Arms of the Kingdom of Haiti (Credit: Samhanin)
From 1811-1820 Haiti was divided between a kingdom in the north and a republic in the south. This period was part of a longer process of Haiti vacillating between republic and monarchy lasting from 1804 until 1849. The Kingdom of Haiti was led by King Henry
who during his decade-long reign set about creating a hereditary nobility on the European model. In 1812 an armorial was created with the coats of arms of all ennobled
individuals at that time. A second manuscript, which is incomplete but shows the arms of persons ennobled later was also created. Using these two sources the London College of Arms published the Armorial of Haiti. It is by its nature an incomplete look at the heraldry of the Haitian nobility with multiple examples of individuals being added or promoted in rank after the armorial's publication.
My purpose in creating this page is to educate on an interesting time in Haiti's history;
A potential turning point when Haiti might have avoided the catastrophe of its present condition. I have spent a small amount of money and a great amount of time putting this together. While I expect no payment, I would ask you to consider buying the Armorial of Haiti from the College of Arms as all funds go towards rebuilding Haiti. It contains far more information than I have included here and is worth the asking price.
Copyright Notice: The book published by the London College of Arms is under copyright, however, the arms themselves (being scanned copies of the original artwork) are not. I am therefore confident the following images are well within the public domain.
who during his decade-long reign set about creating a hereditary nobility on the European model. In 1812 an armorial was created with the coats of arms of all ennobled
individuals at that time. A second manuscript, which is incomplete but shows the arms of persons ennobled later was also created. Using these two sources the London College of Arms published the Armorial of Haiti. It is by its nature an incomplete look at the heraldry of the Haitian nobility with multiple examples of individuals being added or promoted in rank after the armorial's publication.
My purpose in creating this page is to educate on an interesting time in Haiti's history;
A potential turning point when Haiti might have avoided the catastrophe of its present condition. I have spent a small amount of money and a great amount of time putting this together. While I expect no payment, I would ask you to consider buying the Armorial of Haiti from the College of Arms as all funds go towards rebuilding Haiti. It contains far more information than I have included here and is worth the asking price.
Copyright Notice: The book published by the London College of Arms is under copyright, however, the arms themselves (being scanned copies of the original artwork) are not. I am therefore confident the following images are well within the public domain.
Noble Ranks & Translation Notes
The Kingdom of Haiti's nobility had five ranks; Prince, Duc, Comte, Baron, and Chevalier. These have been translated into English as Prince, Duke, Count, Baron, and Knight. Place names have been left untranslated. Of note is the prevalence of 'de' ('of') in all of the noble titles. This made translating some of the lower noble titles (barons and knights primarily, but possibly a few counts as well) ever-so-slightly weird as something like 'le Baron de Henry Proix' is literally 'the Baron of Henry Proix' which is also the noble's name. So regardless of the seeming use of 'de' as a noble particle I've simplified non-territorial designations. The above example would be simply 'Baron Henry Proix'.
Arms of King Henry Christophe
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Arms: Azure semy of mullets a demi phoenix issuant from flames and royally crowned all or in base a scroll argent with the motto 'JE RENAIS DE MES CENDRES' (Reborn from the ashes) in letters sable.
Supporters: Two lions guardant argent ermine each crowned with the royal crown and armed or. Motto: 'Dieu, ma cause et mon épée' (God, my cause and my sword) |
Arms of Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid
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Motto: 'Dieu protége le roi'
(God protect the king) Comments: Largely the same as the King's arms except bees are substituted on the field to replace the stars and a wreath of pink flowers surrounds the arms instead of the chain of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Henry. It is theorized that the armorial ended up in London during to the Queen's exile there where she would eventually be forced to pawn her various possessions in order to survive. |
Arms of Jacques Victor Henry, Prince Royal of Haiti
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Motto: 'Les jeux de l'enfance annoncent les grands hommes'
(Childhood games herald great men) Comments: As his father's heir Jacques' coat of arms are the same as his with the exception of the label and differing motto. The Prince Royal (16) would be caught by rebels the same day his father committed suicide and murdered ten days later. |
Arms of the Capital, Cap-Henry
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Arms: Purpure in a sea in base a ship mainsails furled sailing towards a coast all proper.
Supporters: Two African figures of Hercules vested in lion skins and holding clubs over their external shoulders all proper. Motto: 'Malgre les vents et les flots' (Despite the winds and the waves) Comments: Cap-Henry, now Cap-Haitien, was the main port of Haiti throughout this period. |
Prince Noël Coidavid
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Arms: Or flying from a pikestaff issuant in base sable tasseled at the head gules a banner per pale sable and gules bearing the words 'IL EST BEAU DE MOURIR POUR SON ROI' (It is beautiful to die for your king) in letters or in chief three bees proper.
