Jean-Louis Pierrot

Who was Jean-Louis Pierrot?

Jean-Louis Michel Pierrot was a career officer and general in the Haitian Army and President of Haiti from April 16, 1845 to March 1, 1846.

During the period of the Haitian Kingdom, Henri Christophe promoted Pierrot to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army and granted him the hereditary title of Prince.

Pierrot was elected president of Haiti by the Council of State on April 16, 1845, the day after the death of Philippe Guerrier. As President of Haiti, he was intended to be a figurehead for the mulatto ruling class. Pierrot's most pressing duty as the new president was to check the incursions of the Dominicans, who were harassing the Haitian troops along the borders. Dominican boats were also making depredations on Haiti's coasts. President Pierrot decided to open a campaign against the Dominicans, whom he considered merely as insurgents. Haitians, however, were not inclined to go to war with their neighbors, and were unwilling to support the President's views.

Furthermore, Pierrot had displeased the army by conferring military rank on the leaders of the peasants of the Sud Department and on many of their followers.