Join Us in France · Sunday, June 28, 2026
Alexandre Dumas Père's father, the son of a marquis and a slave, rose to become the first non-white general in the French army. His career was cut short when he disobeyed Napoleon, leading to his capture, torture, and subsequent loss of his pension, a fate believed to have inspired Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo."
“So Alexandre Dumas' grandfather, was this marquis from Normandy.”
“So this is Alexandre Dumas' dad, okay? Who was also the very first non-white general ever in the French army.”
“And Napoleon further punished him by refusing to give him his military pension. Mm. So the idea of punishment and vengeance that happened to his father apparently stayed in the mind of Alexandre.”