Robert cavelier sieur de la salle biography
Robert cavelier sieur de la salle biography
Sieur de la salle and texas!
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
(1643-1687)
Who Was René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle?
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was an explorer best known for leading an expedition down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
He claimed the region watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries for France and named it Louisiana after King Louis XIV. His last expedition to establish fur trading posts failed and cost La Salle his life in 1687.
Early Life
La Salle was born into a wealthy merchant family in Rouen, France, on November 22, 1643.
When La Salle was 15, he gave up his inheritance to become a Jesuit priest. However, by age 22, La Salle found himself attracted to adventure and asked to be sent abroad as a missionary to join his brother, Jean, who had been in New France (Canada) for a year and was a priest of the Seminary of St.
Sulpice.
New Life in New France
With no craft and no funds, La Salle was nearly destitute when he landed on the island of Montreal