Les Filles Du Roi

1
Les Filles Du Roi

• The Kings Daughters

2
Who were they?

• Les Filles Du Roi, or the Kings Daughters, were
  young French women who were sent across the
  Atlantic Ocean to become the bride of a man in
  New France. In the decade of 1663 to 1673, as
  many as 850 girls were sent to the new colony as
  a way of balancing out the sex ratio in New
  France

3
Where were they from?

• The young women were selected from various areas
  of France, however most came from the
  Northwestern provinces of the country. Places
  such as Isles de France, Normandie, Aunis, and
  Champagne were some of the top area in which
  several of the Kings Daughters originated from.

4
The King

• King Louis XIV decided to implement and
  aggressive new immigration policy for the colony
  of New France by sending hundreds of young women
  across the Atlantic.
• The travels and dowries of the new brides were
  paid for by King Louis XIV, the man who became
  their known as their father.

5
The Trip Across The Atlantic

• The trip across the Atlantic Ocean was long and
  treacherous. It would usually take a total of
  three months as long as the weather would
  cooperate.
• The ships were very crowded and sanitation was
  not top priority. Disease was common among the
  women as bacteria and germs spread quickly among
  the crowded and filthy conditions.

6
The Arrival

• Upon arrival in New France, the girls would be
  housed in convents or with established families
  where they could be supervised until they were
  ready for the presentation and selection for
  marriage.
• In their short time here, the girls were educated
  in how to survive in their new homes. Domestic
  issues such as sewing and cooking was the
  curriculum of Les Filles Du Roi.

7
Marguerite Bourgeoys

• Women such as Marguerite Bourgeoys established
  convents in which the girls were sometimes
  housed.
• She lived in this one room for many years while
  taking care of both the Kings Daughters and the
  sick of the colony.

8
The Presentation

• When the colony is prepared to make a
  presentation of the young women to their suitors
  the girls were divided into three groups and sent
  into different rooms. While the criteria for the
  division remains unclear, we know that officials
  used the room distinction to direct different
  suitors to areas where they felt they mat find a
  desire mate.
• Men were denied their monetary incentive or even
  punished if not married. The most common
  punishment for the men in the colony was the
  prohibition of trading furs if he had not found a
  bride within 15 days of the arrival of the ship
  carrying the Kings Daughters.

9
Life In The New Colony

• Unfortunately for many of the young women who
  came to New France in search of a prosperous
  life, they were met with much difficulty.
  Because many of the women were city and town
  girls, they were not used to the great degree of
  work required for survival in a new colony.
• Another major problem was the extremely harsh
  climate with which they were faced with upon
  arrival. Not only were the young women not used
  to such cold and tiring weather, they were also
  very ill equipped in terms of the proper clothing
  for survival.

10
Les Filles Du Roi

• These young women are responsible for the
  population of a new nation.
• Even when the battle was tough, they fought with
  their heads held high.