François De Laval

François De Laval

Laval worked in Quebec City as the Vicar Apostolic of Quebec from 1658–1674. Laval’s missionary work included converting and baptizing Indigenous peoples from the Huron community. Upon his arrival, he was immediately in opposition with Governor d’Argenson, particularly regarding the issue of selling alcohol to Indigenous peoples. Laval believed that Indigenous peoples being intoxicated was an embarrassment to the colony and endangered the lives of those around them. Laval quickly imposed the punishment of ex-communication on those who continued the alcohol trade in Quebec. Governor D’Argenson disagreed with Laval’s actions, deeming them an intrusion of church into state affairs. D’Argenson soon resigned and was replaced by d’Avaugour who decreed harsh punishment against anyone caught selling alcohol to Indigenous peoples. Despite this, Laval was still displeased. He believed that ex-communication was a far more humane consequence. In August 1662 Laval returned to France to discuss the matter with King Louis XIV. On 24 May 1679 Laval finally succeeded in obtaining a royal decree banning the trade of alcohol.

He worked in New France in Quebec City from 1658 to 1674.

Person

Quebec City.

André Vachon, “LAVAL, FRANÇOIS DE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 2, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 3, 2021, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/laval_francois_de_2E.html.

30 April 1623

Montigny-sur-Avre, Perche, Kingdom of France

6 May 1708 (aged 85)

Quebec, Viceroyalty of New France, French colonial empire

Vicar Apostolic of New France (1658–1674); Titular Bishop of Petra in Palaestina (1674–1688)

French

Laval was born on 30 April 1623 in Montigny-Sur-Avre in the ancient Province of Perche, France. His father, Hugues de Laval was the Seigneur (Lord) of Montigny, Montbaudry, Alaincourt and Revercourt. His mother, Michelle de Péricard was from a family of officers of the Crown in Normandy. As a child, Laval was admitted into a society founded by the Jesuits, that aimed to inspire young people to adopt religious lifestyles. In 1637, Laval was appointed a canon of the Cathedral of Évreux by the Bishop of Évreux. In December of 1647, Laval was appointed as the archdeacon of his diocese. This post required Laval to oversee the affairs of 155 parishes and four chapels. In the following years, Laval devoted himself to establishing order in the parishes, providing relief for the poor, and caring for the sick. On 8 December 1658, in Paris, Laval was consecrated as the Vicar Apostolic of Quebec. On April 13, 1659, Laval took an oath of loyalty to King Louis XIV, making him the first Bishop of New France. Laval then sailed to New France where he would do missionary work to spread the Catholic faith throughout Quebec.

Groulx, Lionel « BÉGIN, abbé Émile, François de Laval. Préface de M. l’abbé Jean-Marie Fortier. Les Presses Universitaires Laval, Québec, 1959. 222 p. ». Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française 13, no 3 (1959) : 438–440. https://doi.org/10.7202/301993ar ; Moogk, Peter N., "François de Laval". In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published January 21, 2008; Last Edited March 04, 2015. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/francois-de-laval ; Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "François de Montmorency Laval." Encyclopedia Britannica, May 2, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francois-de-Montmorency-Laval.

Title: François de Montmorency-Laval. 1er Évêque de Québec

Creator: Benjamin Sulte

Date: 1882

Source: Courtesy of Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec / 52327/1956458

URL: https://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1956458

Conflict and Change in Early Canadian History (Carleton HIST 1301)

Eric Boulay