Supporters: Two ostriches argent each crowned anciently gules. Comments: Prince Noël Coidavid was the brother of the Queen (hinted at by the bees). He would die in August of 1818 in an explosion. |
Prince Jean
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Arms: Or the trunk of a tree eradicated and broken off at the top with branches on each side vert and the words 'MA SOUCHE FAIT MA GLOIRE' (My strain makes my glory) around the base.
Supporters: Two buffaloes guardant gules gorged with collars argent buckled azure. Comments: The nephew of King Henry by his sister Marie. He would be appointed to several high positions (a fact perhaps wryly referenced on his arms). Prince Jean was dead by 1818. |
Prince Eugène
|
Arms: Azure a demi lion rampant guardant in chief three estoiles or.
Supporters: Dexter, a lion guardant proper; sinister, a horse argent. Motto: 'Devouement au Roi et à la patrie' (Devotion to the King and the country) Comments: Armand Eugene was an illegitimate son of King Henry. The lion supporter, azure field, and his placement within the armorial itself points to a status between princes related to the king and the non-royal princes. |
André Vernet, Prince of the Gonaivës
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Arms: Or a human eye proper between two sprigs of laurel crossed in base vert.
Supporters: Two (European) wild men each holding in the exterior hand a club resting on the exterior shoulder all proper. Motto: 'De la tête et du bras' (Of the head and arm) Comments: An important figure in the creation of the Kingdom of Haiti and Henry Christophe's elevation to the kingship. This most likely explains his placement as the first non-royal prince listed. Assassinated in 1812. |
Paul Romain, Prince of Limbé
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Arms: Or a crescent azure.
Supporters: Two field guns sable barrels outwards sable Motto: 'Les perils sont ses jeux' (Perils are his games) Comments: A simple design whose most notable features are the cannons. This is the only example in the armorial of inanimate supporters. Paul Romain played a role in King Henry's rise and was captured as the kingdom fell. He was killed in 1822 'trying to escape'. |
Prince of Saint-Marc
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Arms: Gules a comet the tail to the dexter or.
Supporters: Two elephants facing outwards argent supporting the shield on their backs. Motto: 'Je sème la terreur' (I sow terror) Comments: Owner uncertain, possibly Toussaint Brave as like the previous two entries assisted in Henri's elevation to the kingship. The comet and the motto compliment each other as comets were seen as bringers of misfortune in medieval times. |
Corneille Brelle, Duke of l'Anse
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Arms: Purpure a dove displayed head towards the base argent holding in the beak or a phial azure between in chief a mitre argent and in base a cozier bend sinisterwise or.
Supporters: Two angels proper. Motto: 'Fidelité a Dieu et au roi' (Loyalty to God and the king) Comments: Corneille was the Breton priest who presided over King Henry's coronation. |
Joseph Rouanez, Duke of Morin
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Arms: Purpure two swords crossed in saltire and in base a quill pen bendwise or.
Supporters: Two falcons vert beaked and membered or. Motto: 'Dans la paix et la guerre' (In peace and war) Comments: By 1816 Joseph had died and been succeeded by Charles Victor Rouanez (the first on this list to have a clear successor). |
Noel Joachim, Duke of Fort-Royal
|
Arms: Vert a leopard statant guardant towards the sinister spotted sable.
Supporters: Two cocks wings addorsed sable beaked and membered argent. Motto: 'L'honneur est le prix d'une âme généreuse' (Honour is the price of a generous soul) Comments: Noel was present at the king's death and commanded the troops at Sans-Souci against the rebels. We was later captured and executed. |
Étienne Magny, Duke of Plaisance
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Arms: Purpure a human heart enflamed or above a sword in bend point upwards argent.
Supporters: Two double-headed eagles azure beaked and crowned anciently or. Motto: 'Pour mon roi et pour ma patrie' (For my king and for my country) Comments: The use of purple fields, not overly common in European heraldry, appears frequently in the Armorial. |
Jean-Philippe Daux, Duke of l'Artibonite
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Arms: Vair a double-headed eagle displayed or crowned gules.
Supporters: Two flamingoes proper. Motto: 'Il s'èléve par sa valeur' (He rises by his value) Comments: The flamingos are an appropriate symbol for the region this title is named for as they once flocked there in large numbers. |
Bernardine Sprew, Duke of Portmargot
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Arms: Purpure a trident palewise argent.
Supporters: Two halcyons wings addorsed sable beaked and membered or. Motto: 'Calme au sein des orages' (Calm within the storms) Comments: Bernardine died without heir and this title was re-granted to Prince Jean. |
Philippe Guerrier, Duke of l'Avance
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Arms: Purpure a porcupine statant (or passant) argent.
