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L’Intendant | The Intendant 

The Intendant of New France was an administrative position given to a man born of the French gentry or of the trading elite, usually from the royal service. A member of the Sovereign Council, the Intendant controlled the colony's entire civil administration. His main objectives revolved around settlement and economic development, and the administration of justice. He was responsible for finance and trade, infrastructure, and was expected to establish industries. Because of this, he was a very influential part of the colony’s government.

The post of Intendant of New France and the Sovereign Council were established in order to shift power away from the Governor, who was thought to yield too much power in the colony, especially through his right of veto. The Governor was meant to share legislative, executive and judicial powers with the old Council of Québec, but this wasn’t happening in reality. Louis XIV and Jean-Baptiste Colbert appointed the intendant starting in 1663 to try and correct the governing structure. As a result, the governor's powers were greatly reduced and many were transferred to the intendant and the Sovereign Council. Under the Council, power and responsibilities were split between its members.

The intendant’s salary was twelve thousand livres per year, fairly low for this time in history, and the significance of the position. Then men who took this position hoped it would be a stepping stone to a more important, and better paid, position.

Intendants of New France

• Louis Robert de la Fortelle (1663-1665); never took office

• Jean Talon (1665-1668)

• Claude de Bouteroue d'Aubigny (1668-1669)

• Jean Talon (1670-1672)

• Jacques Duchesneau de la Doussinière et d'Ambault (1675-1682)

• Michel Bégon de la Picardière (1682-1682); commission revoked before inauguration          

• Jacques de Meulles (1682-1686)

• Jean Bochart de Champigny (1686-1702)

• François de Beauharnais de La Boëche (1702-1705)

• Jacques Raudot et Antoine-Denis Raudot (1705-1711)

• Michel Bégon de la Picardière (1712-1726)

• Edmé-Nicolas Robert (1724-1724); died before taking office

• Henri de Chazel (1725-1725); died before taking office

• Claude-Thomas Dupuy (1726-1728)

• Gilles Hocquart (1729-1748; in interim from 1729 to 1730)

• François Bigot (1748-1760)

Sources:

• Claude Lemay, "Fonctions et métiers délaissés", l'Ancêtre, number 281, volume 34, winter 2008, and number 280, volume 34, winter 2007; electronic edition, Société généalogique de Québec, www.sgq.qc.ca/images/_SGQ/R_LAncetre_plus_libre/ENT-FONCTIONS-METIERS-DELAISSES.pdf.

• Jacques Mathieu, "Intendant", In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, 2006; last modified May 28, 2018, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/intendant.