How a Slave Humiliated Napoleon... Twice.

Toussaint Louverture was born a slave. He defeated Napoleon and liberated a nation. This is his story.
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00:00 Intro
01:07 I - HISPANIOLA
03:00 II - REVOLUTION
04:38 III - VISION
06:57 IV - ABOLITION
09:16 V - NAPOLEON
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Footnotes in captions, sources here:
[^1]: Jeremy D. Popkin, A Concise History of the Haitian Revolution (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012), 11-12.
[^2]: Ibid., 2.
[^3]: Sudhir Hazareesingh, Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture (Farrar, Strous, and Giroux, 2021). No page number available from .epub format.
[^4]: C.L.R. James, _The Black Jacobins_, 2nd ed. (Random House, 1963), 33-44.
[^5]: Popkin, 2.
[^6]: Ibid., 36-38.
[^7]: James, 90; Popkin, 43; Hazareesingh. Toussaint’s entry into the Haitian Revolution is a subject of considerable historical debate. Some go so far as to theorize that he collaborated with white planters to provoke the event. Others suggest that he was present at one of the first gatherings of the slaves who plotted the revolt in the Northern Province. The Trinidadian historian C.L.R. James asserts that Toussaint was in contact with other leaders, but was conservative and cautious enough to wait to join the revolt until it was under way.
[^8]: Popkin, 45.
[^9]: James, 116-117; Madison Smartt Bell, Toussaint Louverture: A Biography (Vintage, 2008). .epub format, page numbers N A.
[^10]: James, 131-132.
[^11]: Popkin, 44.
[^12]: Ibid., 49.
[^13]: Ibid., 44.
[^14]: Ibid., 44, 49.
[^15]: Ibid., 55.
[^16]: Ibid., 59.
[^17]: Ibid., 66.
[^18]: James, 132, 143-144.
[^19]: Popkin, 75.
[^20]: Ibid., 76, 78; James, 186-187.
[^21]: Popkin, 83-89, 99.
[^22]: Popkin, 105.
[^23]: Consider Andrew Roberts, _Napoleon: A Life_, (Penguin, 2015).
[^24]: Popkin, 90, 96-100, 112; James, 276-277.
[^25]: Popkin, 117.
[^26]: Ibid., 118.
[^27]: Ibid., 118-119.
[^28]: Ibid., 121-127.
[^29]: Ibid., 130-133.
[^30]: Ibid., 137.
[^31]: Ibid., 144-145.
[^32]: Gaspar Gourgaud, _Sainte-Hélène. Journal inédit de 1815 à 1818_, ed. le Vicomte de Grouchy & Antoine Guillois. Two volumes, Paris: Ernest Flammarion, 1899, 402.

[@spectacles-dm]

❗Footnotes in caption, sources in description 🗣Discord: discord.gg/VWcpybH683 😃Patreon: patreon.com/spectaclesmedia - CORRECTIONS - None, for now...

[@bladepeterson778]

It's too bad Toussaint isn't remembered as the "father" of his nation. He may have been able to bring his nation out of slavery and France's control, but he didn't get the chance to have a the same mystic as say Washington is to the United States. It seemed he had the potential, even though he had many shortcomings. His successor being his slave and yet still deciding to carry on his vison speaks volumes to the kind of man Toussaint was. It's too bad he couldn't have brought about Toussaint's full vision for Haiti.

[@thorpeaaron1110]

Dessalines wasn't Toussaint's slave.

[@bladepeterson778]

@@thorpeaaron1110 my apologies, you are right. I must have misheard from the video. Toussaint did have slaves though and it is still telling that that didn't disqualify him as a leader. Both in what actions he took and how others perceived him as a leader for the cause.

[@ceesjhay]

​@@bladepeterson77811:35 "his lieutenant, a man who was once his slave, Jean-Jaques Dessalines, succeeded him in the struggle." You didn't mishear anything. If Dessalines wasn't Toussaints' slave, that's the video's mistake.

[@spectacles-dm]

Indeed he was. Feel free to review our sources linked in the description

[@mixtapemania6769]

I'm Haitian, he is most definitely remembered as the "father" of our nation. His name "L'ouverture" literally means "the opener" the one who opened the door to our independence & freedom.

[@sammyjones8279]

Every time I see you upload I am absolutely amazed you aren't one of the major history youtubers... Seriously, this is so much effort!! It is visually beautiful, well researched, narratively engaging... Absolutely phenomenal work

[@JohnnyMarksVideos]

This is tremendous work (as always). I also loved the ocean shots. Hope this vid gets the attention it deserves!

[@plukoskim]

6k views??????? What the actual fuck! Why is nobody watching this video? It's enjoyable, informative, and presents interesting facts about Napoleon that the majority of the world has forgotten about.

