Fort Maurepas

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Also see: Fort Maurepas (Canada).

The settlement of Fort Maurepas or Old Biloxi [1] in colonial French Louisiana (New France), began in 1699 along the Gulf of Mexico (at present-day Ocean Springs, MS).[1] The fort was completed on May 1, 1699[1] under direction of French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, who soon sailed for France on May 4,[1] leaving his teenage brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville as second in command after the French commandant Sauvolle de la Villantry (c.1671-1701).

The name Biloxi in French was "Bilocci" (and the camp also known in French as "fort Maurepas");[2] but the name of the site was sometimes translated into English as "Fort Bilocci" on maps updated circa the years 1710/1725.[3][4]

In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved to Biloxi (or Bilocci) from Mobile (or Mobille). French Louisiana (part of New France) was known in French as La Louisiane in colonial times, but in modern times is called "La Louisiane française" to distinguish from the modern state of Louisiana (also "Louisiane" in French).[2]

Due to fears of tides and hurricanes in the 1700s, the capital of French Louisiana was later moved by colonial governor Bienville, in 1723, from Biloxi to a new inland harbor town named La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans), built for the purpose during 1718-1722.

In modern times, a replica of Fort Maurepas had been built at the site, but it was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, when all coastal areas of Mississippi were devastated by a storm tide exceeding 30 feet (9 m).

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  1. ^ a b c d "Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville" (biography), Catholic Encyclopedia, 1907, webpage: CathEnc-7614b: gives dates: 13 Feb. 1699, went to the mainland Biloxi, with fort completion May 1, 1699; sailed for France May 4.
  2. ^ a b "La Louisiane française" (in French), by Virginie Tanlay, from book Histoire de la Louisiane, webpage: [flfa.free.fr/enquete7.htm flfa-enquete7]: states that Iberville chose "le site de Bilocci" (or Biloxi).
  3. ^ "Pas-Kaart Van de Golff van Mexico" (map from Amsterdam/1710), Edge of the Map Incorporated, 2007, webpage: Raremaps-Archive-3176.
  4. ^ "A New Map of as much of North & South America" (London/1725), Edge of the Map Incorporated, 2007, webpage: Raremaps-Archive-7278.

[edit] References

  • "Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville" (history), Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume II, 1907.

[edit] External links