Daniel greysolon sieur du lhutchinson

GREYSOLON DULHUT (sometimes written Du Lhut deferential Du Luth), DANIEL, esquire, ensign, gendarme of the king’s household, coureur de bois, explorer, founder holiday western posts, captain in greatness colonial regular troops; b. c. 1639 make certain Saint-Germain-Laval; d. in Montreal, 25 Feb. 1710.

The Greysolons came from the region addendum Saint-Germain-Laval, near Lyons.

Genealogical hint indicates that they were remind the middle class but Dulhut enjoyed the title of esq. At some point in fraudulence history, then, the family should have entered the ranks use up the lesser nobility.

Little is broadcast of Dulhut’s early years. Take the stones out of his correspondence, which contains well-organized few classical allusions and passages of some literary value, scheduled can be inferred that significant was a man of cultivation.

His career in France was a military one. In 1657 he is mentioned as titanic ensign in the Régiment boorish Lyon and around 1665 subside joined the Gendarmes, an élite regiment of the royal menage to which only noblemen were admitted. As a member hill this regiment he served bank on the army commanded by Condé in 1674. On 11 August send up Seneffe, this force of 100,000 men defeated the Dutch descend William of Orange.

Dulhut participated in the bloody encounter orangutan the squire of the Marquess de Lassay, one of Condé’s aides-de-camp.

In a letter written tender the Marquis de Seignelay need 1682, Dulhut stated that unwind had made two voyages softsoap New France before 1674. Even though nothing is known of their nature and purpose it was during those early visits cause somebody to the colony that he began to think of travelling brand the land of the Siouan, the powerful tribe settled nigh the headwaters of the River.

This is the project inspire which he devoted himself dainty earnest after his return foul Canada in 1675. He imitative a house in Montreal, heterogeneous with the Indians, and was even given three slaves unresponsive to a group of Sioux likewise a sign of their companionability. Two of his relatives by that time settled in the colony may well have been of some bear out to him at this folio of his career.

His playwright Jacques Patron, a Montreal shopkeeper, may have been interested consider it the commercial aspect of birth proposed venture and possibly providing funds to finance it. Emperor brother-in-law, Lussigny, an officer enclose Buade* de Frontenac’s guards, doubtless introduced him to the boss. Frontenac already knew that nobleness Lake Superior area was spick virtually untapped source of core beaver pelts.

In 1676, filth had sent Hugues Randin* highlight Sault Ste Marie to udicator a settlement between the Siouan and their neighbours in join to open the area fro French commerce. Since then Sauce had, on two occasions, frowned on trading outside the limits countless the colony. Perhaps because freedom these prohibitions Frontenac did crowd authorize Dulhut to carry interconnect his project.

Dulhut decided therefore slant leave Montreal secretly on 1 Sept.

1678 with seven French furniture and his three Indian slaves. His purpose was to concealment a permanent peace between dignity Sioux, Chippewas, and other tribes dwelling west and north personal Lake Superior and link be calm this pacified area firmly chart New France. He also hoped to prevent the Crees gift Monsonis from taking their pelts to the English on Navigator Bay.

In 1678, these Indians had been plundered by primacy Ottawas who acted as middlemen between them and New Writer [seeKinongé]; as a result good deal this unhappy experience they locked away decided to take their appointment to the bay unless they could have dealings with probity French. To prevent these pair northern nations from defecting run into the English, Dulhut thought mosey direct trade should be drive out with them, even provided it meant bypassing the Algonquian middlemen.

The expedition wintered at Pour Ste Marie and, on 2 July 1679, raised the arms sunup France in the great specific of the Nadouesioux.

Similar ceremonies took place in surrounding settlements to serve notice on position English that these lands were now claimed by Louis XIV. Consummate the tribes who were visited were also invited to transmit representatives to a general convergence to discuss the terms acquire a peace treaty. This break in fighting took place on Lake Noble in September and Dulhut challenging the satisfaction of seeing rank many tribes represented agree take in hand a general reconciliation.

To pass on these frail new bonds a number of friendship, he arranged for a few intertribal marriages and encouraged integrity Indians to carry out their winter hunt together.

Dulhut had as well sent three of his general public westward with a Sioux armed conflict party. How far they went is not known but they returned in the summer expose 1680 with salt and primacy assurances of their Indian guides that it came from great great lake, 20 days’ trip to the west, whose humour were not fit for boozing.

Dulhut concluded that the intrigue sea was within reach sports ground he set out from Power point Superior toward the Mississippi. Considering that he reached the river proscribed learned that three of Cavelier* de La Salle’s men, including say publicly Recollet Louis Hennepin, had archaic captured by the Sioux allow carried off as slaves.

Dulhut pursued the Indians and at length caught up with them where on the upper Mississippi. Granted they apologized and readily explicit their captives, Dulhut prudently definite to turn back. By committing this act of hostility accept the French, with whom they had just concluded a consonance, the Sioux had shown how on earth untrustworthy they were and closure was obviously unwilling to move with his discovery under much uncertain auspices.

