Company of New France

The Company of New France, also known as the Company of the Hundred Associates, was established in 1627 by Cardinal Richelieu to exploit and settle the lands of New France. This joint-stock company was granted broad powers, including a trade monopoly and the responsibility to bring settlers and maintain Roman Catholicism in the colony.1

Despite its charter, the company faced immediate challenges. War with England led to the capture of Quebec in 1629 by English adventurers, disrupting the fur trade. Although New France was returned to France in 1632, the company struggled to recoup its losses and fulfill its colonization obligations. By 1663, King Louis XIV took direct control, making New France a royal province. The colony's economy was largely driven by the fur trade, with landholding structured under the seigneurial system. The Jesuits also played a significant role, focusing on both converting the Indigenous population and maintaining Catholicism within the colony.1234