Supporters: Two lynxes guardant proper. Motto: 'Qui s'y frotte s'y pique' (If you look for trouble you'll find it) Comments: Philippe survived the fall of the kingdom and would later serve as President of Haiti in 1843 |
Jean-Pierre Richard, Duke of Marmelade
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Arms: Vert a sword in bend point upwards or hanging from the guard a key or.
Supporters: Two hyenas proper collared gules and crowned vert. Motto: 'Je ne la remets qu 'à mon roi' (I only give it to my king) Comments: If there is any Haitian title of nobility a person will be familiar with it is this one. Sadly, they didn't lean into the name association and go with a yellow & orange design. Jean-Pierre would renounce his title and lead one of the principle rebellions against the king. |
Charles Charlot, Duke of Dondon
|
Arms: Or a trophy of arms gules.
Supporters: Two cats argent armed and langued gules. Motto: 'Foi loyauté vertu' (Faith, Loyalty, Virtue) Comments: Charles was originally made a count and later elevated to the rank of duke. |
Martial Besse, Count of Sainte-Suzanne
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Arms: Or a salamander crowned statant towards the sinister azure amid flames gules fuelled by four sticks of wood proper.
Supporters: Two rhinoceroses gules feet sable. Motto: 'La flamme est mon èlèment' (The flame is my element) Comments: I've always been partial to red & yellow used together in heraldry and it shows up a fair amount in the Armorial. |
Louis Pierrault, Count of Valieré
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Arms: Purpure a serpent argent crowned or.
Supporters: Two beavers vair. Motto: 'En tout temps en tout lieux' (Anytime, Anywhere) Comments: Louis was the husband of the Queen's sister. He would first be ennobled as a baron, receive the title of count before 1812, and finish off as a duke before the fall of the kingdom. The side-facing helm is a hint to this as they are common among the arms of the barons. |
Yacinthe, Count of Borgne
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Arms: Purpure a hyacinth plant of five flowers slipped, leaved and conjoined in a single stem or.
Supporters: Two panthers guardant argent. Motto: 'Je fleuris au Champs de Mars' (I bloom at the Field of Mars) Comments: Yacinthe died sometime before 1816. |
Toussaint, Count d'Ouanaminthe
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Arms: Gules a bow in bend surmounted by a quiver replenished with arrows in bend sinister argent.
Supporters: Two stoats gules. Motto: 'Á l'èpreuve de tous les dangers' (To the test of all dangers) Comments: Ouanaminthe sits on the border with the Dominican Republic and was the birthplace of King Henry's Queen, Marie-Louise. |
Jean-Baptiste Perrier, Count of Jérémie
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Arms: Gules a rapier in bend point upwards argent.
Supporters: Two Cerberuses sable. Motto: 'Pour ma cause et mon roi' (For my cause and my king) Comments: Interestingly, Jean-Baptiste Perrier (Goman) owed no alliegence to King Henry but because he was in rebellion against his southern rival Henri claimed him as his own and occasionally sent military assistance. |
Louis Achille, Count of Laxavon
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Arms: Argent a cayman vert.
Supporters: Two bulls guardant gules collared or. Motto: 'Vigilance amour constance' (Vigilance, Love, Constancy) Comments: By 1820 Louis had been elevated to the status of a duke. |
Joseph Raphaël, Count d'Ennery
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Arms: Purpure a chateau in the 18th century style argent with four flags flying from the rooftop vert.
Supporters: Two tigers guardant or armed and collared gules. Motto: 'Honneur fidélité' (Honour, Loyalty) Comments: The incorporation of a chateau is basically unheard of outside of Haitian heraldry. In the later years of the kingdom Joseph had given up his official government roles but was still alive as of 1820. |
Pierre Cottereau, Count of Cahos
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Arms: Gules a coffee tree or.
Supporters: Two reindeer vair unguled or. Motto: 'Franchise vaillance affection' (Frankness, Valour, Affection) Comments: Pierre held tenancy of a coffee estate in 1818. Whether this influenced his arms is debatable. |
Julien Prévost, Count of Limonade
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Arms: Vert a sword in bend point upwards argent crossed in saltire with a quill pen in bend sinister point downwards or.
Supporters: Two greyhounds argent langued gules gorged with collars or buckled gules. Motto: 'Amour et fidélité' (Love and loyalty) Comments: Julien was raised to the rank of duke sometime after 1812. |
Toussaint Dupont, Count of Trou
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Arms: Purpure a wheeled plough or.
