Jean-Baptiste Bayard, Junior

Jean-Baptiste Bayard Junior, (born 1775), referred to as Junior throughout the Triumph To Tragedy series of books, was the son of Jean-Baptiste Senior and Marie Bayard, the main characters throughout Triumph To Tragedy, Book One through the upcoming Book Four (October release). He was my (the author’s) Great Grandfather 5 generations back.

Junior’s near-adopted brother is none other than Henri (Henry) Christophe who fought with his father in the American Revolution at the Battle of Savannah in 1779 at the age of 12 (he was actually a drummer boy at the time). Henry was born on St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and had never been to Saint Domingue. He stowed away on a French vessel headed for war and afterward traveled with Junior’s father where he became part of the household and the spelling of his name was changed to the French version of Henri. He later changed it back to Henry upon emancipation.

Junior worked in his parent’s business and later traveled to Paris to attend University where he met Alexandre Pétion, developing a lifetime friendship and bond throughout the turbulent revolutionary era. Junior is forced into a relationship tightrope where Henry Christophe and Alexandre Petion become mortal enemies during this era which requires him to be a sort of mediator between the two strong personalities.

Junior would later become the President of the Haitian Senate in 1816, Book Four, presiding over the amendments to the Constitution that gave Alexandre Pétion broad powers and his title as President for Life of the country. (See the List of Senate Presidents in the chart below for 1816). He was a steadfast supporter of Pétion until Pétion died in 1818.

Read about the adventures of Jean-Baptiste Junior in the Triumph To Tragedy series.