Charlesbourg-Royal
| Fort Charlesbourg Royal | |
|---|---|
|
Drawing of Charlesbourg Royal (1542) | |
| Location | On the north shore of the St. Lawrence River at the tip of present day Cap-Rouge |
| Coordinates | 46°45′15.3″N 71°34′15.9″W / 46.754250°N 71.571083°WCoordinates: 46°45′15.3″N 71°34′15.9″W / 46.754250°N 71.571083°W |
| Area | 1 hectare (2.5 acres) |
| Built | summer 1541 |
  Location of Fort Charlesbourg Royal in Quebec | |
In the summer of 1541, after arriving on his third and final voyage, Jacques Cartier established a French colony of 400 people at present-day Cap-Rouge named Fort Charlesbourg Royal. It consisted of an upper fort, and lower fort located near the mouth of Cap-Rouge river. The upper fort, constructed at an elevation of 40 metres, offered a strategic defensive position, while the lower fort provided a potential anchorage for ships. The two forts had three towers. Charlesbourg Royal was named after Charles II, Duke of Orleans, third son of King Francis I of France.
During the first winter, 35 of Cartier’s men perished.[1] Fort Charlesbourg Royal was abandoned in September 1543 due to the harsh weather, scurvy, and attacks from neighbouring Iroquoians of Stadacona and other villages.[1]
In August 2006, Quebec Premier Jean Charest and Canadian archaeologists under Yves Chretien announced the discovery of this long-lost settlement. Chretien identified its location from fragments of a decorated c.1540-1550 Italian style ceramic plate and six wood timber samples dated to the mid-16th century by a United States laboratory.[2]
References
- 1 2 Conrad Heidenreich; K. Janet Ritch (2010). Samuel de Champlain Before 1604: Des Sauvages and Other Documents Related to the Period. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-0-7735-3757-6.
- ↑ Canwest News Service (August 22, 2006). "Pottery shard unearths North America's first French settlement". Canada.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.