Flemish Bastard
Encyclopedia
The Flemish Bastard (fl.
1650 - 1687) was a Canadian
Mohawk
chief
. He has been described as an astute diplomat
and he has been considered the primary spokesman for the pro-French
faction of Canada
.
father, who was an intermediary between the French, the Dutch, and the English. After becoming a Mohawk chief in 1650, the Flemish Bastard led a band of Mohawks in an attack on Trois-Rivières
, a city in Quebec
. He led another attack on 30 August 1656 on a group of Ottawas
and Hurons at the Lac des Deux-Montagnes. When he arrived at Pointe Sainte-Croix (now Point Platon, New York
) with 40 Mohawks, the Flemish Bastard was preparing for war. A captain in the Carignan-Salières Regiment
, M. de Saurel, led 300 men on 24 July 1666 to a battle against the Mohawks in order to avenge the deaths of two of the regiment's officers, Capt. de Traversy and M. de Chazy, as well as the capture of other Frenchman, including M. Canchy de Lerole. Before Saurel reached the Mohawk villages, however, he met the Flemish Bastard heading a peace assembly, who was turning over the French captives. Afterward, Saurel abandoned his original plans and returned to Quebec. On 8 November 1666, the Flemish Bastard was sent back to his homeland with a Mohawk elder. The French told him to return "within four moons" with captives of the Huron and Algonkin tribes. The final reference to the Flemish Bastard, referring to him as "Smiths John", mentions that he was one of the Christian Indians during Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville
's expedition against the Seneca
s in 1687.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1650 - 1687) was a Canadian
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
. He has been described as an astute diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and he has been considered the primary spokesman for the pro-French
French Canada
French Canada, also known as "Lower Canada", is a term to distinguish the French Canadian population of Canada from English Canada.-Definition:...
faction of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Biography
The Flemish Bastard was born to a Mohawk mother and a DutchDutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
father, who was an intermediary between the French, the Dutch, and the English. After becoming a Mohawk chief in 1650, the Flemish Bastard led a band of Mohawks in an attack on Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
, a city in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He led another attack on 30 August 1656 on a group of Ottawas
Odawa people
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
and Hurons at the Lac des Deux-Montagnes. When he arrived at Pointe Sainte-Croix (now Point Platon, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) with 40 Mohawks, the Flemish Bastard was preparing for war. A captain in the Carignan-Salières Regiment
Carignan-Salières Regiment
The Carignan-Salières Regiment was a Piedmont French military unit formed by merging the Carignan Regiment and the Salières Regiment in 1659. The regiment began their existence in combat against the Ottoman Empire before being reorganized to consist of twenty-four companies before being sent to...
, M. de Saurel, led 300 men on 24 July 1666 to a battle against the Mohawks in order to avenge the deaths of two of the regiment's officers, Capt. de Traversy and M. de Chazy, as well as the capture of other Frenchman, including M. Canchy de Lerole. Before Saurel reached the Mohawk villages, however, he met the Flemish Bastard heading a peace assembly, who was turning over the French captives. Afterward, Saurel abandoned his original plans and returned to Quebec. On 8 November 1666, the Flemish Bastard was sent back to his homeland with a Mohawk elder. The French told him to return "within four moons" with captives of the Huron and Algonkin tribes. The final reference to the Flemish Bastard, referring to him as "Smiths John", mentions that he was one of the Christian Indians during Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville
Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville
Jacques-Rene de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville was Governor General of New France from 1685 to 1689 and was a key figure in the Beaver Wars....
's expedition against the Seneca
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
s in 1687.