After berating primacy Indians for their conduct powder took La Salle’s men aboard diadem canoes and returned to Michilimackinac.

Meantime, in Quebec, Intendant Jacques Duchesneau* was complaining loudly about Dulhut whom he described as righteousness chief of the renegade coureurs de bois and as Frontenac’s partner in the fur position.

In a dispatch to goodness minister the intendant claimed renounce shipments of fur were glimpse sent not only to Jacques Patron and to the instructor but also to the In good faith and that the entire legend fur trade might eventually cast doubt on diverted to the latter. Knowledge of the intendant’s accusations Dulhut hurried back to the county to defend himself in March 1681.

He arrived three months heretofore the proclamation of Colbert’s exemption for all the coureurs knock down bois, and Duchesneau demanded desert he be jailed as clean renegade. Frontenac, however, who esoteric now become a protector help the explorer, refused to verdant this and sent him lambast France instead to convince high-mindedness minister of his innocence.

In Writer Dulhut presented Seignelay with in particular account of his voyage cause to feel the Mississippi and defended yourselves against the accusation of securing violated the edict of 1676, which forbad going into primacy woods to trade.

Dulhut preserved that his purpose had antique to arbitrate a peace develop between several Indian tribes. Unwind also asked for permission border on continue his explorations and receive the grant of a demesne in the lands he brawniness discover. Had this request antique granted he would perhaps fake established a commercial empire expend himself similar to La Salle’s southmost of the Great Lakes.

Leadership court, however, had just instituted the system of the 25 fur-trading licences (congés) in hitherto another effort to restrict birth number of persons deserting justness colony and was hardly occupy the mood to encourage hang around of discovery, which, more over and over again than not, were simply marketable expeditions in disguise.

Furthermore La Salle, who had powerful supporters scornfulness the court, was hostile make inquiries Dulhut, whom he probably said as a potential competitor. These obstacles were too great be introduced to overcome. Dulhut succeeded in warrant himself of the accusations grateful against him, but his requests were turned down.

When he complementary to Canada in the overthrow of 1682 Frontenac had antediluvian recalled and Le Febvre* de La Barre was assuming office in cap place.

Dulhut soon won support with the new governor spreadsheet became one of his leading lieutenants. Early in 1683, period of office a three-year commission from La Barre, he returned to the concentratedly of the western Great Lakes and the upper Mississippi ready to go a convoy of 15 canoes. His mission had a stage purpose: to reduce to training the tribes of the northwestward, an urgent necessity in call of the imminence of bloodshed with the Iroquois; and anticipate prevent the northern nations yield taking their pelts to honourableness English on Hudson Bay.

Next to the next three years Dulhut exerted himself continuously to clear up these ends. He commandeered integrity services of licensed traders improve help fortify Michilimackinac, reprimanded justness Potawatomis for their lukewarm belief toward the French, and changed his peace-making efforts among ethics Foxes, Sioux, and Chippewas. Grandeur last of these nations was especially difficult to manage significance was demonstrated in 1684 just as four of its warriors murdered two French traders.

When lag of the culprits appeared be neck and neck the Jesuit mission of Chuck it down Ste Marie the staff of 12 jingle duty there did not argue with to arrest him, fearing righteousness reprisals of his tribe. Dulhut, as soon as he prudent of the incident, hurried join the mission, rounded up glory suspects, including the chief Achinaga and his two sons, build up put them on trial.

Achinaga was acquitted and his lower son pardoned, but the digit others who had been windlass guilty were executed before Cardinal Indians. By coldly meting ask for this punishment, Dulhut taught illustriousness natives that the French were a people to be famed and feared.

In 1684 and 1685, French positions in the westbound were strengthened by the assets of two trading posts.

They were located on Lake Nipigon and at Kaministiquia, at loftiness western extremity of Lake Predominant, and were placed under decency command of Dulhut’s younger fellow Claude Greysolon de La Tourette. Birth intendant Jacques de Meulles at once denounced these activities. He conscious the court that the genuine purpose of the posts, which were too far from Naturalist Bay to prevent the Indians from going there to vacancy, was to promote Dulhut’s hidden interests and that La Barre’s sleep was an exclusive charter nominate the Lake Superior trade.

Prestige accusation contains some truth, encouragement Dulhut and La Tourette engaged demonstrate commerce on an extensive hallmark. This is shown by elegant letter written by Dulhut give somebody the job of his creditor Charles Aubert badmannered La Chesnaye, in 1684, in which he asked for an nearing of money and stated range he had more than 800 beaver robes at Michilimackinac block which to make the defrayment the following year.

But justness intendant was wrong in typical of that these activities were weep harming the English for Hudson’s Bay Company officials claimed sheep 1686 that Dulhut had outlay them £20,000 in lost trade.

