List of colonial governors of Louisiana facts for kids
Before Louisiana became a U.S. state, it was a huge territory ruled by different European countries. From 1699, when the French first settled there, until 1803, when the United States bought it, a series of governors were in charge. These leaders, from France and Spain, managed a land much bigger than today's Louisiana.
Sometimes, parts of what is now Louisiana were even controlled by other European powers. For example, the area called the Florida Parishes, located north of Lake Pontchartrain and east of the Mississippi River, was originally French. But after the French and Indian War, the Kingdom of Great Britain governed it for twenty years (1763–1783). This list will help you learn about the important people who led Louisiana during its colonial past.
Contents
Meet the Governors of Colonial Louisiana
French Governors: The Early Years (1682–1762)
Louisiana was first claimed by France. These are the people who served as governors during this time.
| # | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Sauvolle (1671–1701) |
1699 | 1701 (Died in office) |
| 2 |  |
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville (1680–1767) |
1701 | 1713 |
| 3 |  |
Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac (1658–1730) |
1713 | 1716 |
| 4 | |
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville (1680–1767) |
1716 | 1717 |
| 5 | |
Jean-Michel de Lepinay (c. 1665–1721) |
1717 | 1718 |
| 6 | |
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville (1680–1767) |
1718 | 1724 |
| 7 | |
Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand (1675–1736) |
1724 | 1726 |
| 8 |  |
Étienne Perier (1686–1766) |
1726 | 1733 |
| 9 | |
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville (1680–1767) |
1733 | 1743 |
| 10 |  |
Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil-Cavagnial (1698–1778) |
1743 | 1753 |
| 11 | .jpg) |
Louis Billouart (1704–1770) |
1753 | 1763 |
| 12 |  |
Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie (1726–1765) |
1763 | 1765 (Died in office) |
| 13 |  |
Charles Philippe Aubry (c. 1720–1770) |
1765 | 1768 |
Spanish Governors: A New Era (1762–1802)
After France, Spain took control of Louisiana. Here are the Spanish governors who led the territory.
| # | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Antonio de Ulloa (1716–1795) |
1766 | 1768 |
| 2 | |
Charles Philippe Aubry (c. 1720–1770) |
1768 | 1769 |
| 3 |  |
Alejandro O'Reilly (1722–1794) |
1769 | 1769 |
| 4 |  |
Luis de Unzaga (1721–1790) |
1770 | 1777 |
| 5 |  |
Bernardo de Gálvez (1746–1786) |
1777 | 1785 |
| 6 |  |
Esteban Rodríguez Miró (1744–1795) |
1785 | 1791 |
| 7 | .jpg) |
Francisco Luis Héctor de Carondelet (1748–1807) |
1791 | 1797 |
| 8 |  |
Manuel Gayoso de Lemos (1747–1799) |
1797 | 1799 |
| 9 |  |
Francisco Bouligny (1736–1800) |
1799 | 1799 |
| 10 |  |
Sebastián Calvo de la Puerta y O'Farrill (1751–1820) |
1799 | 1801 |
| — | |
Nicolás María Vidal (Acting Civil Governor) (1739–1806) |
1799 | 1801 |
| 11 | |
Juan Manuel de Salcedo (1743–c. 1810) |
1801 | 1803 |
French Governors: The Final Chapter (1802–1804)
For a very short time, Louisiana was returned to French rule before being sold to the United States.
| # | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Pierre Clément de Laussat (1756–1835) |
1803 | 1803 |
See also
