La Salle, Renц? Robert Cavelier, Sieur

(1643-1687)
Born in Rouen, November 22, 1643. Studied at the Jesuit College. Obsessed by the desire for discovery of new lands, in 1666 after his brother, who was a member of the congregation of St.. Sulpice in Montreal, went to New France (Canada). Upon arrival, received the status of the landowner and the allotment in Lachine (near Montreal). Learning from the Indians on the big river in the south-west, which was believed to be flowing in the Gulf of California, La Salle decided to investigate further. A plan of the expedition, introduced him to the Governor de Courcelles, who persuaded him to join with two sulpitsiantsami - Dole de Casson and Galina. In 1668 they went up r.Sv.Lavrentiya and along the southern shore of Lake Ontario to Burlington Bay. Then La Salle decided to follow his path to Ohio, while Dole de Casson and Galina had other plans. During this journey La Salle, probably came just before r.Ogayo turning back in 1671.
In 1672, Count Frontenac, governor of New France, he turned to La Salut a proposal to discuss the expansion plans of the colony. In the first place was to build on Lake Ontario, Fort Frontenac - a base for future expeditions. In 1677, La Salle went to France, where he received from King Louis XIV broad powers to further the development of land in the New World. Returning to New France, La Salle, along with the lieutenant Henri de Tonti in 1679 went to the west. Raising the mouth r.Niagary fort, followed by the place, situated near the modern Buffalo, which built the 'Griffin', the first commercial sailing vessel navigating on the Great Lakes. Detachment La Sall had a course in oz.Michigan, crossed it and reached the island at the entrance to the Gulf of Green Bay, where lived a tribe of friendly Indians Potawatomi. Hence, La Salle decided to send 'Griffin' in Niagara Falls with a cargo of furs, and himself followed by canoe to the southern tip of oz.Michigan and then to the mouth r.Sent-Joseph, where they built another fort.

Subsequently, La Salle decided to continue the study further to the south. Received additional funds in 1681-1682 went to r.Missisipi to its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico. He reaches the mouth of the Mississippi, April 9, 1682, declared the entire area of the possession of Louis XIV and named it Louisiana. Upon his return to New France, La Salle was in favor with the governor. To restore the situation, La Salle again went to France and after treatment returned to the king seized his property. In 1684 went to the four courts to create a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi, but from the very beginning of this expedition plagued with failures. Court passed the mouth of the Mississippi, and mistakenly landed at Matagorda Bay. Forces detachment had been undermined by the shipwreck and the departure of the last ship to France. Then La Salle tried to reach the Mississippi overland, and, having suffered a setback here in January 1687 decided to return to New France. Along the way, detachment rebelled, and La Salle was killed in the area r.Brazos (now in pieces. Texas) on 19 March 1687.