Samuel de Champlain

• BIRTH Aug 13, 1574 La Rochelle, Aunis, France
• DEATH Dec 25, 1635 Québec, Québec, Canada
• BURIAL Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance, Québec, Québec, Canada

Samuel de Champlain (French pronunciation: ​[sam%C9%A5%C9%9Bl də ʃɑ̃plɛ̃] born Samuel Champlain; on or before August 13, 1574 – December 25, 1635), "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608. He is important to Canadian history because he made the first accurate map of the coast and he helped establish the settlements.

Born into a family of mariners, Champlain, while still a young man, began exploring North America in 1603 under the guidance of François Gravé Du Pont, From 1604 to 1607 Champlain participated in the exploration and settlement of the first permanent European settlement north of Florida, Port Royal, Acadia (1605). Then, in 1608, he established the French settlement that is now Quebec City. Champlain was the first European to explore and describe the Great Lakes, and published maps of his journeys and accounts of what he learned from the natives and the French living among the Natives. He formed relationships with local Montagnais and Innu and later with others farther west (Ottawa River, Lake Nipissing, or Georgian Bay), with Algonquin and with Huron Wendat, and agreed to provide assistance in their wars against the Iroquois.

In 1620, Louis XIII ordered Champlain to cease exploration, return to Quebec, and devote himself to the administration of the country. In every way but formal title, Samuel de Champlain served as Governor of New France, a title that may have been formally unavailable to him owing to his non-noble status. He established trading companies that sent goods, primarily fur, to France, and oversaw the growth of New France in the St. Lawrence River valley until his death in 1635.

Champlain is also memorialized as the "Father of New France" and "Acadia", and many places, streets, and structures in northeastern North America bear his name, or have monuments established in his memory. The most notable of these is Lake Champlain, which straddles the border between northern New York and Vermont, extending slightly across the border into Canada. In 1609 he led an expedition up the Richelieu River and explored a long, narrow lake situated between the Green Mountains of present-day Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains of present-day New York; he named the lake after himself as the first European to map and describe it.

Exploration

On July 10, 1609 Samuel de Champlain embarked on an expedition to establish better relations with Indian tribes in the Saint Lawrence River Region, including the Wendat Hurons, Algonquins, and Montagnais. He, with two other Frenchmen, joined a party of Hurons and Algonquins in an expedition against the Iroquois. The Iroquois were the traditional enemies of both nations. Together, they ascended the Sorel River and then crossed present-day Lake Champlain. At night they cut down large trees, as a barricade to their camp, and sent out a counting party, but posted no pickets around the camp.

"We departed on the following day, pursuing our way up the river as far as the entrance to the lake. In it are many beautiful low islands covered with very fine woods and meadows with many wild fowl and animals to hunt, such as stags, fallow deer, fawns, roebucks, bears, and other kinds of animals which come from the mainland to these islands. We caught there a great many of them. There are also many beavers, both in that river and in several small streams which fall into it. This region although pleasant is not inhabited by Indians, on account of their wars; for they withdraw from the rivers as far as they can into the interior, in order not to be easily surprised."

On the following day, we entered the lake which is some 80 or 100 leagues in length, in which I saw four beautiful islands about ten, twelve, and fifteen leagues in length, which, like the Iroquois river, were formerly inhabited by Indians: but have been abandoned, since they have been at war with one another. There are also several rivers flowing into the lake, on whose banks are many fine trees of the same varieties we have in France, with many of the finest vines I had seen anywhere. There are many chestnut trees which I had only seen on the shore of this lake, in which there is also a great abundance of many species of fish.

Description of the Vicious Gar Fish

Amongst others there is one called by the natives Chaousarou, which is of various lengths; but the largest of them, as these tribes have told me, are from eight to ten feet long. I have seen some five feet long, which were as big as my thigh, and had a head as large as my two fists, with a snout two feet and a half long, and a double row of very sharp, dangerous teeth. Its body has a good deal of the shape of the pike, but it is protected by scales of a silvery gray color and so strong that a dagger could not pierce them. The end of its snout is like a pig’s.

This fish makes war on all the other fish which are in these lakes and rivers. And, according to what these tribes have told me, it shows marvelous ingenuity in that when it wishes to catch birds, it goes in amongst the rushes or reeds that lie along the shores of the lake in several places, and puts its snout out of the water without moving. The result is that when the birds come and light on its snout, mistaking it for a stump of wood, the fish is so cunning that, shutting its half-open mouth, it pulls them by their feet under the water. The natives gave me the head of one of them, a thing they prize highly, saying that when they have a headache, they bleed themselves with the teeth of this fish at the spot where the pain is and it ease them at once.

