Through the Gates of Hell

The Founding of Ville Marie

When the newly formed Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement, decided to build a religious community on the island of Montreal; an Iroquois stronghold; most people thought they were crazy. The Jesuits referred to this region as 'The Gates of Hell' and Governor Montagny dubbed it the 'The Foolish Enterprise'.

The Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement, which was formed in 1639; was a secret society of Counter-Reformation zealots in France, who saw an opening to fulfil their destiny; when Cardinal Richelieu formed the Company of 100 Associates, and vowed to make the colony of 'New France', a purely Catholic endeavor.

So on August 7, 1640; the Island of Montreal was signed over to the order's directors; Jerome Le Royer, Sieur de La Dauversiere and Pierre Chevrier, Baron de Fancamp.  They immediately formed the Society of Notre Dame de Montreal and hired former soldier and fellow member of Saint-Sacrement, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve; to act the colony's Governor.

On May 9, 1641, two ships left France, heading for Quebec; to begin work on the proposed settlement at Montreal.  Among the passengers on the first was Jeanne Mance, the woman selected to establish a much needed hospital.  Funded by Angelique De Favre, Madame De Bullion; Jeanne was given supplies, and enough money at her disposal to build, fully equip and staff her clinic, which would serve the needs of both the French and Native population in the area.  She arrived on September 20, and went to work immediately. Maisonneuve joined her on October 20, and as a former soldier; his prority was defense.  He had brought along 40 Frenchmen; tradesmen and labourers; who constructed Fort Maisonneuve on the former site of  Hochelaga; and then began work, building Ville Marie around it.  This fort would provide a safe haven for the settlers in the event of an attack.  The Jesuit priest, Father Barthelemy Vimont, hoped that their presence would halt the expansion of the Coureurs des Bois, and indeed there was no trade activity in the area for the next two years.

By May 17, 1642; they began construction on the actual colony, and now had 50 settlers ready to take up residence.  But on June 9, they met with their first oppostion by the Iroquois Nation, when they launched an attack on five would-be French settlers near Montreal.  Three of them were beat to death on the spot and the other two taken prisoner. The following day the war party crossed the river and killed an additonal thirteen Huron-Canadians; allies of the French.  A week later, one of the captured Fenchman was able to escape and told the others that there were several French captives who had been forced into slavery; tilling the soil at an Iroquois village.  Maissioneuve reported the incident and Anne of Austria agreed to send 60 soldiers to their aid.  We have to remember, before we think of the Iroquois as savage brutes, that at the time Canada was engaged in a civil war and since the French were openly backing the Huron and Montagnais; both enemies of the Five Nations; that also made them an enemy of the Iroquois and their allies (which included the Dutch)

Meanwhile, La Dauversiere was still actively recruiting in France and by 1644, had an additonal twenty- one people signed to  contracts; five of whom were indentured for five years and the other sixteen, for three years.  Two ships the "Saint-Clément" and "La Vierge de la Rochelle", left France fully loaded with supplies, furniture for the hospital (provided by Angleique, and the sixty soldiers, sent by Anne. They arrived at the end of the summer, 1644; to bolster the settlement, though by now many of the first group; whose contracts were up for renewal; decided they'd had enough, and boarded the ships for the return trip.  Montreal was still just a small wooden Fort, which could accommodate about fifty people, so the soldiers and labourers were a welcome addition.  And, despite many setbacks, Jeanne Mance opened the Hotel Dieu Hospital on  October 8, 1644; to tend the needs of both the French and Native populations.

The arrival of French soldiers, no doubt gave some concern to the Iroquois, and in 1645, they signed a truce agreement, though it only lasted a year.  From then on, none of the inhabitants of the Fort ventured out without a gun and the labourers and tradesman, always worked in groups, with some standing guard while the others worked.  Patrols made regular rounds, with the aid of a canine unit, under the leadership of a pooch named Pilote, described by Father Jerome Lalemant in 1647: "during the first war of the Iroquois, in Montreal there was a female dog that made the rounds with her pups and if one of them was stubborn she would bite it to keep going; further more, if one turned back in their hunt she would punish the puppy at their return. If she found any 'Iroquois', she ran directly home barking and letting people from the Fort know that the enemy was not far. She specially enjoyed squirrel hunting, and her steady efforts to patrol, starting either from one side to the other, her perseverance to lead her puppies and also punish them when they were too stubborn, her fidelity at the scent of the enemy to warn her friends amazed everyone."

Governor Maissoneuve

In 1648, Maisonneuve began granting the first land concessions in Montreal,  freeing the enlisted men from the contracts if they would settle with their families on the island, and work to develop their land.  Six of the colonists took him up on his offer that year, and in 1650, the same offer was presented again,  which enticed a few more.  Montreal was on it's way to becoming an important settlement in the Colony of 'New France'.

Next:  The Grand Recruitment

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