List of French colonial trading companies

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This is a list of French colonial trading companies established under a royal charter to conduct trade between France and its colonies. Although more limited trading companies were established in the 16th century, they expanded greatly in the 17th century following on the models established by the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company. [1] Beginning in 1626, Cardinal Richelieu, acting as Grandmaster of Navigation and Commerce  [ fr ], authorized a range of companies to monopolize trade around the world in line with French interests, as well as expand French colonies and convert local populations to Catholicism. These ambitions were further expanded under Jean-Baptiste Colbert with the founding of the French East and West Indies companies in 1664. [2]

Contents

The company charters were usually limited to a specific commodity or region, but over time and through mergers the reach of these companies could change dramatically. Their charter could also include oversight and control of colonies, including ensuring security, issuing currency, and imposing local taxes. They also often engaged in military conflicts to protect their trade monopolies. [3]

List of French chartered companies

foundeddissolvednamealso known asarea of operationnotes
16011604 Compagnie française des mers orientales  [ fr ]East Indiesfailed [4]
16041615 Compagnie Le Roy et Godefroy East Indiessucceeded by the Compagnie des Moluques [5]
1611 ?Compagnie de Montmorency pour les Indes OrientalesEast Indiesfailed [4]
16141627 Compagnie des marchands de Rouen et de Saint-Malo  [ fr ]Compagnie de RouenCanadamerged into the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France [6]
16151627 Compagnie des Moluques East Indiesfailed [4]
16211627 Compagnie de Montmorency  [ fr ]Canadamerged into the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France [6]
16241634Compagnie du Sénégal et de GambieWest Africarenamed Compagnie du Cap Vert [7]
16261628Compagnie de la Nacelle de Saint Pierre fleurdelyséeCompagnie du Saint EspritAtlantic fisheriesfailed [5]
16261635 Compagnie de Saint-Christophe Saint Kitts and Nevissucceeded by Compagnie des îles d'Amérique [8]
16261659 Compagnie normande  [ fr ]Compagnie RozéeWest Africamerged into the Compagnie du Cap-Vert et du Sénégal
16271663 Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France Compagnie des Cent-AssociésCanadabecame a royal province [9] then succeeded by Compagnie française des Indes Occidentales
16331652 Compagnie de Rouen  [ fr ]French Guianaacquired by the second Compagnie de la France équinoxiale
16341658Compagnie du Cap VertWest Africarenamed Compagnie du Cap-Vert et du Sénégal [7]
16351651 Compagnie des îles d'Amérique Caribbeanmerged into the Compagnie française des Indes Occidentales [8]
16371664Compagnie de MadagascarMadagascarmerged into the Compagnie française des Indes Orientales
16421664 Compagnie d'Orient Madagascarmerged into the Compagnie française des Indes Orientales
16441669Compagnie du NordCompagnie de la mer BaltiqueScandinavia/Baltic Seafailed
16441663 Compagnie des Habitants Communauté des HabitantsCanadasplit off fur-trading activities of the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France [10]
16511653 Compagnie de la France équinoxiale French Guianasucceeded by the second Compagnie de la France équinoxiale
16581664 Compagnie du Cap-Vert et du Sénégal  [ fr ]West Africamerged into the Compagnie française des Indes Occidentales [7]
16601664 Compagnie de Chine Chinasucceeded by the Compagnie française des Indes Orientales
16631664 Compagnie de la France équinoxiale Compagnie de CayenneFrench Guianamerged into the Compagnie française des Indes Occidentales
16641674 Compagnie française des Indes Occidentales Canada, West Africa, Caribbean, French Guianaliquidated
16641719 Compagnie française des Indes Orientales East Africa, India, China, East Indiesmerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
16701685 Compagnie du Levant  [ fr ]Middle Eastsucceeded by the Compagnie de la Méditerranée
16731681 Compagnie du Sénégal West Africasucceeded, in part, by the Compagnie de Guinée
16751675Compagnie d'OccidentCanada & Caribbeanbecame the Ferme d'Occident
16751791 Ferme d'Occident  [ fr ]Ferme d'OuestCanada & Caribbean
16821700 Compagnie de la Baie du Nord Compagnie du NordHudson Baymerged into the Compagnie de la Colonie [12]
16841720 Compagnie de Guinée  [ fr ]West Africamerged with the Compagnie de l'Asiento [13] and then into the Compagnie perpétuelle des Indes [11]
16851693Compagnie de la MéditerranéeMiddle Eastfailed
1685 Compagnie David Gradis et fils Société française pour le commerce avec l'Outre-merCaribbeanstill in operation.
16941718Compagnie d'AfriqueNorth Africamerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
16961702 Compagnie royal du Sénégal West Africamerged with the Compagnie de l'Asiento [13]
16981720 Compagnie royale de la mer du Sud  [ fr ]Compagnie royale de la mer PacifiqueSouth Pacificmerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
16981720 Compagnie royale de Saint-Domingue  [ fr ]Compagnie de Saint-DomingueSaint-Dominguemerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
16981719 Compagnie de Chine Chinamerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
16991706Compagnie de la ColonieCompagnie du castorCanadafailed
17011713 Compagnie de l'Asiento  [ fr ]West Africa & Caribbeanexisted to provide enslaved Africans to Spanish colonies under the Asiento de Negros ; abandoned following the Treaty of Utrecht [13]
17091718 Compagnie du Sénégal West Africamerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
17121719Compagnie de BarbarieNorth Africamerged into John Law's Compagnie des Indes [11]
17121717 Compagnie de la Louisiane  [ fr ]Louisianamerged into John Law's Compagnie d'Occident
17171719 Compagnie d'Occident Canada, Louisiana & Caribbeanmerged into the Compagnie des Indes [11]
17191770 French Indies Company Worldwidepart of John Law's System, then reorganized in 1723; liquidated in 1770
17411793 Compagnie royale d'Afrique  [ fr ]North Africaslave traders; slavery in France abolished in February 1794
17481793 Société d'Angola  [ fr ]Compagnie d'AngolaAngolaslave traders; slavery in France abolished in February 1794
17481793 Grou et Michel  [ fr ]Compagnie de GuinéeGulf of Guineaslave traders; slavery in France abolished in February 1794
17851794 Compagnie de Calonne Asialiquidated during French Revolution

