The 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. This was Haiti's second attempt at monarchial rule, as Jean-Jacques Dessalines had previously ruled over the Empire of Haiti. Following the assassination of Emperor Jacques, the country was split. Henry ruled over the north of the country as President of the State of Haiti and Alexandre Pétion, a free person of color, ruled as President of the Republic of Haiti in the south.