Soulouque was born a slave while Haiti was still under French rule. He participated in a successful revolt in 1803 that expelled the French, and he remained in the army of the newly formed nation. In 1847 he was named president, with the backing of a group of mulatto leaders who thought he would be a suitable puppet leader. In 1849, however, he ousted them and created a following of his own. He adopted the title of emperor and ruled as Faustin I.

Soulouque made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the neighbouring Dominican Republic; on one occasion the United States, France, and Great Britain acted in concert to pressure him to desist. In 1859 the mulattoes rallied under the chief of the general staff and deposed him. Soulouque escaped and went into exile, where he died.