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Hudson Bay Expedition (1670)
Between 1668 and 1670, French explorers Radisson and the Groseilliers brothers twice penetrated Hudson Bay, proving its suitability for the fur trade…
Timeline
- 1668James Bay (southeastern Hudson Bay) · Hudson BayPierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers set out from the Canadian interior, reached James Bay guided by Indigenous people, traded with the local Cree, and collected large quantities of beaver pelts, proving the bay route more economical than the inland St. Lawrence route.
- 1670London · EnglandThe explorers brought evidence of the bay's trade to England, persuading Charles II and several noble investors. On May 2, 1670 the crown granted the Hudson's Bay Company a charter, giving it a monopoly on the fur trade of the river basins flowing into Hudson Bay and territorial claims.
Sources
- Hudson's Bay Company https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hudsons-Bay-Company
- Radisson and des Groseilliers https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pierre-esprit-radisson