Jean François

Jean François Papillon was a leader of the 1791 slave uprising that began the Haïtian Revolution.

With Georges Biassou and Jeannot, he was among those whom Dutty Boukman prophesied would lead the revolution. Jean François emerged as one of the principal leaders of the black insurrection during the period 1791-1795. Whites who were taken prisoner during the early stages of the insurrection described him as humane and sensible, and less violent than Biassou. In 1794, however, François led a massacre of over 700 French civilians at Fort Dauphin.

Together with other Haitian leaders, François fought with the Spanish royalists against the French Revolutionary authorities in colonial Haïti. Defeated by his former ally Toussaint Louverture, who supported the French after they freed the slaves, François remained in Spanish service.

He relocated to Spain, where he died during the Napoleonic period.

External links

* [http://www.thelouvertureproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Jean_Francois "Jean François" at "The Louverture Project"]