premise: Jean-Jacques Dessalines ruled over a territory.
hypothesis: Jean-Jacques Dessalines ( [ ʒɑ̃ ʒak dɛs.salin ] ; 20 September 1758 -- 17 October 1806 ) was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1805 constitution . Initially regarded as governor-general , Dessalines later named himself Emperor Jacques I of Haiti ( 1804 -- 1806 ) . Declaring Haiti an independent nation in 1804 , Dessalines was chosen by a council of generals to assume the office of governor-general . In September 1804 , he proclaimed himself emperor and ruled in that capacity until being assassinated in 1806 . The Northern Kingdom of Haiti ( French : Royaume d'Haïti , Haitian Creole : Ini an Ayiti ) was the state established by Henri Christophe on 28 March 1811 when he was self-proclaimed as King Henri I after having previously ruled as president .