[@MrKruger88]

It was an excellent video, no doubt about that. But Haiti is a tiny island nation, there just aren't that many people who are familiar with or care about their history compared to larger world powers. The channel is growing, give it time, this guy will undoubtedly have big success if he keeps up this level of quality.

[@jasonhaven7170]

Anti-Black people.

[@shalow9158]

Yeah that makes sense the people are watching are mostly core watchers of this channel it's not bringing in new people because nobodys looking for this content currently @@MrKruger88

[@porpentosa]

At about 11:10: Toussaint l'Ouverture wasn't imprisoned in the Alps. He was imprisoned in the Château de Joux located in the Jura mountains (not the Alps), in today's Franche Comté region. Anyway, thanks a lot for your video, I enjoyed watching it.

[@ernstschmidt4725]

just nitpicking but saying the jura ain't the alps is like saying the rockies aren't the andes.

[@onlineonlineaccount2368]

Toussaint louverture was a great man with great vision. With centuries of inhumane acts by the French killing, brutalizing, raping, murdering Hatian slaves was extreme brutal. If you read the various books of what took place in colonial Haiti and the racial stratification the French installed. Its was just a boiling moment for people wanted to fight for their rights and freedom as human beings.

[@Nobody.exe50]

The production value of this videos is incredible

[@JaykPuten]

I like this channel so much that despite knowing the story and learning nothing new, I still like it n watched to the end... A good story can be told a thousand ways, a good storyteller will make you momentarily think you're hearing it for the first time Bravo!

[@catherineashley8361]

With every video, the animations get better and better. I'm constantly impressed with the work you put into your videos and the thoroughness and attention to detail. Hope you continue to get more views and subscribers! Also: the new music composed for your videos is great :)

[@spectacles-dm]

Thank you very much

[@rustomkanishka]

I already know the story, but i do love the way you present stuff and hence had to click. One of my favourite lessons from this story- apart from people fighting and winning their freedom - is the story of the Poles. A few Polish men were sent down to the island to reinstate slavery, by the French. On the island, they realised that they had more in common with the enslaved people than they did with their French overlords. They switched sides. They fought on behalf of the Haitian freed slaves, and won. They were given free citizenship by Haiti. Sometimes, when injustice is glaringly obvious, its not enough to be a more gentle slave driver but to use the whip on those who oppress others. Either that, or Poles do not beg for freedom, they fight for it. Viva la libertie.

[@bionicfrog694]

We in general have a weird tradition of creating similar stories, like a polish insurgency in Syberia near the chinese border, or a polish engineer being one of the fathers of pakistani air force. Guess instead of breaking us, the partitioners and occupiers just made us appear witht the same spirit all over the world

[@jasonhaven7170]

Sucks that Poland is racist, though.

[@peterkelly4873]

It's amazing the impact many unrecognized historical figures made. Thanks for bringing light to these important people!

[@K0sm]

He's not unrecognized at all

[@willo7734]

you’ve become one of my absolute favorite channels on this platform. Keep doing what your’e doing, it’s awesome!

[@PakBallandSami]

this is truly there's nothing we can do moment

[@Maybe_Me_Maybe_Not]

There’s nothing we can do…

[@alexanderveritas]

What in the _omelette du fromage?_

[@ATIMELINEOFAVIATION]

Great video! I’ve always found Haitian history wild and fascinating, and this video taught me a lot more, whil clearing up some of my questions! 🇭🇹

[@weebooooo]

production quality and the history was amazing. Thank you for highlighting the important parts of history that go forgotton

[@spicyonion736]

One of the best videos from Spectacles

[@-iv4uh]

This channel is too good ❤

[@BorderOllie]

The subs need to start rolling in already cause this is QUALITYYYY.

[@RandomDeforge]

this is brilliant. thank you

[@DiegoGuerrero-zy5ne]

So basically he just cared for himself and was willing to compromise his morals

[@confusedbud_yt7973]

Another great video! Have to say I love the outfit, lol.

[@lucienkahozi3314]

What a great story teller You are 🎉🎉

[@spectacles-dm]

Thank you!

[@nickpinto3889]

Yo love the video and the channel! but when you do the beach shot or something else with harsh light I suggest you bring a filter so you can shoot at a longer exposure time and avoid the choppy look when the exposure is set fast.

[@spectacles-dm]

Thanks for the feedback! We have since invested in such a filter.

[@reinereine1896]

It was the yellow feber and the british royal navy blocade that defeated the french army and not Dessaline.

