Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois ( 12 October 1671 – 12 July 1749) was a French Naval officer who served as
Governor of New France from 1726 to 1746.
Biography
Son of
François IV de Beauharnais
François IV de Beauharnais (2 août 1636 in Orléans – 17 avril 1694 in Orléans), squire, sieur de la Grillère (at Vouzon, Loir-et-Cher), de la Boische, de La Chaussée, de Beaumont and de Beauville, was a French nobleman. His father was ...
, Charles had two brothers who also impacted the history of
New France.
Claude de Beauharnois was a French Naval officer who spent time commanding ships that maintained supply lines to the colony and
François de Beauharnois was
intendant of New France for a time.
The governor worked well with frontier traders, explorers, and missionaries. His term saw a great expansion in the number of western forts with the leadership of people like
La Vérendrye
La Vérendrye, La Verendrye or Verendrye may refer to:
People
*Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye (1685–1749), French Canadian military officer, fur trader and explorer, often called simply "La Vérendrye". His sons were:
**Jean ...
, and the linkage of Canadian and
Louisiana colonies. Exploration was pushed west to the Rocky Mountains by La Vérendrye and his sons.
Despite a generally peaceful and prosperous administration, he was blamed for the fall of
Fortress Louisbourg in 1745, and was recalled in 1746, returning to France to following year.
Beauharnais was one of three governors-general of Canada known to have owned
enslaved people. During his tenure, he owed 27 people, among them two Africans and a number of
Meskwaki and
Inuit.
Legacy
Many places carry his name including the town of
Beauharnois, Quebec
Beauharnois () is a city located in the Beauharnois-Salaberry Regional County Municipality of southwestern Quebec, Canada, and is part of the Greater Montreal Area. The city's population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 12,011. It is home to t ...
and
Fort Beauharnois
Fort Beauharnois was a French fort, serving as a fur trading post and Catholic mission, built on the shores of Lake Pepin, a wide section of the upper Mississippi River, in 1727. The location chosen was on lowlands and the fort was rebuilt in 17 ...
,
Minnesota.
References
External links
*
Beauharnois, Charles de la Boische, Marquis de
Beauharnois, Charles de la Boische, Marquis de
Beauharnois, Charles de la Boische, Marquis de
Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
Beauharnois, Charles de la Boische, Marquis de
Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
Military personnel from Orléans
18th-century Canadian politicians
Canadian slave owners
{{KingdomofFrance-stub