History of the Fedon Rebellion

In 1795, an attempted revolution in the colony of Grenada took place, led by the enigmatic Julien Fédon. While not as well-known as its Haitian counterpart, the bloody uprising powerfully shifted the balance of power in the Caribbean and fundamentally changed the way the British crown ran its colonies. But what might have happened had Fédon’s rebellion played out differently, with a more consistent message towards enslaved emancipation and mixed-race empowerment? In this compelling new book, historian Kit Candlin retells the captivating and essential story of rebellion and resistance in Grenada: of secret plans and clandestine meetings, frayed nerves and paranoia, all in a highly unstable, interconnected world. It is a dark and dramatic story filled with a motley collection of transient adventurers, itinerant planters, marginalised free people of colour and those enslaved—the flotsam of one of the most polyglot, contested, and liminal places in the Atlantic World. Not only did the Grenadian conflict play a crucial role in shaping the British empire, but understanding its story brings further nuance and context to the region’s bitter legacy of rebellion and revolution. Candlin’s rich tale of what happened—and what might have been—is not to be missed by anyone interested in the Caribbean in the Age of Revolution.