Supporters: Two bulls guardant argent unguled gules. Motto: 'Abondance culture' (Abundance, Culture) Comments: Both arms and motto may reference his official position which seems to have been some kind of agriculture inspector. Toussaint died sometime between 1816 and 1817. |
Jacques Simon, Count of Saint-Louis
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Arms: Argent a bridge of four stone arches and a balustrade azure thereon a sabre erect point downwards or.
Supporters: Two stags or unguled azure. Motto: 'De sa valeur voilà le prix' (Of its value this is the price) Comments: Jacques captured a town from the southern republic in 1810 and it is believed the arms and motto reference this. He was raised to the rank of duke by 1820. |
Charles Pierre, Count of Terrier-Rouge
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Arms: Or an alerion displayed azure.
Supporters: Two horses gules. Motto: 'Amour et dévouement' (Love and dedication) Comments: Another example of a person elevated to the title of duke around 1820. An alerion is a footless and beakless displayed eagle. |
Placide Lebrun, Count of Gros-morne
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Arms: Or a helmet and cuirass affronty vair.
Supporters: Two boars sable. Motto: 'Toujours calme et toujours prêt' (Always calm and always ready) Comments: Placide was an early recruit to the Duke of Marmelade's rebellion and would renounce his titles. I really don't like vair in pretty much any context and here it really obscures the image. |
Bastien Jean-Baptiste, Count of Léogane
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Arms: Gules a compass or.
Supporters: Two seahorses gules. Motto: 'Amour patrie et gloire' (Love of homeland and glory) Comments: Bastien was appointed a vice-admiral which may explain the compass on the arms. Léogane is a coastal town that laid outside the borders of the kingdom and the title could be described as aspirational. |
Pierre Saint-Jean, Count of the Prequ'île
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Arms: Argent the head of Aeolus couped and blowing to the sinister gules.
Supporters: Two tigers proper. Motto: 'Nouveau Jean-Bart' (New Jean Bart) Comments: Haitian heraldry never fails to make a maritime reference when it can. In this case the god of the winds from classical myth. The motto references a French naval hero. |
Bernard-Juste Hugonin, Count of Richeplaine
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Arms: Vert a human heart enflamed or.
Supporters: Two centaurs the human parts (European and) proper the equine parts sable each holding in the hands a spear fesswise and a cap of liberty sable. Motto: 'Amité reconnaissance' (Friendship recognition) Comments: The cap of liberty, usually a republican symbol, is an interesting inclusion here. |
Jean-Baptiste Juge, Count of Terre-neuve
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Arms: Gules a pair of scales or.
Supporters: Two panthers guardant gules. Comments: This is one of the few arms without a helm. The commonality among these arms is that they were granted to people with no military role whatsoever. This is also one of the few arms without a motto. |
Juste Chanlatte, Count of Roziers
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Arms: Argent a rose bush with three flowers proper.
Supporters: Two griffins gules winged azure collared or. Motto: 'Image de mon zèle' (Image of my zeal) Comments: Juste Chanlatte is an important figure in the formation of an ideology of a free Haiti and wrote the Imperial Constitution of 1805. He is also the author of several poems and plays. |
Bazin, Count of Mont-Rouis
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Arms: Gules two swords in saltire points upwards or.
Supporters: Dexter, a (European) wild man proper girded about the loins vert and holding over his exterior shoulder a club or; sinister, a greyhound argent gorged with a collar vert buckled or. Motto: 'Mèfiant et vigilant' (Suspicious and vigilant) Comments: Dissimilar supporters are more common in later Haitian heraldry but very rare in the 1812 armorial. |
Count of Lataste
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Arms: Vert a guinea fowl or wattle and comb gules.
Supporters: Two unicorns sable collared or. Motto: 'Austérité et impassibilité' (Austerity and impassivity) Comments: The identity of this count is unknown and his entry is a late addition to the Armorial. Lataste is also possibly a surname rather than a territorial designation (a pattern in many later ennoblements). |
Baron Thabares
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Arms: Purpure three roses or.
Supporters: Two roe deer sable. Motto: 'Médiateur' (Mediator) Comments: Jose Campos Tavares (rendered in the Armorial as 'Thabares') was a slave that collaborated with the French Army. After France's defeat he came to terms with Dessalines in 1803 and was given command of the Cibao region. He would be forced out but with King Henry's help would be restored to his command. |
Baron Henry Proix
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Arms: Vert a fess or.
Supporters: Two fallow deer gules. Motto: 'Digne de son prénom' (Worthy of his first name) Comments: Unusually the Baron's full name became a part of his title. This is most likely due to his given name being Henry which the King attached some significance to. This is a nice and simple design of vert and or which tends to be underrated. |
Baron Almanjor
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Arms: Gules two bars or.
