François Denys Légitime (November 20, 1841 – July 29, 1935) was a Haitian general who served as President of Haiti from 1888 to 1889.

Biography

Légitime was born in Jérémie, Haiti, on 20 November 1841 to Denys Légitime and Tinette Lespérance. Lespérance was a grandson of Modeste Testas. Légitime married Rose-Marie Isaure Marion and had nine children: Cuvier, Edmond, Angèle, Antoinette, Denis Jr., Léon, Clemence, Marie, and Agnès. He served as adjutant general during the government of Fabre Geffrard, and as aide-de-camp during the government of Sylvain Salnave. He was Secretary of State of the Interior and then Secretary of State of the Interior and of Agriculture during the government of Lysius Salomon. During this administration, Légitime was accused of aspiring to the presidency, and moved to Kingston, Jamaica, for three years. He returned to Haiti at the invitation of his followers, and on October 7, 1888, was elected president of the provisional government. General Seide Thelemaque denounced the election as fraudulent and attempted to make himself President, but he was killed in the battle which ensued. Légitime was elected President of Haiti on December 16, 1888, but resigned in 1889, owing to the opposition of General Florvil Hyppolite, and again retired to Jamaica. In 1896 President Tiresias Simon Sam granted a general amnesty, and Légitime returned to Haiti. He died on July 29, 1935 in Port-au-Prince. He wrote La nation ou la race haïtienne (1888).