Primary sourceDocument17 November 1635

Testament de Samuel Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 17 November 1635

Champlain's handwritten will, made at Quebec weeks before his death in 1635, revealing his faith, property, and bequests.

Champlain's own handwritten will, made at Quebec weeks before his death, revealing his personal beliefs and legacy.

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First page of a handwritten French manuscript, Samuel de Champlain's testament, dated 1635. Cursive brown ink on aged yellowed paper with water stains, a stamp reading Archives Nationales, and a handwritten signature at the left margin. The text begins 'Au nom du Pere et du fils et du Saint Esprit'. — Samuel de Champlain, Testament, 17 November 1635. Archives Nationales.

About this source

What it is

This is the handwritten will (testament) of Samuel de Champlain, written at Quebec on 17 November 1635, shortly before his death. It opens with a religious invocation and declares his Catholic faith. The document is held by the Archives Nationales.

Why it matters

Written in Champlain's own hand near the end of his life, this will offers a rare personal glimpse into his beliefs, his property, and his concern for the colony he had founded, including a bequest to adopted Indigenous girls. It is a direct, intimate source from the very end of his life.

Look closer

What does the opening religious language tell us about Champlain's personal beliefs?
Why might Champlain have made a bequest connected to Indigenous girls in the colony?
What does a will reveal about a person that other documents, like maps or published books, cannot?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Samuel de Champlain on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.