Heading to Battle

Continuing our way along this lake in a westerly direction and viewing the country, I saw towards the east very high mountains on the tops of which there was snow. I inquired of the natives whether these parts were inhabited. They said they were, and by the Iroquois, and that in those parts there were beautiful valleys and fields rich in corn such as I have eaten in that country, along with other products in abundance. And they said that the lake went close to the mountains, which, as I judged, might be some twenty-five leagues away from us. Towards the south, I saw others that were not less lofty than the first mentioned, but there was no snow on these. The Indians told me that it was there that we were to meet their enemies, that the mountains were thickly populated, and that we had to pass a rapid which I saw afterward.

Thence they said we had to enter another lake which is some nine or ten leagues in length, and that on reaching the end of it we had to go by land some two leagues and cross a river which descends to the coast of Norumbega, adjoining that of Florida. They could go there in their canoes in two days, as I learned afterward from some prisoners we took, who conversed with me very particularly regarding all they knew, with the help of some Algonquin interpreters who knew the Iroquois language. Now as we began to get within two or three days’ journey of the home of their enemy, we proceeded only by night, and during the day we rested.

Nevertheless, they kept up their usual superstitious ceremonies in order to know what was to happen to them in their undertakings, and often would come and ask me whether I had had dreams and had seen their enemies. I would tell them that I had not, but nevertheless continued to inspire them with courage and good hope. When night came on, we set off on our way until the next morning. Then we retired into the thick woods where we spent the rest of the day.

Towards ten or eleven o’clock, after walking around our camp, I went to take a rest, and while asleep I dreamed that I saw in the lake near a mountain our enemies, the Iroquois, drowning before our eyes. I wanted to succour them, but our Indian allies said to me that we should let them all perish; for they were bad men. When I awoke they did not fail to ask me as usual whether I had dreamed anything. I told them what I had seen in my dream. This gave them such confidence that they no longer had any doubt as to the good fortune awaiting them.

Evening having come, we embarked in our canoes in order to proceed on our way, and as we were paddling along very quietly, and without making any noise, about ten o’clock at night on the 29th of July, at the extremity of a cape which projects into the lake on the west side, we met the Iroquois on the warpath. Both they and we began to utter loud shouts and each got his arms ready. We drew out into the lake and the Iroquois landed and arranged all their canoes near one another. Then they began to fell trees with the poor axes which they sometimes win in war, or with stone axes, and they barricaded themselves well.

Our Indians all night long also kept their canoes close to one another and tied to poles in order not to get separated, but to fight all together in case of need. We were on the water within bowshot of their barricades. And when they were armed, and everything in order, they sent two canoes which they had separated from the rest, to learn from their enemies whether they wished to fight, and these replied that they had no other desire, but that for the moment nothing could be seen and that it was necessary to wait for daylight in order to distinguish one another.

They said that as soon as the sun should rise, they would attack us, and to this, our Indians agreed. Meanwhile, the whole night was spent in dances and songs on both sides, with many insults and other remarks, such as the lack of courage of our side, how little we could resist or do against them, and that when daylight came our people would learn all this to their ruin. Our side too was not lacking in retort, telling the enemy that they would see such deeds of arms as they had never seen, and a great deal of other talk, such as is usual at the siege of a city. [5]

Battle of Lake Champlain== — the Beaver Wars Begin July 30, 1609

Having sung, danced, and flung words at one another for some time, when daylight came,[30th of July 1609] my companions and I were still hidden, lest the enemy should see us, getting our firearms ready as best we could, being however still separated, each in a canoe of the Montagnais Indians. After we were armed with light weapons, we took, each of us, an arquebus — a type of long-gun — and went ashore. I saw the enemy come out of their barricade to the number of two hundred, in appearance strong, robust men. They came slowly to meet us with a gravity and calm which I admired; and at their head were three chiefs.

Our Indians likewise advanced in a similar order, and told me that those who had the three big plumes were the chiefs and that there were only these three, whom you could recognize by these plumes, which were larger than those of their companions; and I was to do what I could to kill them. I promised them to do all in my power, and told them that I was very sorry they could not understand me so that I might direct their method of attacking the enemy, all of whom undoubtedly we should thus defeat; but that there was no help for it, and that I was very glad to show them, as soon as the engagement began, the courage and readiness which were in me.

