Gadifer de la Salle

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Gadifer De La Salle (1340 in Sainte-Radegonde, Vrines, France–1415) was a French soldier of Norman origin who, with Jean de Béthencourt, conquered and explored the Canary Islands. Gadifer won renown in the French campaigns against England during the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453). While on a campaign against Tunisian pirates in 1390, he met Jean de Béthencourt, who later pledged his domain to finance their expedition to the Canary Islands.

In 1402 they conquered Lanzarote, the northernmost inhabited island. Gadifer then explored the archipelago, and Béthencourt left for Cádiz, where he acquired reinforcements at the Castilian court. At this time a power struggle had broken out on the island between Gadifer and Berthin, an other officer. Local leaders were drawn into the conflict and scores of Spaniards and islanders died in what was to become a bloodbath of the first months of Bethencourts absence. During this crisis, Gadifer managed to conquer Fuerteventura, and to explore other islands. It was only with the return of Bethencourt in 1404 that peace was restored to the troubled island.

However, because Béthencourt had become king of the Canaries (a title granted by Henry III of Castile in exchange for Béthencourt's respect). Gadifer, who felt insulted, left the Canaries and appealed for redress at the court of Castile. When this appeal proved to be unsuccessful, he returned to France.