Home > Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Monts

In 1603 Henry IV, the King of France, granted Dugua a 10-year exclusive right to colonize lands in North America between 40º-45º North latitude. The King also gave Dugua a monopoly in the fur trade for these territories and named him governor of the area. In return, Dugua promised to bring 60 new colonists each year to what would be called l'Acadie.

In 1604, Dugua organized an expedition and left France with about 100 settlers, including Royal cartographer Samuel de Champlain, the Baron de Poutrincourt and priestA priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. Priests have been known since the earliest times and in the simplest societies (see shama Nicolas Aubry .

Entering Baie François (the Bay of FundyThe Bay of Fundy is a bay located on the Atlantic coast of Canada, on the north end of the Gulf of Maine between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The name "Fundy" is thought to date back to the 16th century when the Portuguese referred to t in JuneJune is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 30 days. June is named for the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter. Events in June The solstice occurs around the 21st of this month, although it may occur on either the 20 or 22. It is t 1604, Dugua and his settlers founded a colony on Île-Ste-Croix (ironically, the island is north of 45º). Numerous settlers succumbed to the harsh winter climate and malnutrition disease as they exhausted the limited natural resources on the island. The colony moved to better land on the south shore of Baie François at Port-RoyalThe Habitation at Port-Royal is a National Historic Site located at Port Royal in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. le-Saint-Croix settlement In 1604, the French nobleman Pierre Dugua de Monts (Sieur de Monts) led an expedition to North America to rec in 1605Events April 13 Tsar Boris Godunow dies Feodor II accedes to the throne May 16 Paul V becomes Pope June 1 Russian troops in Moscow imprison Feodor II and his mother. They are later executed June 20 Pretender Dmitri and his supporters march to Moscow July.

The Port-Royal settlement survived and prospered somewhat until 1607Events April 25 Battle of Gibraltar Dutch fleet destroys anchored Spanish fleet April 26 English colonists make landfall at Cape Henry, Virginia, later moving up the James River to found Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. when the King decided that Port-Royal was not making enough profit in fish and fur. Dugua and the settlers were ordered to abandon the colony and return to France after the fur trade monopoly was revoked.

Dugua returned to France and then turned his attention to the colony of Nouvelle FranceNew France ( French: la Nouvelle-France describes the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 to the cession of New France to the Kingdom of Great Brit in the St. Lawrence River valley, forgetting about l'Acadie. He never came back to the New World but he sent Champlain to open a commercial centre at Quebec in 1608, thus playing a major role in the foundation of the largest French colony in the world. Dugua maintained his commercial interests until 1617 when he retired to the Ardennes. He died in 1628.