As soon as we landed, our Indians began to run some two hundred yards towards their enemies, who stood firm and had not yet noticed my white companions who went off into the woods with some Indians. Our Indians began to call to me with loud cries; and to make way for me they divided into two groups, and put me ahead some twenty yards, and I marched on until I was within some thirty yards of the enemy, who as soon as they caught sight of me halted and gazed at me and I at them.

When I saw them make a move to draw their bows upon us, I took aim with my arquebus and shot straight at one of the three chiefs, and with this shot two fell to the ground and one of their companions was wounded who died thereof a little later. I had put four bullets into my arquebus. As soon as our people saw this shot so favorable for them, they began to shout so loudly that one could not have heard it thunder, and meanwhile, the arrows flew thick on both sides.

The Iroquois were much astonished that two men should have been killed so quickly, although they were provided with shields made of cotton thread woven together and wood, which were proof against their arrows. This frightened them greatly. As I was reloading my arquebus, one of my companions fired a shot from within the woods, which astonished them again so much that, seeing their chiefs dead, they lost courage and took to flight, abandoning the field and their fort, and fleeing into the depth of the forest, whither I pursued them and laid low still more of them.

Our Indians also killed several and took ten or twelve prisoners. The remainder fled with the wounded. Of our Indians, fifteen or sixteen were wounded with arrows, but these were quickly healed. After we had gained the victory, our Indians wasted time in taking a large quantity of Indian corn and meal belonging to the enemy, as well as their shields, which they had left behind, the better to run. Having feasted, danced, and sung, we three hours later set off for home with the prisoners. [5]

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The tribes asked for Champlain’s help in their conflict with the Iroquois Confederacy League, also known as the Five Nations. Champlain and 11 men joined forces with the Algonquins and others to confront the Iroquois. During the expedition, Champlain discovered a large lake, which is known today as Lake Champlain. Algonquian forces, bolstered by the French, won the Battle of Lake Champlain. The battle took place near the present-day location of Fort Ticonderoga in New York. Because of the location, it is also known as the 1609 Battle of Ticonderoga.
Fort Ticonderoga was the site of two significant battles during the American Revolutionary War — the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga (1775) and the Siege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777).

The Battle of Lake Champlain was fought at Lake Champlain on July 22, 1609. A small contingent of French, led by Samuel de Champlain, fought with the Algonquin, Huron, and Montagnais warriors against the Iroquois Confederacy. It was the first battle in the Beaver Wars and the first time Native American Indians living in the region witnessed the use of European firearms at Lake Champlain. According to accounts of the battle, the Iroquois were shocked at the appearance of Champlain and other other Frenchmen. The brief battle ended when the Iroquois fled after Champlain fired his musket and killed three Iroquois. At the time of the Battle of Lake Champlain, the Iroquois were still the Five Nations. According to some accounts, they had no contact with Europeans prior to the battle.

The Iroquois Confederacy initially consisted of five nations — Mohawks, Onondagas, Cayugas, Oneidas, and Senecas. The Tuscaroras of North Carolina, after their defeat by the colonists in 1714, joined them, and the Five Nations became known as the Six Nations. Each of these six nations was a republic by itself, with a separate government. They mainly lived in souther Ontario, western and central New York, which was favorable for grown maize and was plentiful with game for them to hunt. The region is dominated by many rivers and waterways, which allowed the Iroquois to send expeditions to wage war on their enemies. The alliance between the English and the Iroquois played a significant role in keeping Western New York from becoming a French Colony.

Around 1700, the Iroquois Confederacy reached the height of its power and controlled many of the tribes in the present-day regions of New York, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and parts of Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Northern Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New England, and Upper Canada. The Iroquois called themselves Ongwe Hongwe, meaning “the men surpassing all others,” even though they had roughly 4,000 warriors among them. When they fought in battles, they inevitably suffered casualties. According to their custom, when one of their own died, they replaced him by adopting one of their captives into the tribe.
They built forts surrounded by palisades — tall walls — with platforms on the inside. If the fort was attacked, they could stand on the platforms to throw rocks and shoot arrows at their enemies. Water was often stored inside the fort, in case the enemy tried to set the fort on fire. The forts were more than 100 feet long and circular or oval in shape.

