Troilus de Mesqouez (1536–1606) was a French noble ( Marquis de La Roche-Helgomarche) and served as Viceroy of New France. He initiated the first attempts to settle

Sable Island Sable Island (french: île de Sable, literally "island of sand") is a small Canadian island situated southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and about southeast of the closest point of mainland Nova Scotia in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island i ...

, a small island off the Canadian province of

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

Biography

de Mesqouez was born in Mesgouez en Ploumoguer to parents Guillaume de Mesgouez and Françoise Campir. He was granted the title of Viceroy of New France in 1578 by

Henry III of France Henry III (french: Henri III, né Alexandre Édouard; pl, Henryk Walezy; lt, Henrikas Valua; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of ...

and around 1598 or 1599 sent settlers (mainly criminals) and soldiers to

to establish a fishery and fur trading post. Poorly planned, the settlement failed and was abandoned around 1602–1603.

Death

After returning from Sable Island he tried without success to obtain his dues from

Henry IV of France Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

. He was married twice and left no heirs upon his death.

Legacy

La Roche is a township in

Bas-Saint-Laurent The Bas-Saint-Laurent (Lower Saint-Lawrence), is an administrative region of Quebec located along the south shore of the lower Saint Lawrence River in Quebec. The river widens at this place, later becoming a bay that discharges into the Atlanti ...

, Canada which was named for him some three centuries after his arrival in the area.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mesqouez, Troilus de 1536 births 1606 deaths Explorers of Canada French explorers of North America People of New France 16th century in Canada