65. When the Enslaved Took on Napoleon

In this episode of Empire, Anita Anand and William Durhampool discuss Toussaint L'Ouverture and the Haitian Revolution, focusing on the complex political landscape of the time. They detail L'Ouverture's rise to power, his pragmatic alliances with the Spanish and later the French, and his efforts to maintain Haiti's economy through a controversial plantation system. The hosts explore L'Ouverture's leadership style, his relationships with key figures like Dessalines, and the challenges he faced in balancing the interests of different groups within Haiti. The episode also covers Napoleon's decision to reinstate slavery and invade Haiti, leading to L'Ouverture's capture and eventual death in a French prison, while also highlighting the subsequent Haitian victory against the French, establishing the first black republic.