- Sovereign Council of New France
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The Sovereign Council of New France was a political body appointed by the King of France and consisting of a Governor General, an Intendant of New France answered to the French Minister of the Marine, And also the Bishop witch helped with laws and land. The members of the council were chosen as part of the French nobility.
The introduction of this government cancelled the contract with the Compagnie des cents associées which apparently had failed to organize the establishment of thousands of colonists in America.
The institution lasted from its introduction in 1663 to the fall of New France in 1760. Its last meeting occurred on April 28, 1760, day of the Battle of Sainte-Foy.
As early as June 16, 1703, the King of France refers to the council as the Conseil Supérieur instead of the former Conseil Souverain.
Contents
Composition
The Sovereign Council included nine officials who were fully responsible for all legislative, executive, and judicial matters. It made rules and enacted laws concerning the day-to-day affairs of the colony
- The governor of this new regime was the direct representative of the king of France and was responsible for defense and diplomatic relations.
- The intendant was responsible for economic affairs and trade, the administration of justice, finance, settlement and seigneurialism. He traveled from house to house asking what should be improved.
- The bishop was in control of religious affairs, which included charity, education, hospitals and the Christianization of Amerindians.
- The Captain of the Militia informed the inhabitants of the Intendant's plans for the development for the colony, reported on the concerns of the people, and tallied the census.
- Five councillors served as a Court of Appeal and as a governing body, and they formed the colony's senior court of law. In 1703, the number of councillors was increased to 12. Prior to 1675 the councillors were appointed by the Governor General and thereafter by the King alone.[1]
Members of the Council
Governor General of New France
Name Term Sovereign Augustin de Mésy 1663-1665 Louis XIV Daniel de Courcelle 1665-1672 Le comte de Frontenac 1672-1682 Joseph-Antoine de LaBarre 1682-1685 Le marquis de Denonville 1685-1689 Le comte de Frontenac 1689-1698 Hector de Callière 1698-1703 Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil 1703-1725 Louis XV Le marquis de Beauharnois 1726-1747 Le comte de La Galissonnière 1747-1749 Le Marquis de la Jonquière 1749-1752 Le Marquis Duquesne 1752-1755 Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal 1755-1760 Intendant of New France
The Indendant was President of the Council.
Name Term Sovereign Jean Talon 1665-1668 Louis XIV Claude de Boutroue d'Aubigny 1668-1670 Jean Talon 1669-1672 Jacques Duchesneau de la Doussinière et d'Ambault [1] 1675-1682 Jacques de Meulles [2] 1682-1686 Jean Bochart de Champigny, sieur de Noroy de Verneuil [3] 1686-1702 François de Beauharnois de la Chaussaye, Baron de Beauville 1702-1705 Jacques Raudot co-intendant 1705-1711 Antoine-Denis Raudot co-intendant 1705-1710 Michel Bégon de la Picardière 1712-1726 Louis XV Claude-Thomas Dupuy 1726-1728 Gilles Hocquart 1729-1748 François Bigot 1748-1760 Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec
Name Term Sovereign Bishop François de Montmorency-Laval 1658-1688 Louis XIV of France Bishop Jean-Baptiste de la Croix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier [4] 1688-1727 Louis XIV of France (until September 1715) and Louis XV of France Bishop Louis-François Duplessis de Mornay 1727-1733 Louis XV of France Bishop Pierre-Herman Dosquet 1733-1739 Louis XV of France Bishop François-Louis de Pourroy de Lauberivière 1739-1740 Louis XV of France Bishop Henri-Marie Dubreil de Pontbriand 1741-1760 Louis XV of France - Captains of the Militia - head of militia units in each parish in New France
- Procurator General of New France
- Registrar of New France
See also
- New France
- Timeline of Quebec history
- List of Governors General of Canada
- List of French possessions and colonies
References
External links
- Les conseillers au Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France, Pierre-Georges Roy (The Consellors of the Sovereign Council of New France)
Topics of New France Subdivisions Acadia (1604–1713) • Canada (1608–1763) • Louisiana (1699–1763, 1800–1803) • Newfoundland (1662–1713) • Île Royale (1713–1763)
Towns Acadia (Port Royal) • Canada (Quebec, Trois-Rivières, Montreal, Détroit) • Île Royale (Louisbourg) • Louisiana (Mobile, New Orleans) • Newfoundland (Plaisance) • List of townsForts Fort Rouillé • Fort Michilimackinac • Fort de Buade;• Fort de Chartres • Fort Detroit • Fort Carillon • Fort Condé • Fort Duquesne • Fortress of Louisbourg • Castle Hill • List of FortsGovernment Canada (Governor General, Intendant, Sovereign Council, Bishop of Quebec, Governor of Trois-Rivières, Governor of Montreal) • Acadia (Governor, Lieutenant-General) • Newfoundland (Governor, Lieutenant-General) • Louisiana (Governor, Intendant, Superior Council) • Île Royale (Governor, Intendant, Superior Council)Justice Intendancy • Superior Council • Admiralty court • Provostship • Officiality • Seigneurial court • Attorney • Bailiff • Maréchaussée • Code NoirEconomy Society Religions War & Peace Intercolonial Wars • French and Iroquois Wars • Great Upheaval • Great Peace of Montreal • Schenectady massacre • Deerfield massacreRelated Categories:- New France
- Nobility of the Americas
- People of New France
- American colonial people
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