Supporters: Two chamois sable. Motto: 'Austérité bravoure' (Austerity, Bravery) Comments: Baron Almanjor is presumed to have died by 1816. |
Baron Chevalier
|
Arms: Argent a roundel azure.
Supporters: Two weasels gules. Motto: 'Actif et sincère' (Active and sincere) Comments: The rank of baron often has small mammals as supporters and uses a sideways helm which leads to more distinction between it and the rank of count above it than the jump between count, duke, and prince. |
Baron Raymond
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Arms: Argent a chief gules.
Supporters: Two sheep sable. Motto: 'Je ne connais que la fidélité' (I only know loyalty) Comments: Baron Raymond served under the Duke of Fort-Royal. |
Baron Dessalines
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Arms: Gules a chief or.
Supporters: Two wolves gules. Motto: 'Devoir obéissance' (Duty of obedience) Comments: One of two relatives to the former Emperor to be made a baron. Louis Dessalines was bayonetted to death in the prison yard of Le Cap in 1820. |
Baron Sicard
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Arms: Or two wands in saltire sable tipped argent.
Supporters: Two uncertain animals vair. Motto: 'Urbanité courtoisie' (Urbanity, Courtesy) Comments: The College of Arms goes into a fair amount of speculation about these arms mostly, I presume, because of the inattention to detail displayed in this case and the unique role of the noble in question (and of course having nothing else to go on). |
Baron Dossou
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Arms: Vert a chief chequy argent and azure.
Supporters: Two martins proper. Motto: 'Á la vie et à la mort' (To life and death) Comments: As readers may be noticing, barons largely have geometric patterns for their arms. It may be that early appointments (which many barons were) were barred from having designs that outshone their higher ranked colleagues. This is only speculation though. |
Baron Ferrier
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Arms: Sable a boar's head couped or.
Supporters: Two sables gules. Motto: 'Il préfère son roi à tous' (He prefers his king to all) Comments: Baron Félix Ferrier was one of four nobleman sent to the southern republic in 1815 to propose a union of north and south Haiti under Henry's rule (they said no). |
Baron Caze
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Arms: Gules a chief lozengy argent and or.
Supporters: Two ferrets sable. Motto: 'Ingénuité constance' (Constancy, Ingenuity) Comments: Baron Caze does not appear in any of the almanachs from 1816 to 1820 implying he died or was removed from the ranks of the nobility. |
Baron Bastien Fabien
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Arms: Gules a mermaid in her vanity argent.
Supporters: Two seals sable. Motto: 'Il brave les vents et les flots' (He braves the winds and the waves) Comments: Baron Bastien Fabien was a rear-admiral, hence the maritime theme of his arms. |
Baron Cadet Antoine
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Arms: Argent a whale fesswise tusked and spouting azure.
Supporters: Two manatees vair. Motto: 'Neptune et la fortune' (Neptune and fortune) Comments: This is the first recorded incident of manatees being using in heraldry anywheres. |
Baron Pierre Poux
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Arms: Gules a fess chequy argent and sable.
Supporters: Two rams sable. Motto: 'Rien n'égale son zèle et son amour' (Nothing matches his zeal and love) Comments: Sable seems to be a popular colour for supporters among the barons. |
Baron Célestin Cap
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Arms: Purpure a bend argent surmounted by a bend sinister azure.
Supporters: Two hares sable. Motto: 'Aménité dévouement' (Amenity, Dedication) Comments: Célestin Cap was dead by 1820 when his son appeared in that year's Almanach as Baron Valcourt Cap. There appears to be two systems for the baronial titles either including the given name or not and it was not clear to me how the title that included both was meant to be inherited. |
Baron Jean Charles Charlot
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Arms: Gules a bend or surmounted by a bend sinister vert.
Supporters: Two camels argent. Motto: 'Recommandable par ses services' (Recommendable for its services) Comments: This baron disappears from records after the 1817 Almanach. |
Baron Galbois
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Arms: Sable a stag lodged or.
Supporters: Two bloodhounds gules collared or. Motto: 'Constance' (Constance) Comments: Presumed to have died by 1816. |
Baron Bottex
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Arms: Purpure a goat statant head lowered to butt or.
Supporters: Two stone martens proper. Motto: 'Infatigable' (Tireless) Comments: Baron Etienne Bottex was appointed a Counselor of State in the last year of the kingdom's existence. |
Baron Léo
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Arms: Argent a greyhound courant sable.
Supporters: Two kids or. Motto: 'Franchise' (Frankness) Comments: Given the name of this baron it may be surprising no lion appears. Lions appear to have been exclusively reserved for the royal family and they make no appearances among the nobility even though other big cats do. |
Baron Monpoint
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Arms: Gules a horse passant or.
