Marie-Madeleine Lachenais

Who was Marie-Madeleine Lachenais?

Marie-Madeleine Lachenais, known as Joust, was a de facto Haitian politician. She was the mistress and political advisor of president Alexandre Sabès Pétion and president Jean-Pierre Boyer and exerted a significant influence over the affairs of state during their presidencies, for a period 36 years. She was called "The President of two Presidents" and regarded to have been the most politically powerful woman in the history of Haiti before the introduction of women suffrage.