Land Between the Waters: The French History of Illinois

The French History of Illinois

1663
Louis XIV revoked the Compagnie des Cent's royal charter, converting New France (Canada) into a royal colony

1673
Fur trader Louis Jolliet and missionary Jacques Marquette entered the Illinois villages and established French claims of the Illinois country (Pays des Illinois).

1678
Canadian Governor Frontenac granted La Salle the right to settle the Illinois country.

1689
King William's War (War of the Rhenish Palatinate, or league of Augsburg) officially commenced in Europe, but in America the war began with Iroquois attacks into the Illinois country as early as 1680. Control of the beaver trade motivated the Iroquois to foray against the french and the Illinois tribes.

1696
Louis XIV's edict abolished the Indian trade (fur trade), western travel, and settlement, consequently stranding many Canadian Coureur de Bois in the Illinois country.

1699
First Illinois mission established at Cahokia.

1700
Unauthorized French settlers established six villages down river from present day St. Louis.

1702
Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession) produced a new strategy for New France: detach the Iroquois from English influence. Consequently, New England felt the burden of Indian attacks and the Illinois country received a period of peace and growth.

1715
Louis XIV dies and the 1696 edict allowed to lapse. Consequently, "since no Frenchmen, except the mission priests, were supposed to be there, there was no government, nor any officials, to prevent these coureurs de bois turned Habitants from setting up their own village society as they---and the local clergy---thought right and proper." [Briggs, Winstanley. "Le Pays Des Illinois." The William and Mary Quarterly. 57 (vol. 1, 1990). 33]. The French of Illinois established the first European republic west of the Allegheny mountains.

1717
The French crown detached the Illinois country from Canada and placed Illinois under the Louisiana Colony's jurisdiction.

1720-1740
For twenty years, intermittent raids and warfare raged upon the Louisiana and Illinois colonies from the Chickasaw Nation.

1739
The War of Jenkin's Ear furnished the spark, which created King George's War (War of Austrian Succession). During the war George Groghan captured the Ohio Valley fur trade from the French. After the war, Illinois fur traders exchanged peltry for English trade goods.

1754
Fort de Chartres recruits 300 Illinois warriors to fight George Washington at Fort Necessity.

1757
Fort Massac constructed, near present day Metropolis, Illinois.

1763
The French and Indian War (the Seven Years War) officially ends in French defeat. The Treaty of Paris cedes all land east of the Mississippi to the English.

1764
French garrisons evacuate the Illinois country. Pontiac foments Indian unrest in the Illinois country against the English. The Chickasaws burn the evacuated Fort Massac. Laclede opens a trading post opposite Cahokia.