Supporters: Two caracals guardant proper. Motto: 'Preux et loyal' (Brave and loyal) Comments: Caracals are a type of African wild cat, even though here they look more like rabbits. Also note that caracals are more of a tan colour making the colour description 'proper' a bit of a stretch. |
Baron Joseph Jérome
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Arms: Or two cocks respecting each other sable armed gules.
Supporters: Two bulls guardant proper collared and unguled or. Motto: 'Point de composition avec le devoir' (Composition point with homework) Comments: Promoted to the rank of count by 1820 but did not receive a territorial designation. This was a common trend of later ennoblements and promotions. I am in no way certain about the translation of the motto. |
Baron Barthélemy Choisy
|
Arms: Argent flying from a flagstaff issuant in base the flag of Haiti proper.
Supporters: Two hyenas proper. Motto: 'Retraite de Mont-Rouis' (Mont-Rouis retreat) Comments: The motto seems to refer to some battle action the Baron was involved in. Mont-Rouis was located in the southern part of the kingdom, along the coast. Its capture might have allowed the southern republic to advance deep into the kingdom, if this action even refers to a period after the independence war. In the end we just don't have adequate records to understand this motto in a way the Baron's contemporaries would have. |
Baron Bazile Saillant
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Arms: Purpure a sparrowhawk volant or in pursuit of two smaller birds argent.
Supporters: Two sphinxes gules. Motto: 'Guerre aux rebelles' (War on the rebels) Comments: Above I wrote about the Count of Jérémie and how he owed no allegiance to King Henry. This baron is described as the count's subordinate. There are two ways to look at this; either he didn't owe the king any allegiance either or he was an officer seconded to the rebel army as part of the king's military assistance. |
Baron Faraud
|
Arms: Vert a pair of dividers or.
Supporters: Two rabbits argent. Motto: 'Citadelle Henry' (Citadel Henry) Comments: The arms and motto refer to his role in building the Citadel, one of the many fortifications King Henry built to guard against a return of the French. |
Baron Ambroise
|
Arms: Sable a grenade or its fuse gules fired and emitting sparks in an arc towards the sinister.
Supporters: Two monkeys or. Motto: 'Rien ne résiste à ses effetes' (Nothing resists its effects) Comments: Taken together the arms, supporters and motto give the impression the dexter monkey threw the bomb at the sinister monkey. |
Baron Déville
|
Arms: Argent a howitzer sable belching fire gules.
Supporters: Two leopards guardant proper. Motto: 'Je donne la mort de deux manières' (I kill in two ways) Comments: As far as absolutely badass mottos go, this one is right up there with Prince of Saint-Marc's "I sow terror". |
Baron Lagroue
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Arms: Vert a sword in bend point upwards surmounted by a quill pen in bend sinister point downwards or in chief a dexter hand couped argent.
Supporters: Two squirrels argent collared or. Motto: 'Il réussit dans les deux genres' (He succeeds in both genres) Comments: A later manuscript has a rather different design. This happens a few times and its possible some members of the nobility had second thoughts about their arms and/or supporters. |
Baron Dupuy
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Arms: Vert a sword in bend point upwards surmounted by a quill pen in bend sinister point downwards argent.
Supporters: Dexter, a hind deer; sinister, a talbot proper. Motto: 'Vérité sans crainte' (Truth without fear) Comments: A 'talbot' is a now-extinct breed of hunting dog. |
Baron Béliard
|
Arms: Sable a watering-can and in base a garden rake argent.
Supporters: Two chameleons vert. Motto: 'Utile en plus d'un genre' (Useful in more ways than one) Comments: These arms are perhaps meant to represent the baron's administrative role. This is another grant of arms that was changed at a later date. While perhaps better from a technical standpoint, the newer design does not have the same charm. The manuscript I have referenced a few times now was passed down by the descendants of Baron Béliard. |
Baron Stanislas Latortue
|
Arms: Vert a rainbow argent in bend sinister throughout.
Supporters: Two cocks azure beaked and legged or. Motto: 'Incorruptible' (Incorruptible) Comments: It has been argued that these arms are one of the few to use voodoo symbolism. The baronial hat seems to suggest a purely administrative role in the government. |
Baron Joseph Latortue
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Arms: Gules a screech owl close guardant argent beaked sable.
Supporters: Two cocks vert. Motto: 'Intègre' (Honest) Comments: It is tempting to suggest this Baron is related to the previous one based on shared surname and supporter choice but to my knowledge there is no evidence of this. |
Baron Charrier
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Arms: Purpure a sword in bend point upwards surmounted by a quill pen in bend sinister point downwards argent.
