Donnacona

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Chief Donnacona (died c. 1539 in France) was the chief of Stadacona, a St. Lawrence Iroquoian village located at the present site of Quebec City, Canada.

Donnacona and his people were fishing off the Gaspé peninsula when French explorer Jacques Cartier first arrived there in 1534. Cartier seized Donnacona's sons, Domagaya and Taignoagny, and took them to France. They returned to Canada with Cartier the following year, showed him the entrance to the St. Lawrence River, and piloted him up the river to Stadacona, where this time, the French wintered.

Relations between the St. Lawrence Iroquoians and French deteriorated over the winter. In spring, Cartier invited Donnacona to a feast, then seized him and nine others, including his two sons, eventually transporting them to France.

Donnacona was well treated in France, being looked after at the king's expense. He whetted the French appetite for New World exploration with tales of a golden kingdom called "Saguenay", however he soon took sick and died. So did all but one of the natives -- a little girl whose fate is unknown.

When Cartier returned to Stadacona five years later, he told the Iroquoians that Donnacona was living like a king in France, and had no wish to come home.

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Last updated on Thursday February 07, 2008 at 11:38:34 PST (GMT -0800)
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