[@DrillMondrian]

Lmaooo it's okay to admit a group of former African slaves defeated an expedition of the greatest European army of its time. Have you asked yourself why so many French soldiers died of yellow fever but the Africans didn't? Or why the French were successful in Martinique, Guadeloupe, but not in Saint Domingue? How about why Britain had any interest in a blockade? Let the truth set you free

[@DrillMondrian]

Lmaooo it's okay to admit a group of former African slaves defeated an expedition of the greatest European army of its time. Have you asked yourself why so many French soldiers died of yellow fever but the Africans didn't? Or why the French were successful in Martinique, Guadeloupe, but not in Saint Domingue? How about why Britain had any interest in a blockade? Let the truth set you free

[@jeffGordon852]

Nice try lol nice try

[@MyFancySauce]

@@jeffGordon852 It’s true, the humble mosquito ended napoleons expedition. In 1802, French General Charles Leclerc wrote despairingly of the yellow fever afflicting his soldiers. Two years later, he and 50,000 of his troops had perished to “Yellow Jack.”2 Even by contemporary standards, the Haitian outbreak of 1802-1804 had exceptional morality.

[@jeffGordon852]

@@MyFancySauce Nice try.

[@jaywalker0112]

I once caught part of a movie about the Haiti slave revolt....I was busy and only saw a bit of it. It was probably made in the 1970's???? Does anyboby know the name of it? GREAT Channel BTW! Thanks!

[@Kvant925]

Hearing that the mixed race people weren’t very supportive of him was simultaneously surprising and almost expected, for the time. I’m mixed and get asked why I care so much about different issues and it’s never made much sense to me as to why i’m even being doubted. It’s odd.

[@Shauntheduke.]

It’s not really a surprise considering that Haitian revolt targeted mixed race people as well pure white. Because mixed were seen as “higher” on the hierarchy.

[@attemptedunkindness3632]

10:40 I had to pause at the frame but now I can't unpause it or stop laughing.

[@CijjJodaij]

Now do one on Thomas Alexandre Dumas!

[@Kubaadamiec]

i was the 69'th like... theres nothing other people can do.

[@EphReinhard]

): The coolnes factor of Napoleon juts went down a little bit for me after I learned this.

[@rynonymouss]

this is an incredible video, why does it not have way more views?

[@spectacles-dm]

Good question! Thanks, also :)

[@user-xz1ek9hq2n]

Why do you keep switching the thumbnail

[@StoneyM]

Someone tell me did Hollywood put this truth in the Napoleon movie?

[@jeffGordon852]

They will never

[@StoneyM]

@@jeffGordon852 Exactly 💯

[@AllAboutMMA]

There is nothing we can do

[@Volition1001]

I really enjoy your videos but have a critique. I recommend you do away with the scenes in your video where we can see you. I think it’s distracting and takes away from your analysis. It’s your channel though so do what you want

[@orsino88]

I absolutely disagree. It’s a remarkably good way to reassure audience that the video isn’t spawned by a content farm.

[@jeffGordon852]

The only people who ever committed genocide on the island of Saint-Domingue were the Spanish. And the only ones who ever attempted it again were the French.

[@bdasf2214]

The man who went to abolish slavery and instead enforced forced labor without remuneration. Truly what a great figure.

[@SPECREY]

Napeloen defeat at Ottoman Empire was also.fascinatinf to see, he was adoring Prophet Muhammed but not because the way he choosed but how he and the ones camed after him becamed succesfull he thought that by being a succesfull inavder.or conqueror he was going to get the respect like.him he even followed.Islamic war laws.untill he didnt like the way war was going

[@purpleWizard0]

How much brainwashed you guys are with your religion is so cultist and cringe.

[@raffykock2262]

Its a half a story, especially if you try to trace a line straight to today ignoring the crishing debt that France imposed on Haiti disabling it to participate equally and fairly to the world economy and 3ffectively keeping the place as a colony. And i dont get the frankly disrespectful costume youre wearing at the beach. Sorry, this is a fail to me.

[@christiandaugherty6339]

How is it a disrespectful costume?

[@gazoulol1513]

Goatesque

[@charlesbrain6220]

Third 🥉

[@ImAliveAndYouAreDead]

The 1801 French borders are not accurate...

[@BibleSamurai]

they wont ever make that movie. Hollywood would rather romanticize Napoleon. A slaver gets a 3 hour. Amazing

[@petergeramin7195]

Toussaint wasn't a slave at the time of the Revolution. Show some respect. You don't address Spartacus as a slave just for being one for a while. They are known for fighting against slavery as free men.

[@vulpes7079]

Saying someone is a slave is not disrespectful

[@flyinghigh2701]

He never faced napoleon in battle...more fake history for clicks I see

[@jailbreaker1214]

Sad to see Haiti is now a failed state.

[@lsloan33]

Napoleon never fought against this person, so not sure why the misleading title. Also, should have used another source besides Wikipedia.