Company Of The West Indies Compagnie Des Indes Occidentales


Chartered by Louis XIV, 1664, following the cancellation of the charter

of the Company of New France. Its field of operations was enormous,

covering the west coast of Africa, the east coast of South America from

the Amazon to the Orinoco, Canada, Acadia, and Newfoundland. The

Christianization of the native tribes was given as the principal object

of the Company, commerce being of only secondary importance. Despite its

many privileges, and the readiness with which its stock was subscribed,

it did not prosper, and by 1672 was hopelessly in debt. Three years

later its charter was revoked, so far as Canada was concerned. =Index=:

(Bishop Laval era) Resigns its charter, 145. (Lord Elgin era) Creates seigniories, 175. =Bib.=:

Douglas, Old France in the New World; Parkman, Old Regime.



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