Isaac de Razilly

Isaac de Razilly, (b. 1587 – d. December 1635) was a member of the French nobility appointed a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem at the age of 18. He was born at the Château d'Oiseaumelle in the Province of Touraine, France. A member of the French navy, he served for many years during which he played an important role in the French colony of Acadia in New France.

In 1632, he became involved, at the request of Cardinal Richelieu, in the colonization of Acadia. Razilly was to take possession of the Habitation at Port-Royal (now Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) and develope it into a French colony. To deal with a shortage of funds, a company was set up by Razilly and some of his friends which became known as the Razilly-Condonnier company. Together with the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France, an expedition was outfitted to sail to Acadia. The King gave Razilly the official title of lieutenant-general for New France.

One of his able lieutenants in Acadia was Charles de Menou d'Aulnay who was instrumental in maintaining the shipping to and from France. As well, he took on military tasks such as ordering the taking of control of Fort Pentagouet at Majabigwaduce on the Penobscot Bay, which had been given to France in an earlier Treaty, and to inform the English they were to vacate all lands North of Pemaquid. This was accomplished shortly before Razilly's death and resulted in all the French interests in Acadia being restored.

External links

* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=552 Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online]