Charles Houël du Petit Pré (; 161622 April 1682) was a French governor of
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre Island, Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galant ...
from 1643 to 1664. He was also knight and lord.
He became, by a royal proclamation dated August 1645, the first of the island judicial officer. He is named Marquis de Guadeloupe by Louis XIV. On 4 September 1649, Charles Houël, who partnered with his brother in law John Boisseret Herblay, bought the bankrupt Compagnie Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante, La Désirade and Les Saintes for 60,000 books pétun (tobacco) and was committed to deliver 600 pounds of sugar per year.
In order to secure the site and solidify its grip on the population, he built Fort Saint-Charles () in 1650.
Despite the 1640 peace treaty between Indians and France, clashes with the Caribbean continued. On 31 March 1660, Charles Houël signed a treaty with the Caribbean, who abandoned the majority of the island to the French and retreated to the island of Dominica. However, a small number of Indians took refuge north and east of
Grande-Terre (pointes de la Grande-Vigie et des Châteaux,
Anse-Bertrand).
Charles Houël founded the town of
Basse-Terre
Basse-Terre (, ; ; ) is a communes of the Guadeloupe department, commune in the France, French overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department of Guadeloupe, in the Lesser Antilles. It is also the ''prefectures in France, pref ...
in 1649. He gave his name to
Houëlmont, one of the highest mounts in the Caribbean.
Created by Colbert in August 1664, the
French West India Company has to the monopoly for exploitation of sugar islands and main task the acquisition of the island of Guadeloupe to Houël to re-establish the royal authority.
Charles Houël was also Lord of Varennes, Lord of Petit-Pré, Knight and Baron Morainville.
Research Center Chateau de Versailles : Charles de Houel (N°identification : INV.GRAV.LP 31.23.1) (in french)
Titles held
References
1616 births
1682 deaths
French colonial governors of Guadeloupe
French marquesses
{{Guadeloupe-bio-stub