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Where is the La Belle ship now?
The ship instead sailed into Matagorda Bay, only to sink in 1686 where it was found 300 years later and underwent an extraordinary excavation and preservation beginning in 1995. La Belle now is at the center of the Museum’s first-floor exhibition La Belle: The Ship That Changed History.
What happened to La Salle last ship?
The explorer was to land at the mouth of the Mississippi River, establish a colony and trade routes, and locate Spanish silver mines. That plan was never realized. Instead, in a series of remarkable circumstances, La Salle lost ships to pirates and disaster, sailed past his destination, and was murdered by his own men.
Where did La Salle have his shipwreck?
Matagorda Bay
First was the excavation in 1996–97 of La Salle’s ill-fated ship La Belle that sank in Matagorda Bay in 1686. La Belle is one of the most important shipwrecks ever discovered in North America.
Who owns all of the artifacts that were found on La Belle?
All La Belle artifacts are the property of France from the collection of the Musée National de la Marine. Courtesy of the Texas Historical Commission, Austin. This collander was among other 17th century items intended for use in the new colony.
What ships did Robert de La Salle use?
La Belle was one of Robert de La Salle’s four ships when he explored the Gulf of Mexico with the ill-fated mission of starting a French colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1685….La Belle (ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
| France | |
| Name | La Belle |
| Owner | Louis XIV |
| Operator | René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle |
Where is Matagorda Bay?
Texas Coast
Matagorda Bay is located on the Texas Coast at approximately 28.5 N and 96.5 W and is the third largest Texas estuarine system (1,013.68 square km).
How old was La Salle when he died?
43 years (1643–1687)
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle/Age at death
How do the archaeologists know they had found the Belle?
During the second dive, archaeologist Chuck Meide discovered a bronze cannon which, when subsequently recovered, proved that this shipwreck was indeed that of La Belle. This was considered strong circumstantial evidence that the ship was La Belle.
Why did the Spanish send so many expeditions to find Lasalle’s Colony?
Spain learned of La Salle’s mission in 1686. Concerned that the French colony could threaten Spain’s control over New Spain and the southern part of North America, the Crown funded multiple expeditions to locate and eliminate the settlement.
What happened to La Salle’s four ships?
La Belle was wrecked in present-day Matagorda Bay the following year, dooming La Salle’s Texas colony to failure. The wreckage of La Belle lay forgotten until it was discovered by a team of state archaeologists in 1995….La Belle (ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
| France | |
| Name | La Belle |
| Owner | Louis XIV |
| Operator | René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle |
What happened to the twenty odd persons remaining at the settlement?
Almost two years later, a Karankawa band, feigning friendship, fell upon the twenty-odd persons remaining at the settlement on Garcitas Creek. Only half a dozen children were spared, to be ransomed later by Spaniards and taken to Mexico City.
What are 3 facts about La Salle?
La Salle built a fort on Lake Ontario in 1673. He started a fur trade that made him a lot of money. Then he built a ship….
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle |
| Born | November 22, 1643 (Rouen, France) |
| Died | 1687 near the Brazos River in Texas) |
| Nationality | French |