List of governors of Acadia Facts for Kids

Acadia was an important French colony in North America. It included parts of what are now Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Maine. Its history was often confusing and full of fights.

France founded Acadia in 1603 with Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Monts. But England and Scotland also claimed the land. French governors often fought among themselves. English colonists attacked Acadia many times, sometimes taking control for years.

Most English claims ended with the 1667 Treaty of Breda. Acadia was fully French from 1670 to 1710. There was a short time in the 1670s when Dutch attackers took over some towns.

In 1710, British ships and soldiers from New England captured Acadia's capital for good. France gave up a large part of Acadia to Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. France still claimed parts of Maine and New Brunswick. But they had no official government there after 1710. The first British governor of Nova Scotia was Samuel Vetch after the 1710 capture.

Most French governors of Acadia were chosen by the King of France. During the troubled 1600s, some governors acted more for themselves. They also acted for companies that supported them.

Scotland tried to create a colony called New Scotland in 1621. This is where the name "Nova Scotia" comes from. Scotland gave up this claim in the 1632 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. England also claimed the land, but did not settle it.

In 1656, two Englishmen, Thomas Temple and William Crowne, bought land from Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour. He had been governing part of Acadia for France. They ruled these lands until 1670. Then they gave them to the French governor Hector d'Andigné de Grandfontaine. Later, some leaders were military commanders, not full governors. They worked under the main Governor General of New France.

Acadia's Leaders Over Time

Governor	Term	Who chose them?	Notes
Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Monts	1603–1608	French King	Dugua and Samuel de Champlain started Acadia's first settlement. They moved it to Port Royal after a tough winter.
Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt et de Saint-Just	1606–1615	French King	Poutrincourt's first plan was cancelled. He got a new one in 1608. He settled Port Royal again in 1610. His rule ended when Samuel Argall destroyed Port Royal in 1613.
Charles de Biencourt de Saint-Just	1615–1623	French King	Biencourt took over after his father died. The colony stayed small. People lived by fishing and trading furs.
William Alexander	1621–1629	Scottish King	Alexander was given land to create New Scotland. He tried to get Claude de Saint-Étienne de la Tour to help.
William Alexander the younger	1629–1632	Scottish King	Alexander took over his father's claim. He settled Port Royal with Scottish people in 1629. Scotland gave up this claim in 1632.
Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour	1631–1644	French King	La Tour built a strong base at Cape Sable. He received his own charter in 1631.
Isaac de Razilly	1632–1635	French King	Razilly's land grant was different from La Tour's. The French King's plan was confusing. Razilly and La Tour got along. But their followers later fought for control. Razilly set up his base at La Héve.
Charles de Menou d'Aulnay	1635–1650	French King	D'Aulnay governed for Claude de Razilly, who could not come to Acadia. La Tour and d'Aulnay fought openly in the late 1630s. They both asked colonists from New England for help.
Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour	1653–1654	French King	La Tour refused to give up his lands in 1644. He asked New Englanders for help. When d'Aulnay died in 1650, La Tour went to France. He returned in 1653 with a new role. He married d'Aulnay's widow. English forces captured Port Royal in 1654. La Tour was sent to England.
John Leverett	1654–1657	English military	Leverett was put in charge of the places the English captured in 1654. His command ended when Thomas Temple arrived.
Nicolas Denys	1654–1688	French King	Denys arrived in Acadia with Isaac Razilly. He was given land along the coast, including Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton Island. He also had rights to fishing. He started several small towns.
William Crowne and Thomas Temple	1657–1670	English government	Crowne and Temple claimed Nova Scotia. They bought Charles La Tour's interests. Emmanuel Le Borgne also claimed the land for France. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda said Acadia should go back to France. Crowne and Temple gave up their claim in 1670.
Emmanuel Le Borgne	1657–1667	French King	Le Borgne was owed money by d'Aulnay. He got a land grant from King Louis XIV. He could not collect his debts because Crowne and Temple held La Tour's lands. His land grants were renewed in 1667.
Alexandre Le Borgne de Belle-Isle	1667–1670	French King	Belle-Isle could not take control from Crowne and Temple. France could not meet the conditions for the handover. He never actually governed. The Englishmen gave Acadia to his successor, Hector d'Andigné de Grandfontaine.
Hector d'Andigné de Grandfontaine	1670–1673	French King	Grandfontaine was a military officer. He spent his time bringing order back to Acadia. He set up his main base at Fort Pentagouet. This was to stop the English, who also claimed the area.
Jacques de Chambly	1673–1677	French King	Most of Chambly's time was interrupted by a Dutch attack. Jurriaen Aernoutsz took over many key towns. He claimed Acadia as New Holland. Aernoutsz left John Rhoades in charge.
John Rhoades	1674–1675	Dutch military	Rhoades was an Englishman from Massachusetts. He was captured and taken to Boston. This happened after his men captured New England trading ships. France then took back the land easily.
Cornelius Van Steenwyk	1676	Dutch West India Company	Van Steenwyk was a Dutch merchant. The Dutch West India Company wanted to use Aernoutsz's actions. They made Van Steenwyk Governor of New Holland. But this claim only existed on paper.
Pierre de Joybert de Soulanges et de Marson (commandant)	1677–1678	French King	Joybert moved the capital to Jemseg. He had been given land there for his military service. He died in 1678.
Michel Leneuf de la Vallière de Beaubassin	1678–1684	French King	Beaubassin took over from Joybert. He was based at Beaubassin. He was criticized for letting New Englanders fish in Acadian waters. The king had forbidden this.
François-Marie Perrot	1684–1687	French King	Not much is known about Perrot's time as governor. He seemed to want to control trade for himself. He also let New Englanders fish for a small fee.
Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Meneval	1687–1690	French King	Meneval worked to make Acadia's defenses stronger. This was to protect against English attacks. In 1690, he gave up Port Royal to an expedition led by William Phips.
Charles La Tourasse	1690	English military	La Tourasse was a sergeant in the French army. Phips put him in charge of a local council to govern the colony. His time in charge ended when Villebon arrived.
Edward Tyng	1691	English military	Tyng was made Governor of Acadia. He was captured by Villebon and died in prison.
Joseph Robineau de Villebon (commandant)	1691–1700	French King	Robineau arrived after Phips left. He moved the government to Jemseg. He led French military efforts against New England.
Claude-Sébastien de Villieu (acting commandant)	1700–1701	French King	Villieu governed after Villebon died. He stayed in charge until the next leader, de Brouillan, arrived. He also acted as commander when de Brouillan was away.
Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan	1701–1705	French King	De Brouillan was first a commandant, then a governor in 1702. He was a harsh leader. He restarted building forts at Port Royal. He also prepared defenses against an attack in 1704. He died on his way back from France in 1705.
Simon-Pierre Denys de Bonaventure (acting)	1705–1706	French King	Bonaventure wanted to replace de Brouillan. But the job went to another governor. Bonaventure governed until the new governor arrived in 1706.
Daniel d'Auger, sieur de Subercase	1706–1710	French King	Subercase successfully stopped two English attempts to take Port Royal in 1707. He also led successful privateering attacks against New Englanders. But he could not stop the capture of Port Royal in 1710. The British had strong naval forces and many soldiers. After he surrendered, the British renamed the town Annapolis Royal. They made Samuel Vetch the new Governor of Nova Scotia.

List of governors of Acadia facts for kids

Acadia's Leaders Over Time

See also