Skip to main content

Primary sourceBook1632

Traitté de la marine et du devoir d'un bon marinier

Samuel de Champlain · 1632

Champlain's own 1632 treatise on seamanship and leadership at sea, published alongside his account of his voyages to New France.

Champlain wrote this treatise himself, summing up his decades of navigation experience and views on leadership.

Ask Samuel de Champlain about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Title page and opening page of a 17th-century French treatise. Top has a decorative woodcut border of foliage and figures. Title reads 'Traitté de la marine et du devoir d'un bon marinier', followed by 'De la navigation' and the first lines of body text beginning with an ornate initial letter.
Samuel de Champlain, Traitté de la marine et du devoir d'un bon marinier, 1632. Bibliothèque nationale de France.

About this source

What it is

Written by Samuel de Champlain and published in 1632, this treatise sets out the qualities and duties required of a good ship's captain and navigator. It appeared together with his larger work, the Voyages de la Nouvelle-France, dedicated to Cardinal Richelieu. The volume is held today at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Why it matters

By 1632 Champlain had crossed the Atlantic more than twenty-five times without losing a ship, and this treatise distills that lifetime of experience into practical guidance on navigation and leadership. It shows Champlain not just as an explorer but as a serious maritime expert writing for other sailors.

Look closer

  • Why would an experienced navigator like Champlain feel it was important to write down this advice?
  • What does the decorative title page tell you about how important this kind of publication was considered?
  • What qualities does Champlain seem to value most in a 'good' sailor, based on the title?

This book 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.

More Samuel de Champlain sources

Meet the AI Samuel de Champlain →
Front cover of a dark red leather-bound book with a small gold-tooled emblem of a lion or griffin-like creature above the initials 'E' and 'T' in gold lettering, centered on the cover.Book

Primary source

Les Voyages du sieur de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 1613

Sepia-toned engraved map titled 'Carte geographique de la Nouvelle Franse' showing the Atlantic coast, rivers, lakes, and decorative borders with compass roses, sailing ships, sea creatures, Native American figures, and a coat of arms.Document

Primary source

Carte geographique de la Nouvelle Franse

Samuel de Champlain · 1612

Front cover of a dark brown leather-bound book with gold-tooled decorative corner ornaments and a thin gold border frame on each panel, with a patterned gold-tooled spine band across the middle. The cover is closed and shows no visible title.Book

Primary source

Des Sauvages, ou voyage de Samuel Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 1603

Hand-drawn manuscript map on vellum showing a coastline with green-washed shorelines, pictorial hill relief, place names in handwriting, a compass rose, a decorative cartouche and a scale bar. Ink lines and wash on aged parchment.Document

Primary source

Descripsion des costs, pts., rades, Illes de la Nouuele France

Samuel de Champlain · 1607

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'.Document

Primary source

Testament de Samuel Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 17 November 1635

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Samuel de Champlain now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions