Marie-Louise Coidavid
Encyclopedia
Marie Louise Coidavid, as married Christophe, (1778–1851), was the Queen
of the Kingdom of Haiti
1811-20 as the spouse of Henri I of Haiti.
, Hotel de la Couronne. She married Henri Christophe in Cap-Français in 1793. They had four children: François Ferdinand (born 1794), Françoise-Améthyste (d.1831), Athénaïs (d.1838) and Victor-Henri
.
At her spouse's new position in 1798, she moved to a palace in Cap. During the French invasion, she and her children lived underground until 1803.
, a secretary and her own court, and she was an active queen. She took her position seriously, and stated that the title "given to her by the nation" also gave her responsibilities and duties to perform. She served as the hostess of the ceremonial royal court life performed at the Sans-Souci Palace
.
After the death of her spouse in 1820, she remained with her daughters at the palace until they were escorted from it by the followers of her spouse together with his corpse; after their departure, the palace was attacked and plundered. Marie-Louise and her daughters were given the property Lambert outside Cap. She was visited by president
Jean Pierre Boyer
, who offered her his protection; he denied the spur
s of gold
she gave him, stating that he was the leader of a poor people. They were allowed to settle in Port-au-Prince
. Marie-Louise was described as calm and resigned, but her daughters, especially Athenais, as vengefull.
Sir Home Popham, and travelled to London. There were rumours that she was searching for the money, three million, deposited by her spouse in Europe. Whatever the case, she did live the rest of her life without economic difficulties.
Marie Louise lived the rest of her life discreetly with her daughters in Pisa
in Italy, where they were somewhat bothered by fortune hunters and throne claimers who wanted their fortune. They made a grand visit to Rome in 1828. Shortly before her death, she wrote to Haiti for permission to return. She never did, however, before she died in Italy.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of the Kingdom of Haiti
Kingdom of Haiti
The Kingdom of Haiti was the state established by Henri Christophe on March 28, 1811 when he was proclaimed King Henri I having previously ruled as president. This was Haiti's second attempt at monarchal rule as Jean-Jacques Dessalines had previously ruled over the Empire of Haiti...
1811-20 as the spouse of Henri I of Haiti.
Early life
Marie-Louise was born into a free black family; her father was the owner of a hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, Hotel de la Couronne. She married Henri Christophe in Cap-Français in 1793. They had four children: François Ferdinand (born 1794), Françoise-Améthyste (d.1831), Athénaïs (d.1838) and Victor-Henri
Jacques-Victor Henry, Prince Royal of Haiti
Prince Jacques-Victor Henry was the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Haiti.He was the youngest child of Henri Christophe, then a general in the Haitian Army, by his wife Marie-Louise Coidavid. His father became President of the state of Haiti in 1807, and on March 26, 1811 he was...
.
At her spouse's new position in 1798, she moved to a palace in Cap. During the French invasion, she and her children lived underground until 1803.
Queen
In 1811, Marie-Louise was given the title of queen upon the creation of the Kingdom of Haiti. Her new status gave her ceremonial tasks to perform, ladies-in-waitingLady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
, a secretary and her own court, and she was an active queen. She took her position seriously, and stated that the title "given to her by the nation" also gave her responsibilities and duties to perform. She served as the hostess of the ceremonial royal court life performed at the Sans-Souci Palace
Sans-Souci Palace
The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I of Haiti, Queen Marie-Louise and their two daughters. It was the most important of nine palaces built by the king, as well as fifteen châteaux, numerous forts, and sprawling summer homes on his twenty plantations. Construction of the...
.
After the death of her spouse in 1820, she remained with her daughters at the palace until they were escorted from it by the followers of her spouse together with his corpse; after their departure, the palace was attacked and plundered. Marie-Louise and her daughters were given the property Lambert outside Cap. She was visited by president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Jean Pierre Boyer
Jean Pierre Boyer
Jean-Pierre Boyer , a native of Saint-Domingue, was a soldier, one of the leaders of the Haitian Revolution, and President of Haiti from 1818 to 1843. He reunited the north and south of Haiti in 1820 and also invaded and took control of Santo Domingo, which brought all of Hispaniola under one...
, who offered her his protection; he denied the spur
Spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids and to back up the natural aids . The spur is used in every equestrian discipline...
s of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
she gave him, stating that he was the leader of a poor people. They were allowed to settle in 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....
. Marie-Louise was described as calm and resigned, but her daughters, especially Athenais, as vengefull.
Exile
In August 1821, the former queen left Haiti with her daughters under the protection of the British admiralAdmiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Sir Home Popham, and travelled to London. There were rumours that she was searching for the money, three million, deposited by her spouse in Europe. Whatever the case, she did live the rest of her life without economic difficulties.
Marie Louise lived the rest of her life discreetly with her daughters in Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
in Italy, where they were somewhat bothered by fortune hunters and throne claimers who wanted their fortune. They made a grand visit to Rome in 1828. Shortly before her death, she wrote to Haiti for permission to return. She never did, however, before she died in Italy.
Links and references
- http://www.haitiwebs.com/archive/index.php/t-44102.html
- http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/history/earlyhaiti/christophe.htm
- https://www.msu.edu/~williss2/carpentier/part4/marielouise.html