Their general assembly was at the Great Council held at the Long House in the Onondaga Valley and only the members of the council were admitted. The Confederacy had been formed to keep peace and for defensive purposes long before the arrival of the Europeans and the Great Council held supreme authority when it came to issues that affected all the nations. The Onondagas, being the central tribe, were made “Keepers of the Fire” and their valley was the seat of government, where the Great Council met.

The Battle of Lake Champlain is important to United States history because of the role it played in starting the Beaver Wars, a long-running series of battles and skirmishes fought over control of the Fur Trade. Since the Iroquois were fighting against the French and their Indian allies, the Iroquois allied with the English. The alliance kept Western New York from falling under French control and played a significant role in the French and Indian Wars, and the Albany Congress. [3]

References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_de_Champlain

2. A Chronicle of Champlain by Charles W. Colby, 1920.

3. https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/lake-champlain-battl...

4.http://www.canada.com/news/Baptism+record+that+solved+mystery+Samue...

5. Name American History Central Publisher R.Squared Communications, LLC Original Published Date September 8, 2023 Date of Last Update September 11, 2023 https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/lake-champlain-battl...

6. Father Denis Jamay, O.F.M. Rec. Père Denis Jamay]

7. Father George le Baillif Père George Le Baillif], conseiller et ami

7. Father Joseph Le Caron, O.F.M. Rec. Père Joseph Le Caron]

Additional Information= see Geni in French

La Premère Messe au Canada

Le pêre Jamay, en compagnie du père Le Caron, Champlain, De Pontgravé et quelques autres français, ont célébré la première messe au Canada à la Rivière-des-Prairies sur l'Île de Montréal le 24 juin 1615.

Pays des Hurons

Le père Le Caron, en compagnie de Champlain et de d'autres français, ont célébré la première messe en Huronie (aujourd'hui la baie georgienne, Ontario) le 12 août 1615.

Notes

• Lieux info: Saintonge, France (naissance1), Aunis, France (naissance2), Isle de France, France (mariage), Québec (décès,inhumation)
  • Naissance : Brouage de Saintonge ou La Rochelle (Aunis) ? Controverse. Disons les deux pour l'instant.
  • Inhumation : On dit qu'il a été inhumé à la chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance, mais son tombeau n'a toujours pas été découvert. (source)
• Pionnier de la Nouvelle-France. Arrive au Québec en 1608. Fondateur de la ville de Québec. Construit la chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance en 1633 à la suite d'un vœu qu'il fit si les Français reprendraient le territoire perdu lors de la conquête des frères anglais Kirk de 1629.
• Postes Canada a émis trois timbres en l'honneur de Champlain en 1908, 1958 et 2008 .

Au Sujet du Baptême de Samuel de Champlain

• Sources: 1) Marcel Fournier, 2) Dix Jours qui ont fait le Québec, Page 20, VLB éditer

Bulletin n° 35, décembre 2012

L'acte de baptême de Samuel de Champlain n'a pas été retrouvé1
NDLR – La question de l'acte de baptême de Champlain constitue un débat d'idées et l'opinion émise dans le présent texte n'engage que son auteur.

Par Éric Thierry Historien Source : Québecensia, volume 31, n° 2, novembre 2012

La découverte du généalogiste Jean-Marie Germe Le 13 avril 2012, le quotidien français Sud-Ouest a révélé la découverte par le généalogiste poitevin Jean-Marie Germe de « l'acte de baptême pastoral de Samuel Champlain » à La Rochelle2. Cette publication a marqué le début d'une semaine d'intense agitation médiatique au Québec. Sous la conduite de Marcel Fournier, un consensus s'est hâtivement dégagé en faveur de l'authenticité de cette découverte3. Dès le début, j'ai été un des rares à émettre des doutes. Je remercie non seulement la Société historique de Québec de m'avoir proposé de présenter mon point de vue, mais aussi la Commission franco-québécoise sur les lieux de mémoire communs de le faire connaître à son lectorat.

Le document découvert par Jean-Marie Germe peut être consulté aisément puisque le registre où il se trouve a été numérisé et qu'il est visible sur le site des Archives départementales de la Charente-Maritime4. Au verso du folio 49 de ce recueil d'actes de baptêmes célébrés dans le temple rochelais Saint-Yon de 1573 à 1575, on peut lire : « Le vandredy treziesme jour daougst mil cinq centz soysente et quatorze a esté baptizé Samuel filz de Anthoynne Chapeleau et de m [mot rayé] Margerite Le Roy, p[a]rain Estienne Paris, mayrenne Marye Rousseau. Denors N Girault [paraphe] ».

