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
on March 1, 1846.
Riché was born free, son of a prominent free black man of the same name in the North Province. His father was a sergeant in the colonial militia and probably served in the rebel forces. Riché himself joined the Haïtian Revolution
Haïtian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution was a period of conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which culminated in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Haitian republic...
aries probably some time in 1801. After Haïti gained independence at the end of the revolution in 1803, Riche joined the forces of Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution, winning independence from France in 1804. On 17 February 1807, after the creation of a separate nation in the north, Christophe was elected President of the State of Haiti...
, who in 1807 promoted him to the rank of general and deputy commander of his army. During the civil war that followed between Alexandre Petion
Alexandre Pétion
Alexandre Sabès Pétion was President of the Republic of Haiti from 1806 until his death. He is considered as one of Haiti's founding fathers, together with Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and his rival Henri Christophe.-Early life:Pétion was born in Port-au-Prince to a Haitian...
and Christophe, Riché was instrumental in Christophe's victory at the Battle of Siebert on January 1, 1807. During the siege of Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
in 1811, Riche commanded the left wing of Christophe's army. A loyal officer, Riché quickly became one of Christophe's most trusted commanders, and as a consequence he was placed in command of Haïti's Northern Province, where he was effective in subduing the mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
population.
After Christophe's downfall in 1820, Riché supported the new government and was therefore able to retain his post during the subsequent administration of Jean-Pierre Boyer, and those that followed. This continued until Jean-Louis Pierrot
Jean-Louis Pierrot
Jean-Louis Pierrot was a career officer and general in the Haïtian Army. He became president of Haïti on April 16, 1845. During the first Haïtian Kingdom, Henry I promoted Pierrot to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army and granted him the hereditary title of Prince. As President of Haïti,...
who became President of Haïti
President of Haiti
The President of the Republic of Haiti is the head of state of Haiti. Executive power in Haiti is divided between the president and the government headed by the Prime Minister of Haiti...
in 1845. Pierrot attempted to reform the Haïtian government, causing the Boyerist hierarchy of Haïti to sponsor a rebellion in the provinces of Port-au-Prince and Artibonite
Artibonite Department
Artibonite is one of the ten departments of Haiti. With an area of 4,984 km² it is Haiti's largest department. Artibonite has a population of 1,168,800 . The region is the country's main rice-growing area. The main cities are Gonaïves and Saint-Marc...
in 1846. The rebel army under mulatto control proclaimed Riché President of Haïti on March 1, 1846. After much of the Haïtian army sided with the rebels, President Pierrot relinquished his office on March 24, 1846. After gaining the Presidency of Haïti one of Riché's first acts was to restore the Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of 1816.
As President, Riché was considered a failure by his Boyerist backers. Originally intended to be a figurehead, Riché quickly began to take an active role in the presidency. He soon proposed reforms similar to those espoused by former President Pierrot. Probably as a result of these proposals he died on February 28, 1847, possibly from being poisoned, although this has never been established. Riché's presidency, considered ineffective by historians, opened the way for considerable changes in the political landscape of Haïti during the succeeding administrations. As a result his presidency can be considered a turning point in the history of Haïtian politics.
After Riche's death in 1847, he was replaced by Faustin-Élie Soulouque, who was anticipated to be similar to Riche. Soulouque later appointed himself Emperor Faustin I.