CANADA HISTORY

The Iroquois

The Iroquois were one of the most powerful and influential Indian nations in America and played an instrumental role in the development of New France, the English colonies and the final resolution of the French-English struggle. When Cartier arrived in the early 1500's, the Iroquois occupied the St Lawrence river valley and were the natives that he met at Stadacona and Hochelaga. When Champlain returned in 1608 the Algonquin had replace the Iroquois along the St Lawrence river.
The Iroquois Confederacy, established in 1570, was a pivotal force in the history of North America and had a profound impact on the development of New France. Formed in an effort to end the internecine warfare among the Iroquois nations, the Confederacy brought together the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas—with the Tuscaroras joining in the 18th century—under a united system of governance. The legendary prophet Deganawidah, known as the "Great Peacemaker," led the initiative, and the Longhouse became a symbol of their unity, signifying a shared home for the Iroquois nations. The creation of the Iroquois Confederacy turned these once warring groups into a powerful and sophisticated alliance that would play a significant role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of colonial North America.

The Iroquois Confederacy was not just a military alliance but also a sophisticated society that thrived through a balance of agriculture and hunting. Corn, beans, and squash—the "Three Sisters"—were staples of their agriculture, and hunting provided additional sustenance, ensuring that they were largely self-sufficient. However, the Iroquois Confederacy’s strength was rooted in its military prowess and strategic alliances. For much of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Iroquois were a constant threat to the French settlements in New France, and their military raids left a lasting legacy of fear and conflict.

The hostility between the Iroquois and the French began in 1609, when Samuel de Champlain, seeking to strengthen alliances with the Algonquins and Hurons, led an attack on the Iroquois. This early skirmish set off over a century of intermittent warfare between the French and the Iroquois. The Iroquois, fierce and fearless fighters, became the French colonists' greatest challenge. Their frequent raids on French settlements kept New France on a perpetual war footing, and the Iroquois were quick to align themselves with the English, sharing a common enmity toward the French. For the English, the Iroquois were indispensable allies, offering military assistance and invaluable knowledge of the land, while the French viewed them as a dangerous dagger pointed at the heart of their colonies.

One of the most dramatic episodes in the long history of French-Iroquois conflict was the Battle of Long Sault in 1660. As almost 1,000 Iroquois warriors advanced towards Montreal, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City with the intention of wiping out the French presence in the St. Lawrence Valley, a small group of French defenders led by Adam Dollard des Ormeaux decided to mount a desperate defense. Dollard, a young officer with a volunteer force of 16 men, proposed to the governor of New France, Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, a bold plan to intercept the Iroquois before they could reach the French settlements. He chose a location near the rapids of Chute-à-Blondeau, known as Long Sault, where the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers converge, to make his stand.

Dollard’s force was joined by 40 Huron warriors under Chief Anahotaha and a few Algonquin allies. The combined group ambushed a small Iroquois scouting party, but one escaped and alerted the main Iroquois force. What followed was a heroic, but ultimately doomed, defense of the stockade. Over five days, Dollard and his men withstood repeated assaults from the Iroquois, fending off wave after wave of attackers. As the situation became dire, with supplies of food and water dwindling and the men fatigued, the Iroquois brought reinforcements, swelling their numbers to over 700 warriors.

Despite the odds, Dollard and his men continued to hold the stockade, but betrayal weakened their defense. Several Huron warriors defected to the Iroquois, leaving only Anahotaha to fight alongside the French. On the final day, Dollard, in a desperate attempt to break the siege, tried to hurl a makeshift grenade over the stockade, but the device exploded inside, causing havoc among the defenders. The Iroquois, seizing the opportunity, breached the fort and slaughtered the remaining defenders. Dollard and his men were all killed, but their valiant stand delayed the Iroquois long enough to prevent the attack on the larger French settlements.

The Battle of Long Sault became a legendary tale of bravery in New France, symbolizing the ongoing struggle between the French and the Iroquois. It also revealed the relentless power of the Iroquois Confederacy and the fragility of the French colonies. Even as New France expanded, the Iroquois threat continued to loom large over the St. Lawrence Valley. Their dominance in the region, their ability to disrupt French supply lines, and their formidable alliance with the English made them a critical factor in the balance of power in North America.

The Iroquois Confederacy not only shaped the military dynamics of New France but also profoundly influenced French colonial policy. To counter the Iroquois, the French worked tirelessly to strengthen their alliances with other Indigenous groups, such as the Hurons, Algonquins, and Montagnais. These alliances were crucial for maintaining the fur trade, which was the economic lifeblood of New France. However, when the Iroquois attacked and dispersed the Hurons in 1650, it dealt a devastating blow to French influence in the interior, forcing the French to rely on a network of forts and missions to maintain their foothold in the fur trade and expand their territorial claims.

The end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, and the fall of New France to British forces, marked the end of the Iroquois-French conflict. With the transfer of French territories to British control, the Iroquois, now allied with the British, shifted their focus to other colonial powers. For New France, the long struggle with the Iroquois had been a defining feature of its existence. The French settlers had to contend not only with the hardships of living in a new and challenging environment but also with the constant threat of Iroquois raids. The legacy of these conflicts, however, helped shape the French-Canadian identity, fostering a sense of resilience and community among the habitants of New France.

In conclusion, the Iroquois Confederacy played a central role in the history of New France, acting as both a military adversary and a key player in the broader geopolitical struggles between France and England in North America. The fierce rivalry between the French and the Iroquois, stretching over 150 years, influenced nearly every aspect of life in the French colony, from military strategy to trade networks and diplomatic relations. The Iroquois, by aligning themselves with the English, shaped the course of North American history, and their influence extended well beyond the eventual fall of New France.