L'année de naissance et la religion de Champlain 1574 est une année de naissance de Champlain tout à fait vraisemblable. Dans un article publié en 1978, Jean Liebel a proposé « vers 1580 », en s'appuyant sur l'acte de baptême de François Gravé daté du 27 novembre 1560 et sur un passage des Voyages de 1632 de Champlain dans lequel celui-ci affirmait que l'âge de François Gravé l'incitait à le respecter comme son père5. Plus récemment, en 2010, Conrad Heidenreich a préféré le milieu des années 1570, car, selon lui, Champlain ne devait plus être un jeune adolescent pour être admis comme aide du maréchal des logis Jean Hardy en 15956.

Le protestantisme des parents de Champlain n'est pas non plus invraisemblable. On le suppose depuis longtemps car Samuel est un prénom biblique rarement porté par des catholiques7. Cela n'est pas incompatible avec le catholicisme que Champlain a toujours professé : la frontière entre les deux confessions n'est devenue hermétique que progressivement au XVIIe siècle, au fur et à mesure que la plupart des décisions du concile de Trente ont été imposées en France. Jusque-là, le passage d'une religion à l'autre était fréquent. En témoignent les cas du roi Henri IV et de beaucoup de ses contemporains qui n'ont cessé de croire à la possibilité de réconcilier tous les chrétiens8.

Chapeleau ou Champlain ? Ce qui permet de douter de l'authenticité de la découverte de Jean-Marie Germe, c'est surtout le nom Chapeleau. Certes, on peut, comme l'a fait Marcel Fournier, rappeler que les graphies des noms propres varient beaucoup dans les documents anciens9, mais la forme Chapeleau, ou une autre phonétiquement proche, ne se rencontre jamais dans des actes passés par le fondateur de Québec. On ne trouve que les variantes Zamplen (1601), Camplain (1610), Champelain ou Champellain (1613, 1625, 1630 et 1633), Champlin (1618), Champlein, Champlaine, Shamplin et Champlayne (1629-1632)10.

À propos des parents de Samuel de Champlain, le seul document sûr est ce passage du contrat de son mariage avec Hélène Boullé passé le 27 décembre 1610 : il y est dit « filz de feu Anthoine de Camplain [Champlain] vivant cappitaine de la Marine et de dame Marguerite Le Roy ses père et mere »11. Samuel de Champlain s'est toujours montré fier de son patronyme et de la particule l'accompagnant. On les retrouve dès 1595, dans un état des sommes qu'il a reçues lorsqu'il servait dans l'armée du roi en Bretagne. Ils y apparaissent sous les formes « Samuel de Champlain » et même « sieur de Champlain »12, ce qui atteste que le fondateur de Québec a prétendu très tôt porter un nom de terre et vivre noblement.

Une découverte déjà ancienne faite dans les archives d'un notaire de Marennes est utilisée par ceux qui voient dans Chapeleau une variante possible de Champlain. Il s'agit d'un acte daté du 23 décembre 1573 qui concerne la vente d'une moitié de navire par un pilote de Brouage se nommant Antoine Chappelain ou Chappelin. Il est aujourd'hui courant de considérer cet homme comme le père du fondateur de Québec. Dès lors, on peut dire que seul le son final distingue Chappelain ou Chappelin de Chapeleau, et que c'est finalement bien peu de chose. On oublie les réserves formulées non seulement par celui qui a découvert le document13 mais aussi par ceux qui ont été les premiers à le publier : « Aucune preuve ne permet d'affirmer avec une certitude absolue que cet homme est le père de Champlain »14. Chappelain ou Chappelin n'est pas une variante certaine de Champlain, ce qui rend très hasardeux le rapprochement avec Chapeleau.

