François Mackandal

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François Mackandal (died 1758) was a famous leader of the Haïtian Maroons. The Maroons were mainly black slaves that escaped from plantations and made their lives in the mountains and hills, banding together with other former slaves to form communities. Mackandal was an escaped slave from one of the plantations on Haïti. In addition Mackandal was a vodou priest or houngan. He came to lead the Maroons in opposition to the island's French planters.

Mackandal was a charismatic leader who united the different Maroon bands and created a network of secret organizations connected with slaves still on plantations. He led raids into plantations at night, torching the property and killing the owners. Mackandal was also known for his use of poisons. Using herbs from the island, he created poisons and distributed them to slaves, who would add the poisons to the meals and refreshments they served to the owners.[1] Most of the planters and owners on the islands fervently believed that Mackandal planned to drive every white from the colony through the fear of being poisoned. He was eventually betrayed by a member of his group who was submitted to torture, and was captured and burned alive in 1758 in the public square of Cap-Français, which today is Cap-Haïtien. However before his death he was able to lead a six year rebellion against the white owners. In that time it is thought that François Mackandal and his followers were responsible for the killings of over 6 000 white people either through poison or the raids on the plantations.[2][3][4]

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[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Bryan, Patrick E. The Haitian Revolution and its Effects. 1984. ISBN:0435983016
  2. ^ Rogozinski, Jan (1999). A Brief History of the Caribbean, Revised, New York: Facts on File, Inc., pp 85, 116-117, 164-165. ISBN 0-8160-3811-2. 
  3. ^ The Slave Rebellion of 1791. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
  4. ^ The History of Haiti and the Haitian Revolution. City of Miami. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.

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