|
A New France |
The Iroquois |
English Invasion |
Peace |
Seigneiurial System |
The Kings Girls |
Canadian Identity |
Society |
Government |
The Church |
Champlain |
Frontenac |
Acadia |
The Fall The origins of the
Seigneiural system were adopted from the feudal system
in France to suit the conditions of North America. The
intent of the system was to distribute, settle and
cultivate the land with a structure which would support
a land owning aristocracy similar to the nobles in
France.
There system had two
basic levels with the Seigneurs at the top. The
Seigneurs were granted large parcels of land which
usually consisted of a tract of land which had some
waterfront along the St Lawrence or other river. The Seigneurs
were granted their title and property in a ceremony
which was usually conducted in New France at the Castle
St. Louis. Their obligation to the King was to conduct a
survey and census of the property, list the animals and
resources and provide a system of defence for the land
if under attack by the Kings enemies. His sworn loyalty
to the King, and in the Kings name the Governor, obligated
him to insure that the land would be productive and
profitable for himself and hence the colony.
Under the Seigneurs came the censitaires
who committed themselves to paying a yearly rent and
providing a certain amount of services to the Seigneurs
in exchange for a grant of land to work. The censitarie
could expect certain additional services from the
Seigneurs such as an administrative centre for managing
the system, a mill to grind the grain, and a court
to settle issues or disagreement between the
censitaries. The censitaries would be required to
provide military service when the colony was threatened
and pay an additional minimal fee to the crown.
As long as the
Seigneurs met their obligations their land would be
handed down through their family as the censitaries
could also insure continued family occupancy of their
section by living up to their obligations. The land
grants to the Seigneurs tended to be planned in long
thin strips in order to accommodate the need by each
grant to access the river - see map above. The water
access to rivers tended to dictate the size and layout
of the grants.
|