Supporters: Two elks or moose vair. Motto: 'Douceur vigilance affection' (Gentleness, Vigilance, Affection) Comments: This is at least the fourth design to make use of crossed pen and sword and it appears this idea of honouring both military and civilian pursuits was widely held. This is appropriate for a country in recovery from a brutal independence war. |
Baron Léveillé
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Arms: Gules a horse salient argent.
Supporters: Two hares azure. Motto: 'Digne champion de la fidélité' (Worthy champion of loyalty) Comments: Another noble either dead or downgraded by the end of the reign. The colour choices give the, perhaps, unintentional impression of a tricolour. |
Baron Petit
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Arms: Purpure a key ward downwards or.
Supporters: Two dragons gules each holding in the exterior forefoot a short spear point downwards argent. Motto: 'Probité' (Probity) Comments: Jean-Baptiste Petit was Haiti's treasurer during the first half of King Henry's reign. I can't tell if it would be a pun in the original French but having the motto be 'probity' while having the dragons hold spears (for probing) seems intentional. |
Baron Sévelinge
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Arms: Purpure a bookcase replenished with books or.
Supporters: Two guinea fowl sable beaked and legged or. Motto: 'Persévérance exactitude' (Perseverance, Accuracy) Comments: As you may have gathered by now, many arms reference the position the bearer held in the royal government. In this case the baron was in charge of the king's records. I love this. Some traditional arms may have a few books, this one includes the whole bookcase. |
Baron Bazin
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Arms: Vert an aegis bearing a gorgoneion or.
Supporters: Two screech owls guardant vair. Motto: 'Mentor est mon guide' (Mentor is my guide) Comments: Most may focus on the arms here but can we take a moment to note that using vair for the supporters plus trying to draw in the owls' large eyes have essentially given the impression of sunglasses which makes them pair with the gorgon on the shield even better than they would have in the original context of the design! Still not enough to make me like vair though. |
Baron Delon
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Arms: Purpure on a bend argent three martlets displayed azure.
Supporters: Two vultures sable. Motto: 'Constance fondée sur la vertu' (Constancy based on virtue) Comments: Several nobles in the Armorial, including this one, have only a date we know they were ennobled by. Most often this is 1814 when a large number of nobles signed the Addresse au Roi regarding the Dauxion Lavaysse affair. |
Baron Vastey
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Arms: Gules a sword in bend point upwards surmounted by a quill pen in bend sinister point downwards or a chief argent.
Supporters: Dexter, a fox guardant or; sinister, a unicorn azure collared or. Motto: 'Sincérité franchise' (Sincerity, Frankness) Comments: Baron Vastey was one of the King's most prominent propogandist and wrote several pamphlets against the republic to the south and the former French colonialists. |
Baron Joseph Dessalines
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Arms: Or two greyhounds courant in pale azure.
Supporters: Dexter, a greyhound argent; sinister, a wolf proper. Motto: 'Foi et devoir' (Faith and duty) Comments: Another nephew of the former Emperor of Haiti. |
Baron Richer
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Arms: Vert two lances points downwards in fess and a chief or.
Supporters: Dexter, a leopard guardant or; sinister, a chamois sable. Motto: 'La fidélité et le zèle sont ma loi' (Loyalty and zeal are my law) Comments: When Athis Richer was made a baron is not known but it was probably around 1814. |
Baron Théophile
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Arms: Gules a tower or.
Supporters: Dexter, a griffon sable; sinister, a panther guardant proper. Motto: 'Valeur et fidélité' (Courage and loyalty) Comments: The word loyalty (fidélité) is incredibly common among the mottos of the Kingdom of Haiti. Understandable as loyalty to King Henry was a defining prerequisite for a noble title. Also not too certain on my translation of 'Valeur' but it makes more sense than 'value'. |
Baron Lucas
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Arms: Purpure a dexter arm couped at the shoulder embowed vested and holding in the hand a sabre in fess and in base two helmets argent.
Supporters: Dexter, a horse or; sinister, a bull azure. Motto: 'Je brave les dangers' (I brave the dangers) Comments: We have come at last to the final baron of the Armorial. He is a late addition to the Armorial (along with the preceding five). |
Chevalier Lacroix
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Arms: Or a chevron azure.
Supporters: Two horses gules. Motto: 'Talents humanité' (Talents, Humanity) Comments: This is the only chevron in the Armorial. This actually the traditional way to display a chevron despite what military practice might suggest. |
Chevalier Blaise
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Arms: Vert a couple of greyhounds statant collared together argent.
Supporters: Two sables sable collared gules. Motto: 'Modestie devoir' (Modesty, Duty) Comments: These arms like several in the Armorial seem intent on creating depth to the image which is not really done in European heraldry. |
Chevalier Leconte
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Arms: Gules a falcon perched on a rod issuant from the sinister side argent.
