Sylvain Salnave
Salnave, a light-skinned mulatto, was born in Cap-Haïtien in 1827. He enlisted in the Haitian Army in 1850. He was captain of cavalry when Fabre Geffrard overthrew Faustin Soulouque in January 1859, and was rewarded for his aid with the rank of major. A fourth and final attempt at founding a monarchy supposedly took place in 1868. Haydn holds that General Sylvain Salnave, who had already declared himself President-for-Life, proclaimed himself Emperor in August 1868. However, Haiti was in a state of utter confusion at that time; three rival regimes competing for power in different parts of the country. It is therefore impossible to completely verify Haydn’s claim. Salnave was captured, tried and shot by his rivals in 1870 (author: Christopher Buyers). Literature: Haydn, Joseph; Benjamin Vincent (1860). A Dictionary of Dates Relating to All Ages and Nations: For Universal Reference Comprehending Remarkable Occurrences, Ancient and Modern, The Foundation, Laws, and Governments of Countries-Their Progress In Civilization, Industry, Arts and Science-Their Achievements In Arms-And Their Civil, Military, And Religious Institutions, And Particularly of the British Empire. p. 321. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
