Victoria Montou

Victoria "Abdaraya Toya" Montou (Circa 1739-1805) was a Dahomey in the Benin tribe (female soldier) and freedom fighter in the army of Jean-Jacques Dessalines during the Haitian Revolution. She was reportedly Dessalines's aunt. Toya was a slave in Henry Duclos estate. Toya Montou was not the only woman to serve in the Haitian army during the revolution. While most of the names of the female soldiers are forgotten, exceptions are Marie-Jeanne Lamartiniére, who served at the Battle of Crête-à-Pierrot, that took place from 4 March until 24 March 1802, and Sanité Belair.

Victoria Montou
Duchess of Hayti
In office
September 2,1804 – June 12,1805
PresidentJean-Jacques Dessalines
Personal details
Born
Abdaraya Toya
DiedJune 12,1805
Port-au-Prince,Haiti
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Slavery

Before the revolution, Montou had worked alongside Dessalines as a slave. She was described as intelligent and energetic, and shared a close relationship with Dessalines and the same hatred toward slavery. During the slave rebellion and civil war, she fought as a soldier in active service; on at least one documented occasion, she commanded soldiers in action during battle.During the revolt,at the head of about fifty slaves was Toya, with a faulx in her hand, a hoe on one shoulder and an indigo knife hanging from the belt of her camisole.On Toya's command, one part is sent to deforestation, another to plowing, others to harvest and put in large baskets of cereals She had a strong voice, her commands were identical to those of a general. A small number of rebels, under the command of Toya, was quickly surrounded and taken prisoner by the regiment. During the struggle, Toya runs away pursued by two soldiers; a clinch took place between them and Toya; one of them was seriously injured by Toya and the other, helped by a few other soldiers who arrived in time, Toya became a prisoner. In 1804, Dessalines became emperor and Dessalines gave her the title of Duchess . When Montou was dying, the emperor demanded the doctor to treat her as he would him, and stated that Toya was his aunt who had shared his feelings since before the revolution. She was given a state funeral with a procession of eight sergeants and Empress Marie-Claire Heureuse Felicite dressed in black between two non-commissioned officers led the convoy.

References


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