Governor
Cliquez ici pour la version française
Le Gouverneur | The Governor General
Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac and Palluau ("Dessin de Louis de Buade, comte de Frontenac et de Palluau (1622-1698)", 2016 drawing by Christian Robert de Massy, Wikimedia Commons)
The gouverneur, or Governor General of New France, was the representative of the king, the main figure of the colony, and commander in chief of the army. From the noble class, he led the Sovereign Council.
Once a year, the governor had to provide an account to his superior, the Minister of Marine. Together with the intendant, he spearheaded the colony’s development, granted seigneurial land plots and supervised the fur trade. In other words, he was a powerful figure who played a major political and social role in New France.
The position of Governor General of New France was a vice-regal post from 1663 until 1760. It was replaced by the British post of Governor of the Province of Québec following the fall of New France. While the districts of Montreal and Trois-Rivières had their own governors, the Governor General of New France and the Governor of the district of Quebec were the same person.
The Governors General of New France were:
Charles Jacques du Huault de Montmagny (1636-1648)
Louis d'Ailleboust, sieur de Coulonge (1648-1651)
Jean de Lauzon (1651-1657)
Pierre du Voyer, vicomte d'Argenson (1658-1661)
Pierre Dubois, baron d'Avaugour (1661-1663)
Augustin de Saffray, sieur de Mézy (1663–1665)
Daniel de Rémy, sieur de Courcelles (1665–1672)
Louis de Buade, comte de Palluau et de Frontenac (1672–1682)
Joseph-Antoine Lefèbvre de La Barre (1682–1685)
Jacques-René de Brisay, marquis de Denonville (1685–1689)
Louis de Buade, comte de Palluau et de Frontenac (1689–1698)
Louis-Hector, chevalier de Callières (1698–1703)
Philippe de Rigaud, marquis de Vaudreuil (1703–1725)
Charles de Boische, marquis de Beauharnois (1725–1747)
Roland-Michel Barrin, comte de La Galissonière (1748–1749)
Pierre Jacques de Taffanel, marquis de la Jonquière (1749–1752)
Michel-Ange Duquesne. marquis de Menneville (1752–1755)
Pierre de Rigaud de Cavagnal, marquis de Vaudreuil (1755–1760)
"Presumed portrait of Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois (1671-1749), Governor of New France", 1748 oil painting by Robert Tournières, Wikimedia Commons)
"Chevalier Louis-Hector de Callières", 1936 drawing (unknown artist), BAnQ numérique
"Portrait de Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil (1698-1778)", circa 1753 oil painting attributed to Donat Nonnotte, Library and Archives Canada)
“Heritage Minutes” from 1992 featuring the Governor Frontenac at the Battle of Québec
Sources:
Jacques Mathieu, "Gouverneur". In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, 2006; Last Edited December 16, 2013. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/gouverneur.
Claude Lemay, "Fonctions et métiers délaissés", l'Ancêtre, number 281, volume 34, winter 2008, and number 280, volume 34, winter 2007; electronic edition, Société généalogique de Québec (www.sgq.qc.ca/images/_SGQ/R_LAncetre_plus_libre/ENT-FONCTIONS-METIERS-DELAISSES.pdf).
“Les gouverneurs de la Nouvelle-France (1612-1760),” University of Ottawa (https://www.uottawa.ca/calc/gouverneurs-nouvelle-france-1612-1760).