Faustin Soulouque elected President of Haiti (1847)

Faustin Soulouque, a general in the Haitian Army, was appointed President of Haiti in 1847 following the death of President Riché. The Boyerist ruling class, seeking a figurehead, enticed the sixty-five-year-old Soulouque to accept the role. He took the Presidential Oath of Office on 2 March 1847, marking the beginning of his presidency before his later imperial proclamation.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. In 1847, President Riché died after only a year in power. During his tenure, he had acted as a figurehead for the Boyerist ruling class. This group immediately began to look for a replacement. The political context involved the transition from Riché's administration to a new leadership, setting the stage for Soulouque's appointment.

Appointment. General Faustin Soulouque, aged sixty-five, was enticed by the ruling class to accept the role of Haiti's 7th President. He was a general in the Haitian Army when appointed. The transition occurred after Riché's death, with Soulouque taking the Presidential Oath of Office on 2 March 1847.

Immediate Aftermath. Soulouque's power consolidation began immediately, leading to an increase in racial discrimination in favor of Haiti's black population. This included a massacre of the mulattoes in Port-au-Prince on 16 April 1848. These actions marked the early phase of his presidency before the formal establishment of the Second Empire in 1849.

People involved

Sources

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