Claude-Sébastien de Villieu ( fl. 1674–1705) was a French military officer best known for his service in

New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spa ...

. In addition to service during

King William's War King William's War (also known as the Second Indian War, Father Baudoin's War, Castin's War, or the First Intercolonial War in French) was the North American theater of the Nine Years' War (1688–1697), also known as the War of the Grand All ...

, he served for a time as military governor of

Acadia Acadia (french: link=no, Acadie) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. During much of the 17t ...

. According to his own statement, he served for fifteen years on the battlefields of Europe, beginning in 1674, before coming to New France. He participated in the defense of

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

when it was attacked by New England colonists in 1690. In 1692 he married Judith Leneuf, the daughter of

Michel Leneuf de La Vallière de Beaubassin Michel Le Neuf de la Vallière de Beaubassin (the elder) (1640 – 1705) was a military figure who became a governor of Acadia under French control. He was the son of Jacques Leneuf de La Poterie and Marguerite Legardeur, who both originally ...

. He led French forces in the 1694 raid on Durham, New Hampshire, after which he was rewarded with command of

Fort Nashwaak Fort Nashwaak (also known as Fort Naxoat, Fort St. Joseph) was the capital of Acadia and is now a National Historic Site of Canada in present-day Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It was located strategically up the Saint John River and clos ...

(at present-day Fredericton, New Brunswick). He participated with

Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin (1652–1707) was a French military officer serving in Acadia and an Abenaki chief. He is the father of two prominent sons who were also military leaders in Acadia: Bernard-Anselme and Joseph. He is the nam ...

Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville (16 July 1661 – 9 July 1706) or Sieur d'Iberville was a French soldier, explorer, colonial administrator, and trader. He is noted for founding the colony of Louisiana in New France. He was born in Montreal to French ...

's successful Siege of Pemaquid in 1696. The ship carrying him from Pemaquid (in present-day

Bristol, Maine Bristol, known from 1632 to 1765 as Pemaquid (; today a village within the town) is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,834 at the 2020 census. A fishing and resort area, Bristol includes the villages of New Har ...

) was captured, and he was imprisoned in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. Eventually released back to France, he returned to

, where he served as the temporary

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

from July 1700 to December 1701 after the death of governor Robineau de Villebon. Little is known of the rest of his life. He was known to have difficult relations with his superiors, but was popular with the people in Acadia.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Villieu, Claude-Sebastien De Military history of Acadia Military history of Nova Scotia Military history of New England Military history of Canada Governors of Acadia French military personnel of the Nine Years' War People of New France