Étienne Brûlé facts for kids

Étienne Brûlé (born around 1592 – died around June 1633) was a very early European explorer in what is now Canada. He was likely the first European to travel beyond the St. Lawrence River.

Étienne spent many years living with the Huron people. He became very good at their language and learned a lot about their culture. He worked as an interpreter and guide for Samuel de Champlain, another famous explorer. Champlain sent Brûlé on many trips. It is thought that Brûlé saw the Great Lakes before Champlain did. He explored places like Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, and the Humber and Ottawa Rivers.

In 1610, Brûlé asked Champlain if he could live with the Onontchataron, an Algonquin group, to learn more. Champlain agreed. Later, in 1629, during a war between England and France, Brûlé was captured by the Seneca tribe but managed to escape. Sadly, Brûlé was killed by the Bear tribe of the Huron people. They believed he had worked with the Seneca against them.

Early life and travels

A plaque in Etienne Brule Park in Toronto, Ontario, remembers Étienne Brûlé's discovery of the path to the Humber River. It says he was born in 1595.

Étienne Brûlé was born around 1592 in Paris, France. We don't know his exact birthday because many old records from that time were lost. He came to Canada when he was only about 16 years old, in 1608.

Brûlé didn't write down his own stories about his life or his amazing trips. So, we learn about him from the writings of others, like Samuel de Champlain, Gabriel Sagard, and Jean de Brébeuf.

Life in New France and explorations

Champlain wrote about a young person who had been living in New France since 1608. Many people believe this was young Brûlé. In June 1610, Brûlé told Champlain that he wanted to live with the Algonquins. He wanted to learn their language and understand their customs better.

Champlain arranged this. In return, Chief Iroquet, an Algonquin leader, asked Champlain to take a young Huron named Savignon with him. Savignon would learn about French customs. Champlain told Brûlé to learn the Huron language, explore the land, make friends with all the First Nations, and report back in a year.

On June 13, 1611, Champlain visited Brûlé again. Brûlé had done everything Champlain asked! He was dressed like the Indigenous people and was very happy with what he had learned. Champlain asked Brûlé to keep living with the Indigenous peoples to master everything, and Brûlé agreed.

For four years, Champlain didn't hear from Brûlé. It is thought that during this time, Brûlé became the first European to see the Great Lakes. In 1615, they met again in Huronia. Brûlé told Champlain all about his adventures and explorations across North America. He said another French interpreter, Grenolle, had joined him. They had traveled along the north shore of what they called la mer douce (the calm sea), which is now Lake Huron. They went as far as the great rapids of Sault Ste. Marie, where Lake Superior flows into Lake Huron.

In 1615, Brûlé asked Champlain if he could join 12 Huron warriors. They were going to visit the Andaste (Susquehannock) people, who were allies of the Hurons. Champlain was planning an expedition and needed their help. Champlain told them to travel west of the Seneca land to get there quickly, even though it was dangerous. Brûlé did reach the Andastes. However, he arrived two days too late to help Champlain and the Hurons, who had been defeated by the Iroquois.

Brûlé likely visited four of the five Great Lakes: Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. He might have also seen Lake Michigan. Brûlé was probably the first white European to complete these long journeys across North America.

On these trips, he visited places like the Ottawa River, Mattawa River, Lake Nipissing, and the French River to Georgian Bay. From Georgian Bay, Brûlé could reach Lake Huron. He paddled up the St. Marys River and carried his canoe (portaged) into Lake Superior. He also traveled through Lake Simcoe and portaged through what is now Toronto to Lake Ontario. From Lake Ontario, Brûlé traveled into Upstate New York and explored Pennsylvania. He went down the Susquehanna River to Chesapeake Bay. It is also believed that Brûlé was one of the first Europeans to stand on the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Michigan.

He spent months visiting Indigenous peoples who lived along Lake Erie. However, because he didn't write anything himself, we don't know much about the specific tribes he visited. Many of these tribes were later wiped out in wars.

Champlain and the Jesuits often didn't like that Brûlé adopted Huron customs. They also didn't like his connections with fur traders who were outside the government's control. Brûlé returned to Quebec in 1618. Champlain told him to keep exploring among the Hurons. Later, Brûlé was kept in Quebec for a year, where he taught the Jesuits the languages of the Indigenous peoples.

In 1626, Brûlé went back to France and worked as a merchant. He married Alizon Coiffier around 1626 or 1627. In April 1628, Brûlé and his French ships were captured by the British near Anticosti Island. Brûlé was taken to London. After being released, he returned to New France. He then continued living with the Wendat (Huron) people and trading furs.

In 1629, during a time of conflict, Brûlé worked with the English. David Kirke and his brothers, who were English merchants, paid Brûlé and three friends to guide their ships up the St. Lawrence River. Brûlé likely shared information about how weak Quebec's defenses were, which encouraged the Kirkes to attack. Samuel Champlain later accused Brûlé of disloyalty because he agreed to work with the Kirke brothers when they took Quebec for England in 1629. After 1629, Brûlé continued to live with the Indigenous peoples, helping them communicate with French traders.

Death

Étienne Brûlé died in 1633 at Toanché, on the Penetanguishene peninsula. The exact details of how he died are not fully clear. News of his death first reached Quebec through stories from other people, mainly the Algonquins. At that time, the Algonquins were believed to be having trading disagreements with the Hurons.

One idea is that he was captured by the Seneca Iroquois in a battle. Even though he escaped, when he returned to his home among the Hurons, they didn't believe his story. They suspected him of trading with the Senecas, who were their enemies. Because of this suspicion, the Hurons killed Brûlé.

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See also

In Spanish: Étienne Brûlé para niños