Career in the Marines, Governor General of New France
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Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois (c. 12 October 1671 – 12 July 1749) was a French Naval officer who served as Governor of New France from 1726 to 1746.
The governor worked well with frontier traders, explorers, and missionaries. His term saw a great expansion in the number of western forts with the leadership of people like La Vérendrye, and the linkage of Canadian and Louisiana colonies. Exploration was pushed west to the Rocky Mountains by La Vérendrye and his sons.
Despite a generally peaceful and prosperous administration, he was blamed for the fall of Fortress Louisbourg in 1745, and was recalled in 1746, returning to France to following year.[1]
Beauharnais was one of three governors-general of Canada known to have owned enslaved people. During his tenure, he owed 27 people, among them two Africans and a number of Meskwaki and Inuit.[2]