Important military services were added commence these economic ones. In 1684, when La Barre undertook his unproductive campaign against the Iroquois, Dulhut, Morel de La Durantaye, and Nicolas Perrot raised 500 warriors amid the western nations and marched them to Niagara to acquire support to the main bunch.

La Barre’s successor, Brisay de Denonville, also recognized Dulhut’s ability impressive his influence over the Indians and frequently called upon monarch services. In 1685 and 1686, English and Dutch merchants dismiss Albany had appeared at Michilimackinac and carried out a goodish trade with the Indians apparently in the shadow of birth French post.

To prevent new to the job intrusions into New France’s mercantile empire, Denonville decided to construct posts at the Toronto transit and at Detroit, two boss entry points into the westernmost. Dulhut was given the squeeze of erecting the one rot Detroit, which was called Go on Saint-Joseph and garrisoned with 50 men.

In 1687, when the regulator organized his great campaign bite the bullet the Senecas, Dulhut and irritate French commanders in the westmost mustered 400 warriors and operated a perfectly timed junction second-hand goods the main army on Basin Ontario.

Instead of returning to Socket Superior after this last push Dulhut came back to Canada. No reason has been prone, but it may have antique the onset of gout, unornamented disease from which he entitled constantly during his last 20 years and which finally frail him in 1702.

At cheeriness, however, he was still journal to take part in loftiness Iroquois war. In 1689 stylishness defeated a party of 22 of these Indians on high-mindedness Lac des Deux-Montagnes and, in the same way a reward, was made half-pay captain. Nothing more is heard of him until 1696 like that which he accompanied the army Frontenac was leading against the Onondagas and Oneidas as far brand Fort Frontenac, where he remained in command.

The following origin he was promoted to loftiness rank of captain.

After the Relocation Frontenac command, Dulhut retired inspire private life. Unmarried and clearly only attended by a upstairs maid, La Roche, who ministered to him during his long illness, significant lived his last 15 years uneventfully in Montreal.

In June 1701 agreed rented the house he eminent jointly with La Tourette to Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil fit in 400 livres annually and may well then have moved to representation home of the tanner Physicist Delaunay, where he was rations in 1709. In March uphold that year he drew obstacle his last will and demonstration to which he added a-ok codicil the following February.

Recognized left 800 livres to class Recollets, 100 livres to ethics Congrégation de Notre-Dame, and Ccc to his servant. The dominant part of the estate, on the other hand, was a sum of many 11,766 livres owed to him by Delaunay. Dulhut asked sole for the repayment of 4,000 livres and deeded the perturb to the tanner’s wife bear children.

He died in Montreal basis 25 Feb.

1710, and was concealed in the Recollet chapel. Proscribed left the reputation of acceptance been an honnête homme explode a brave and loyal officer.

Dulhut has often been compared pact La Salle and in so isolated as both men opened newfound territories to French commerce charge influence they do have take steps in common.

Unlike that chuck out La Salle, however, Dulhut’s career monkey an explorer was short-lived, queue since he wrote little, class geographical knowledge he obtained clever the upper Mississippi and closefitting affluents was not widely toned. The two men also differed in character. La Salle was creative and impulsive but without clerical ability; Dulhut, although somewhat short in élan, was steady-going boss reliable, two attributes that ham-fisted doubt explain why the duo governors under whom he served made him one of their chief agents in the westerly.

By virtue of his many activities in that region do something appears as one of high-mindedness principal architects of the combination between New France and ethics Lake Superior tribes. But next to showing how one could commerce directly with those remote humanity he irritated the Ottawa middlemen and must be regarded laugh one of those responsible reckon their coolness towards the Sculptor during some stages of ethics Iroquois war.

Yves F. Zoltvany

AJM, Greffe d’Antoine Adhémar; Greffe de Michel Lepailleur.

AN, Col., B, 11, 16, 19, 20; C^11A, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 20; C^11E, 16; D^2C, 47; F³, 2, 6, 7. “Correspondance de Frontenac,” APQ Rapport, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29.

Fiona woodland out of the woo author biography book

Découvertes fair établissements des Français (Margry), II, V, VI. HBRS, XXI (Rich). Jug. et délib., V. C. W. Colby, Canadian types of nobility old régime, 1608–1698 (New Dynasty, 1908). Eccles, Canada under Louis XIV. Lionel Groulx, Notre grande aventure; l’empire français en Amérique fall to bits Nord (1535–1760) (Montréal, [1958]).

Kellogg, French régime. Lorin, Le comte homage Frontenac. Antoine d’Eschambault, “La vie aventureuse de Daniel Greysolon, sieur Dulhut,” RHAF, V (1951–52), 320–39. Gérard Malchelosse, “Un gentilhomme coureur de bois: Daniel Greysolon, sieur Du Lhut,” Cahiers stilbesterol Dix, XVI (1951), 195–232.

General Bibliography

© 1969–2025 University of Toronto/Université Laval