Jean de poutrincourt biography for kids

Port-Royal was re-established and was successful until destroyed by a British raid in All rights reserved. His treatment of the natives was always fair and just; he counselled treating them without the barbarity and cruelty practised by the Spanish in the Indies. By their conduct in Acadia the French under Poutrincourt set a pattern of behaviour which was greatly to their credit.

The inhabitants of Port-Royal were forced to return to France. They took with them a cargo of cod and samples of wheat, corn, minerals, and Canada geese to prove the value of the settlement.

Jean de poutrincourt biography for kids

Many things contributed to the failure of the colony at this time. The profits of the fish and fur trade had been less than expected owing to the large number of vessels poaching in the territory assigned to de Monts. Dutch vessels had also found their way to the St. Lawrence and carried off rich harvests of furs. The merchants who were financing de Monts found their profits on furs and fish being seriously cut by these intruders and were loath to put up more funds.

Other Norman and Breton merchants and fishermen, exasperated at being excluded from trade in Canada, were complaining bitterly. The character of the recruits for the settlement had also contributed to some extent to the failure, many of the settlers having proven unfit for pioneer life. Another handicap in this period was the lack of interest in France in colonizing per se ; some of the ladies at the French court were indeed interested in colonization, but rather as a means of evangelizing the Indians.

The desirability of a permanent agricultural colony was thus obscured by the greater interest in trade or religion. Despite the setback, Jean de Poutrincourt still planned to settle Acadia. It seems that Poutrincourt himself received, in about , a commission from the king, the terms of which are unknown, although the grant of Port-Royal seems to have been confirmed.

To draw the support of the court he emphasized the conversion of the Indians to the Roman Catholic faith. Poutrincourt was a good Catholic; he had tried in vain to induce priests to accompany the voyage and failing this in he wrote Pope Paul describing how on his previous trip to Port-Royal he had set Lescarbot to instructing the Indians.

However, the Jesuits, who had influence with the king through his confessor, Father Coton, and with many of the ladies at court, were also interested in christianizing New France. The king therefore decided that Poutrincourt should take Jesuits with him on his return to Port-Royal. Poutrincourt did not return to Acadia until The delay was due in part to the death of his mother, the need to settle her estate, and trouble with financial backers, and in part to his disinclination to take the Jesuits with him.

Biencourt shared the prejudice current in some circles at this time against Jesuit missionaries, whom rumour accused of being too interested in commercial profit. Poutrincourt finally sailed on 25 Feb. The two-month voyage to Acadia was broken by a mutiny of the crew, but Port-Royal was finally reached in May and found to be in good repair.

The furniture was untouched and the buildings sound except for a partial falling-in of the roofs. The old chief Membertou was baptized along with all his family. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. Images: 1 Pentagouet Landing Marker. Comments: 1 [hide] [show]. Login to post a comment. Isabelle Rassinot Martin. Because of political opposition at home, de Mons decided to remain in France and appointed Poutrincourt governor of Port Royal in The inclusion of the fur-trading rights was particularly important to Poutrincourt's fortunes in the early years of the colony.

After one successful winter, Port Royal was abandoned in when support from France was cut off. Port-Royal was re-established and was successful until destroyed by a British raid in This Acadia -related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools.