Marlene Daut: The first and last king of Haiti

The first and last king of Haiti

The royal couple of Haiti rode into their coronation to thunderous applause. After receiving his ornate crown, Henry Christophe ascended his throne, towering 20 meters in the air. But little did the cheering onlookers know that the first king of Haiti would also be its last. Who was this revolutionary? Marlene Daut details how a man enslaved at birth rose through the ranks to become king. [Directed by Cabong Studios, narrated by Bethany Cutmore-Scott, music by Matheus Wittmann].

Born enslaved on Grenada, Henry Christophe rose through revolution to crown himself Haiti’s first and last king. From leading in the bloody struggle for liberation to ruling from a 20-meter-high throne, his journey shaped the nation’s early identity. His reign brought development and bold reforms but also harsh labor policies that echoed the very oppression Haitians had fought against. Today, the ruins of his palaces and the nation’s legacy of abolishing slavery remind us of his complex impact.