Plaque commémorative à Brouage Crédit photo : Gaston Deschênes La question du lieu de naissance de Champlain J'aimerais enfin examiner la question du lieu de naissance de Champlain. Contrairement à ce que Marcel Fournier n'a pas hésité à laisser entendre15, il n'y a aucun document qui atteste que les parents de Champlain aient eu une propriété à La Rochelle. On ne peut même pas supposer, comme l'a pourtant fait Jean-Marie Germe16, qu'ils aient logé, en août 1574, dans la maison rochelaise des Quatre-Vents que possédait le capitaine Guillaume Allene : à cette date, celui-ci était marié à Guillemette Gousse ; il n'avait pas encore épousé une sœur de Marguerite Le Roy17. Les parents de Champlain étaient installés à Brouage. En effet, les biens immobiliers qu'ils possédaient et qu'ils ont transmis à leur fils unique s'y trouvaient tous. Il s'agit de trois maisons qui ont été vendues par le fondateur de Québec en 1626 et 163018.

De toute façon, un document conforte la thèse de la naissance de Samuel de Champlain à Brouage : il s'agit de la donation faite en sa faveur par Guillaume Allene à Cadix le 26 juin 1601. Rédigé en espagnol, l'acte présente « Samuel Zamplen » comme « natural del bruaze », c'est-à-dire « naturel de Brouage ». Par « naturel », on peut comprendre « natif » car, à l'époque, c'est un sens courant du mot19. Un extrait du même document confirme cette interprétation : « Yo Guillermo Elena, de nascion marselles, natural que soy de la ciudad de Marsella »20, c'est-à-dire, « Moi, Guillermo Elena [Guillaume Allene], de la nation marseillaise, naturel [natif] que je suis de la cité de Marseille ». Ce lieu de naissance de Guillaume Allene est aussi donné par son contrat de mariage avec Guillemette Gousse daté du 17 novembre 1563 : rédigé en français, l'acte précise qu'il est « natif de Marseille, fils de feu Anthoine Allenne et de Gassin Andriou ses père et mère demeurant audit lieu de Marseille »21.

Contrairement à Marcel Fournier, je ne crois pas que Champlain soit né à Brouage et que ses parents soient allés à La Rochelle pour le faire baptiser dans la foi protestante22. Certes, l'existence d'un temple à Brouage n'est pas attestée en 1574, mais il y avait au moins un pasteur dans ce port de Saintonge alors occupé par les troupes huguenotes23. Il s'agit de Nicolas Folion, dit La Vallée. Sa biographie est relativement bien connue : pasteur successivement à Marseille, à Toulouse et à La Rochelle, il a exercé cette fonction à Brouage de 1572 à 157624. En août 1574, il aurait pu baptiser sur place le fils d'Antoine de Champlain et de Marguerite Le Roy.

Acte de baptême de Samuel Chapeleau tiré de Wikipedia

Alors que ces derniers semblent installés à Brouage, Antoine Chapeleau et son épouse, appelée aussi Marguerite Le Roy, paraissent implantés à La Rochelle. Ce sont les parrain et marraine mentionnés dans le document découvert par Jean-Marie Germe qui peuvent le laisser penser. En 1574, un Rochelais appelé Etienne Paris investissait dans les navires de course : il était le seul propriétaire et armateur du Lion, un navire de 70 tonneaux, et prêtait environ 12 000 livres à la grosse aventure sur 11 autres vaisseaux, dont la Florissante25. Quant à Marie Rousseau, elle était peut-être la mère du futur historien rochelais Amos Barbot né en 1566 et l'épouse de Jean Barbot, sieur du Treuil-Gras, pair et échevin de La Rochelle26.

Pour conclure Est-il bien utile de rappeler que je ne pense pas que Samuel de Champlain ait été baptisé au temple Saint-Yon de la Rochelle le 13 août 1574 et qu'il soit le fils d'Antoine Chapeleau et de Marguerite Le Roy ? Selon moi, Jean-Marie Germe n'a pas découvert l'acte de baptême du fondateur de Québec : trop de doutes subsistent. Les chercheurs doivent encore fouiller les dépôts d'archives et les bibliothèques. Avec la découverte de Jean-Marie Germe, Samuel Chapeleau a été mis en pleine lumière, mais Samuel de Champlain a conservé ses zones d'ombre.

