Les Filles Du Roi The King’s Daughters

Who were they? Les Filles Du Roi, or the King’s Daughters, were young French women who were sent across the Atlantic Ocean to become the bride of a man in New France. In the decade of 1663 to 1673, as many as 850 girls were sent to the new colony as a way of balancing out the sex ratio in New France

Where were they from? The young women were selected from various areas of France, however most came from the Northwestern provinces of the country. Places such as Isles de France, Normandie, Aunis, and Champagne were some of the top area in which several of the Kings Daughters originated from.

The King King Louis XIV decided to implement and aggressive new immigration policy for the colony of New France by sending hundreds of young women across the Atlantic. The travels and dowries of the new brides were paid for by King Louis XIV, the man who became their known as their “father”.

The Trip Across The Atlantic The trip across the Atlantic Ocean was long and treacherous. It would usually take a total of three months as long as the weather would cooperate. The ships were very crowded and sanitation was not top priority. Disease was common among the women as bacteria and germs spread quickly among the crowded and filthy conditions.

The Arrival Upon arrival in New France, the girls would be housed in convents or with established families where they could be supervised until they were ready for the presentation and selection for marriage. In their short time here, the girls were educated in how to survive in their new homes. Domestic issues such as sewing and cooking was the curriculum of Les Filles Du Roi.

Marguerite Bourgeoys Women such as Marguerite Bourgeoys established convents in which the girls were sometimes housed. She lived in this one room for many years while taking care of both the King’s Daughters and the sick of the colony.

The Presentation When the colony is prepared to make a presentation of the young women to their suitors the girls were divided into three groups and sent into different rooms. While the criteria for the division remains unclear, we know that officials used the room distinction to direct different suitors to areas where they felt they mat find a desire mate. Men were denied their monetary incentive or even punished if not married. The most common punishment for the men in the colony was the prohibition of trading furs if he had not found a bride within 15 days of the arrival of the ship carrying the King’s Daughters.

Life In The New Colony Unfortunately for many of the young women who came to New France in search of a prosperous life, they were met with much difficulty. Because many of the women were city and town girls, they were not used to the great degree of work required for survival in a new colony. Another major problem was the extremely harsh climate with which they were faced with upon arrival. Not only were the young women not used to such cold and tiring weather, they were also very ill equipped in terms of the proper clothing for survival.

Les Filles Du Roi These young women are responsible for the population of a new nation. Even when the battle was tough, they fought with their heads held high.