Alexandre Dumas, famous writer, born in Saint-Domingue, Haiti

Alexandre Dumas was one of the most prolific writers of his time. Capable of writing in multiple genres, Dumas' writing career started as a playwright and his first play was a huge success. The second play by Dumas was another hit which earned him enough money to get into full-time writing job. He wrote several travel books and magazine articles as well. Théâtre Historique was founded by Dumas in 1840 in Paris.

Dumas' father, Thomas-Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie was a general and was born of a black slave woman and a French nobleman. Alexandre Dumas used his father's aristocratic connections to acquire work with Duke of Orléans, Louis-Philippe. With Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte being elected in 1851, Alexandre Dumas had to move to Belgium because he fell from favor. After staying in Belgium for a few years, Dumas moved to Russia and then to Italy. Dumas, in 1861 founded a newspaper in Italy by the name L' Indipendente which was known for supporting the unification efforts of Italy. Dumas returned to Paris in 1864.

Alexandre Dumas is known to have 40 affairs through which he had four illegitimate children. However, Dumas was actually married to Ida Ferrier - an actress in1840. Alexandre Dumas died in 1870 but the Franco-Prussian war overshadowed his death.

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