__________ (1) Historien français, Éric Thierry publie à Québec chez Septentrion une édition annotée et en français moderne des œuvres de Champlain. Trois volumes sont déjà sortis : Les fondations de l’Acadie et de Québec (2008), A la rencontre des Algonquins et des Hurons (2009) et Au secours de l’Amérique française (2011). (2) Thomas Brosset « Samuel Champlain, le fondateur de Québec, avait été baptisé à La Rochelle », Sud-Ouest, 13 avril 2012 (http://www.sudouest.fr/2012/04/13/samuel-champlain-le-fondateur-de-...). (3) Olivier Parent, « Champlain serait né à La Rochelle », Le Soleil, 15 avril 2012. (4) http://charente-maritime.fr/archinoe/visu_affiche.php?PHPSID=fo5rcd... (5) Jean Liebel, « On a vieilli Champlain », Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française, XXXII, 2 (septembre 1978), p. 229-237. (6) Conrad E. Heidenreich et K. Janet Ritch, Samuel de Champlain before 1604. Des Sauvages and Other Documents Relating to the Period, Toronto/Montréal et Kingston-Londres-Ithaca, The Champlain Society/Mc Gill-Queen’s University Press, 2010, p. 429-433. (7) N. W., « Champlain était-il huguenot ? », Bulletin. Société de l'histoire du protestantisme français : études, documents, chronique littéraire, 6 (1912), p. 274-277. (8) Thierry Wanegffelen, Une difficile fidélité. Catholiques malgré le concile de Trente. XVIe-XVIIe siècles, Paris, PUF, 1999. (9) Marcel Fournier, « Samuel de Champlain : de Brouage ou de La Rochelle ? Les deux ! », Québecensia. Bulletin de la Société historique de Québec, XXXI, 1 (mai 2012), p. 8. (10) Conrad Heidenreich a fait un relevé à peu près exhaustif (Samuel de Champlain before 1604, p. 442-446). Il n'a omis que la variante Camplain présente dans le contrat de mariage du 27 décembre 1610. (11) Emmanuel de Cathelineau, « La minute notariée du contrat de mariage de Champlain », Nova Francia, V, 3 (mai-juin 1930), p. 144. (12) C. E. Heidenreich et K. Janet Ritch, Samuel de Champlain before 1604, p. 164, 166, 168 et 170. (13) Marcel Delafosse, « L'oncle de Champlain », Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française, XII, 2 (1958), p. 208, note 3 : « Un acte du 23 Décembre 1573 [%E2%80%A6] concerne bien un Antoine Chappelain pilote de navire à Brouage qui vend une barque, mais la signature est incontestablement "Chappelain" et non Champlain ». (14) Robert Le Blant et René Baudry, Nouveaux documents sur Champlain et son époque, t. I : 1560-1622, Ottawa, Archives publiques du Canada, 1967, p. 10, note 1. (15) M. Fournier, « Samuel de Champlain : de Brouage ou de La Rochelle? Les deux ! ». (16) T. Brosset, « Samuel Champlain, Rochelais ? », Sud-Ouest, 14 avril 2012. (17) M. Delafosse, « L'oncle de Champlain », p. 213-214. (18) Eliane et Jimmy Vigé, Brouage. Capitale du sel et patrie de Champlain, Saint-Jean-d'Angély, 1990, p. 286-290. (19) « Naturel », Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2012. ATILF CNRS-Université de Lorraine (http://atilf.atilf.fr/scripts/dmfX.exe?IDF=dmfXdXrmXnf;ISIS=isis_dm...;;). (20) C. E. Heidenreich et K. J. Ritch, Samuel de Champlain before 1604, p. 178. Ces auteurs ont publié le document espagnol, mais j'ai traduit moi-même en français les extraits. (21) R. Le Blant et R. Baudry, Nouveaux documents sur Champlain et son époque, p. 2. (22) M. Fournier, « Samuel de Champlain : de Brouage ou de La Rochelle ? Les deux ! ». (23) La Noue s'était emparé de Brouage au printemps 1574 (J.-B Vincent, « Un grand port français oublié (Brouage, la ville morte, racontée par des documents) », Revue maritime, CXCIV (juillet-septembre 1912), p. 295.) (24) Hippolyte Aubert, « Les débuts de l'Église de Marseille au XVIe siècle », Société de l'histoire du protestantisme français. Bulletin, 1917, p. 136-139. (25) M. Delafosse, « Les corsaires protestants à La Rochelle (1570-1577) », Bibliothèque de l'École des chartes, CXXI (1963), p. 196-197. (26) Denys d'Aussy, « Histoire de La Rochelle par Amos Barbot », Archives historiques de la Saintonge et de l'Aunis, XIV (1886), p. 4-5.

Autres Sources

• Champlain serait né à La Rochelle, Le Soleil
• Samuel de Champlain serait né protestant, Le Soleil