Return/retour
Search
Website Design and Content © by Eric Krause,
Krause House Info-Research Solutions (© 1996)
All Images © Parks Canada Except
Where Noted Otherwise
Report/Rapport © Parks Canada / Parcs Canada
---
Report Assembly/Rapport de l'assemblée © Krause
House
Info-Research Solutions
Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
Extracts of Matters of Historical Interest from "The Huissier, News For and About the Fortress of Louisbourg Heritage Presentation Staff" By The Fortress of Louisbourg Heritage Presentation Staff
THE HUISSIER
(September 29, 2004)
The Order of Saint Louis at Louisbourg
By Anne Marie Lane Jonah
Louis XIV instituted the military order of Saint Louis in 1693, during the War of the League of Augsburg, to inspire greater valor from his officers with the possibility of receiving important recognition and a pension. The order was unique at that time in that merit as an officer and Catholic faith were the only two absolute requirements to be named to the order; nobility was not.
Louis IX was the patron saint of this purely military order and the king was the "Grand Master." The higher levels of "Commander" and "Grand Cross" were not seen at Louisbourg, but the lowest level "Chevalier" was. This level of the order came with a pension of between 800 and 2000 livres in 1693.
This order was awarded throughout the 18th century and was highly valued among officers in Québec and Isle Royale. Members of the order consistently added the distinction "chevalier de l'ordre de Saint Louis" to their names in any official document. Among the officers at Louisbourg who were chevaliers of the Order of Saint Louis prior to 1745 were: Jean-François Eurry de la Perelle, Jacques d'Espiet de Pensens, Louis Dupont Duchambon, Michel le Neuf de la Vallière, Pierre Rousseau de Souvigny and Jean Baptiste Louis le Prévost Duquesnel. Many Louisbourg officers received the Order for service in the War of the Austrian Succession, including François Dupont Duvivier and Michel de Gannes de la Falaise.