Geographical Knowledge as Power: The Role of the Society of Jesus and the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris in the Early Exploration of Louisiana

Abstract

The Society of Jesus and the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris played prominent roles in the early exploration of French Louisiana. The two societies competed over territorial jurisdiction since the presence of their missionaries provided privileged access to the latest geographical data. In times of exploration and colonial territorial expansion, geographical data proved to be an important lever of power, and French missionaries were one of the principal agents of acquiring and disseminating knowledge. We follow the role of the two mentioned missionary societies through the eyes of the Jesuit Father Paul du Ru, the priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris, Francois Le Maire, and two Jesuit travelers, Antoine de Laval and François-Xavier Charlevoix. Their journals, travel narratives, and maps offer an early testimony to Louisiana’s rich history and cultural encounters between European settlers and native nations. This article is based on original research.