References

  1. ↑ Thiveaud, Jean-Marie (1999). "Les grandes sociétés par actions et les compagnies coloniales de l'Europe des temps modernes du XVI–XVIIe siècle" [Large Joint Stock Companies and Colonial Companies in Early Modern Europe in the 16th-17th Centuries]. Revue d'économie financière (in French). 55: 227–228.
  2. ↑ Lyall, Alfred Comyn (1907). Jackson, A. V. Williams (ed.). History of India. Vol. 8: From the Close of the Seventeenth Century to the Present Time. pp. 80–86.
  3. ↑ Desbarats, Catherine (May 2021). "Commercial Companies". BnF Amériques/Americas. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  4. 1 2 3 van Driem, George (2019). The tale of tea: a comprehensive history of tea from prehistoric times to the present day. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. p. 367. ISBN   978-90-04-38625-9.
  5. 1 2 Le Lan, Jean-Yves (2003-11-01). "Le commerce français avec l'Asie avant la Compagnie des Indes Orientales de Colbert". Histoire-Généalogie.
  6. 1 2 Droüin, François (2014). "Je me souviens : il y a 400 ans : création de la Compagnie des marchands de Rouen et de Saint-Malo" [I Remember: 400 Years Ago: Creation of the Compagnie des marchands de Rouen et de Saint-Malo]. Cap-aux-Diamants : la revue d'histoire du Québec (in French) (119): 51. ISSN   0829-7983.
  7. 1 2 3 "Compagnie du Cap Vert (1624-1664)". IdRef - Identifiants et Référentiels pour l'ESR.
  8. 1 2 Georgelin, Mona. "Les compagnies – histoire et culture des caraibes et des antilles". Mamanthé (in French). Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  9. ↑ Boyko, John (2013-12-16). "Company of One Hundred Associates". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  10. ↑ "Communauté des habitants". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 2014-03-07.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "La Compagnie des Indes". Malouinière de la Ville Bague. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  12. ↑ Miquelon, Dale (2013-12-15). "Compagnie du Nord". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  13. 1 2 3 Palmer, Colin A. (1986). "The Company Trade and the Numerical Distribution of Slaves to Spanish America, 1703–1739". In Lovejoy, Paul E. (ed.). ‎Africans in Bondage: Studies in Slavery and the Slave Trade. Madison, Wisconsin: African Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2017-07-13.

See also

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