colony · Mesoamerica and the Caribbean

French Santo Domingo

1795 CE – 1809 CE · capital Santo Domingo

French rule over the eastern, formerly Spanish part of Hispaniola, ceded in 1795, briefly held by Toussaint Louverture and ended by a Dominican revolt in 1809.

Origins

In the Treaty of Basel of 1795 Spain ceded its colony of Santo Domingo to France. France lacked the forces to take possession until January 1801, when Toussaint Louverture marched in, unified the island and abolished slavery. Napoleon's expedition under Charles Leclerc took over in 1802, and after Haitian independence French troops held on in the east.

Rule and society

General Jean-Louis Ferrand governed from 1804, reviving trade, restoring slavery and encouraging raids on Haitian territory. He repulsed Jean-Jacques Dessalines, whose army besieged Santo Domingo in 1805 and devastated Santiago and Moca on its retreat. The colony was poor and depopulated, as many Spanish-speaking families had emigrated to Cuba and Venezuela.

Decline and legacy

When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808, Dominican creoles led by Juan Sánchez Ramírez rose in revolt and defeated Ferrand at Palo Hincado in November 1808; Ferrand took his own life. With British naval help the rebels besieged Santo Domingo, which surrendered in July 1809, restoring Spanish rule in the period called España Boba.

Lineage

Captaincy General of Santo Domingo 1493 CE – 1795 CEFrench Santo DomingoEspaña Boba 1809 CE – 1821 CE

Connections (1)

  • French Santo Domingo was a colony of French Empire1795 CE – 1809 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). French Santo Domingo. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-santo-domingo
MLA
“French Santo Domingo.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-santo-domingo. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “French Santo Domingo.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-santo-domingo.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘French Santo Domingo’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-santo-domingo (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