Supporters: Two frigate birds sable beaked and membered or. Motto: 'Dans les camps comme à la cour' (In the camps and at court) Comments: Once again you have an aspect of the arms referencing a dual civilian/martial role. In this case, the motto. |
Chevalier Pétigny
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Arms: Sable a cock or combed, wattled and legged gules.
Supporters: Two sparrowhawks wings addorsed argent beaked sable. Motto: 'La gloire est mon guide' (Glory is my guide) Comments: The significant presence of Purpure fields somewhat obscures the relative rarity of sable fields in the Armorial. |
Chevalier Dézorme
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Arms: Purpure a dexter arm couped at the shoulder embowed vested and holding in the hand or a sabre fesswise argent.
Supporters: Two wolves sable armed langued and collared gules. Motto: 'Point d'obstacles' (Obstacle point) Comments: Chevalier Dézorme died before 1820 and was succeeded by his son as Chevalier Saint-Preux Dézorme. The surname is frequently spelled with an s at the end. |
Chevalier Prézeau
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Arms: Vert a sword in bend point upwards surmounted by a quill pen in bend sinister point downwards or in chief a flower called a pensée or slipped and leaved argent.
Supporters: Two condors wings addorsed sable beaked armed and collared or. Motto: 'Consacrées à mon roi et à ma patrie' (Dedicated to my king and my homeland) Comments: Chevalier Prézeau is reported to have buried the king's body in quicklime at Citadelle Henry to prevent its capture by the rebels. |
Chevalier Gilles Créon
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Arms: Sable a wolf statant guardant argent.
Supporters: Two unicorns proper armed argent unguled and collared gules. Motto: 'Il s'élance dans la carrière' (He launches into the career) Comments: The republication forgot the field colour in what I assume was an error. The motto translation is perhaps overly literal but I think the intent of 'I'm a hard worker' gets across. |
Chevalier Jean Baptiste Lagarde
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Arms: Argent a cannon or field gun sable.
Supporters: Two otters or. Motto: 'Dernier langage de la fidélité' (Last language of loyalty) Comments: The motto calls to mind the expression 'last argument of kings' (ie. war). |
Chevalier Léveillé
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Arms: Gules a bend argent.
Supporters: Two bears argent armed and langued gules. Motto: 'Point de perils point de gloire' (No danger, no glory) Comments: Chevalier Léveillé is absent from the 1817 almanach. It has been suggested this was either an error or a temporary degradation of his status. A pet theory of mine: He was so ill he could not perform his duties. |
Chevalier Félix
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Arms: Or a seven-headed hydra gules.
Supporters: Two tigers guardant proper collared gules. Motto: 'Il triomphe des dangers' (He triumphs over dangers) Comments: These arms are great conceptually but the execution was lacking. A redrawn version would have the potential to be quite striking. |
Chevalier Dupin
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Arms: Sable a screech owl guardant perched on a rod issuant from the sinister argent.
Supporters: Two plovers wings addorsed proper. Motto: 'Vérité affection' (Truth, Affection) Comments: Since I haven't mentioned it yet, the mantling is very nice and makes great use of three or more colours which sets it apart from the European tradition. It adds a nice splash of colour (especially in cases such as this one where the arms and supporters are rather plain). |
Field Colours by Popularity
Purpure - 20
Gules - 19
Vert - 15
Or - 13
Argent - 11
Sable - 7
Azure - 4
Vair - 1
I knew purpure was showing up a lot but didn't think it would muscle out the ever-popular gules. I feel a lot of purpure's popularity came at the expense of the very similar sable. Azure's status as the 'royal colour' kept its usage low and was only used for individuals with a close connection to the king. Not even all of them used it. I think the large number of argent and or arms were needed to keep this Armorial from looking to dark. Vert had a lot of solid designs behind it and was a popular choice in its own right. As for vair... there is that one in every class that needs to be a special little snowflake.
Gules - 19
Vert - 15
Or - 13
Argent - 11
Sable - 7
Azure - 4
Vair - 1
I knew purpure was showing up a lot but didn't think it would muscle out the ever-popular gules. I feel a lot of purpure's popularity came at the expense of the very similar sable. Azure's status as the 'royal colour' kept its usage low and was only used for individuals with a close connection to the king. Not even all of them used it. I think the large number of argent and or arms were needed to keep this Armorial from looking to dark. Vert had a lot of solid designs behind it and was a popular choice in its own right. As for vair... there is that one in every class that needs to be a special little snowflake.
Map of Territorial Designations of the Haitian Nobility
This has been a rather extensive deep-dive into a subject for me and I need a rest. It might be interesting to see if any of these titles are still extant but this is a bit beyond me and would require a much deeper dive into the subject than I want to commit to.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
