Toussaint Louverture: The Black Spartacus

'A courageous chief only is wanted. Where is he, that great man whom nature owes to her vexed, oppressed and tormented children? Where is he? He will appear, doubt it not; he will come forth and raise the sacred standard of liberty.'

Saint-Domingue, the most lucrative colony in the world, is fuelled by the exploitation of 500,000 slaves. But the waves of the French Revolution are washing up on its shores: dreams of liberty, equality, fraternity are spreading on the plantations. Is Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Black Spartacus, the courageous chief who can help them achieve this?

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/empirepod.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

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Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Jack Davenport + Neil Fearn

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