Médéric Rolle de Goursolas, or Médéric Rools de Gourselas,[a] (c. 1607–1664), was a French soldier who was active in the French colonies in the Antilles, and for a period was governor of Martinique. He organized the expedition that drove the last Caribs out of Martinique and destroyed their villages.
Médéric (or Méry) Rools de Goursolas, esquire, lord of Goursolas in Firbeix, Dordogne, was born around 1607. His parents were Jean Rolle, lord of Goursolas, and Marie de Lafon.[2] His father, a king's judge at Courbefy, Haute-Vienne, died on 3 July 1636.[3] His mother was the daughter of a notary.[1] His brother was François Rolle de Laubière, who later led militia forces on Martinique when Goursolas was acting governor.[4]
Martinique under du Parquet (1644–58)
Antigua
Dominica
Martinique
Saint Vincent
class=notpageimage|
Locations in the Lesser Antilles
Goursolas was aged 37 when he arrived in Martinique in 1644[b] with Constant d'Aubigné.[2] He was accompanied by his brother François Rolle de Loubière.[1] At the end of 1652 the governor of Martinique, Jacques Dyel du Parquet, returned to France for health reasons. He left Goursolas in charge as Major during the minority of his son.[5] On 24 February 1653 Goursolas married Jeanne Hurault, daughter of Claude Jacques Huralt, esquire, and Anne Vinet.[2] Du Parquet appointed Goursolas Lieutenant General of the island on 22 November 1653.[6]
Acting governor (1658)
Du Parquet died in Saint-Pierre on 3 January 1658 aged 52.[7] After his death his wife Marie Bonnard du Parquet took charge of the island as regent in the name of her oldest son, Dyel d'Esnambuc.[8] François de Loubière, who had married du Parquet's cousin, was appointed guardian of his children.[1] A struggle began between two factions on the island, the Parisians led by Maubray and the Normans led by Plainville. Plainville was named procureur-syndic on 22 July 1658.[6] While Maubray was absent in Antigua, Plainville arrested and imprisoned Mme du Parquet. Goursolas presided over an assembly on 6 August 1658 in which various supporters of the Parisians were removed from office. Goursolas and Plainville signed the minutes of this meeting.[6] After Mme du Parquet agreed to renounce the government, she was freed and restored to her property. Goursolas was in effect governor.[6]
In September 1658 Goursolas formed a force of 600 militiamen to eliminate the last Island Caribs from the northern Capesterre region of the island. 200 were carried by sea in five ships under François de Loubière, 200 advanced by land around Mount Pelée and 200 by Morne des Gommiers.[9] The Caribs were soon defeated by the overwhelming French forces and fled towards Dominica and Saint Vincent. Their villages were burned, and de Loubière built a small fort on the north coast of Martinique to block their return.[9] Many of the soldiers received land in return for their services and went on to found sugarcane plantation dynasties. The campaign was a decisive event in establishing full French control over the island.[10]
Later career (1658–64)
On 15 September 1658 the King appointed du Parquet's son Governor and Lieutenant General of Martinique and Saint Lucia, with his uncle Adrien Dyel, sieur de Vaudroques to act in his place until he reached the age of 20.[11][12] Goursolas was named Major and Lieutenant General of Martinique on 22 November 1658.[2] Adrien Dyel died on 24 October 1662, and Goursolas served as interim governor until 1663, when he was replaced by Jean Dyel de Clermont.[12] Médéric Rolle de Goursolas died in 1664.[12] A census of families on Martinique in 1664 listed Madmoiselle Jeanne Herault (38), widow of the deceased Médéry Rolle, Escuyer, Sieur de Gourselas (Médéric Rools de Gourselas), and her children Émond Rolle (7), Adrien Rolle (6), Louis Rolle (5) and Madeleine Rolle (11 months).[13] His wife died in Fort Royal on 15 April 1697.[2]
Notes
^The spelling "Rools" later prevailed over "Rolle".[1]
^Another source says Goursolas came to Martinique in 1642.[1]
Anglo, Roger (2010), Martinique, Guyane, Guadeloupe, les raisons de la colère, les conditions du changement (in French), Harmattan, ISBN978-2-296-10474-7, retrieved 6 May 2018
Azorin, Patrick Jean Marie, "Méderic "Méry" ROLLE de GOURSOLAS (de)", Geneanet (in French), retrieved 2018-05-05
Boucher, Philip P. (29 December 2010), France and the American Tropics to 1700: Tropics of Discontent?, JHU Press, ISBN978-1-4214-0202-4, retrieved 3 May 2018
Jesse, C. (December 1967), "SOLD FOR A SONG: Du Parquet Buys St. Lucia, Together with Martinique, Grenada, the Grenadines, In A.D. 1650, for £1660 Sterling", Caribbean Quarterly, Taylor & Francis, Ltd., 13 (4), JSTOR 40653043
Margry, Pierre (1863), Origines transatlantiques: Belain d'Esnambuc et les Normands aux Antilles, d'après des documents nouvellement retrouvés (in French), A. Faure, retrieved 3 May 2018
Margry, Pierre (1878), "Origines Francaises des Pays d'Outre-Mer", Revue maritime et coloniale (in French), Le Ministère, retrieved 5 May 2018
Marley, David F. (2008), Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the Western Hemisphere, 1492 to the Present, ABC-CLIO, ISBN978-1-59884-100-8, retrieved 5 May 2018
Roget, Jacques Petitjean (2000), Documents (in French), Desormeaux Books, ISBN978-2-85275-031-9, retrieved 3 May 2018
Roget, Jacques Petitjean, ed. (1975), Histoire de l’isle de Grenade en Amérique 1649-1659. (1659) (in French), Montréal: Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal, retrieved 2018-05-06
Roget, Jacques Petitjean (2000b), "RECENSEMENT 1664 Rolle general de la Compagnie de Monsieur DE LAUBIERE ...", Personnes et familles a la Martinique au XVIIe siecle (in French), vol. 1 Documents, Desormeaux Books, ISBN978-2-85275-031-9, retrieved 5 May 2018
Rossignol, Bernadette; Rossignol, Philippe (April–May 2003), "Famille ROOLS de GOURSOLAS huit générations en Martinique, qui se terminent en 1902", Généalogie et Histoire de la Caraïbe (158–159), retrieved 2018-05-05
January 16, 2023
médéric, rolle, goursolas, médéric, rools, gourselas, 1607, 1664, french, soldier, active, french, colonies, antilles, period, governor, martinique, organized, expedition, that, drove, last, caribs, martinique, destroyed, their, villages, médéric, rolle, sieur. Mederic Rolle de Goursolas or Mederic Rools de Gourselas a c 1607 1664 was a French soldier who was active in the French colonies in the Antilles and for a period was governor of Martinique He organized the expedition that drove the last Caribs out of Martinique and destroyed their villages Mederic Rolle sieur de GourselasGovernor of MartiniqueIn office 1662 1663Preceded byAdrien Dyel de VaudroquesSucceeded byJean Dyel de ClermontPersonal detailsBorn1615Died1664NationalityFrenchOccupationSoldier Contents 1 Early years 1607 44 2 Martinique under du Parquet 1644 58 3 Acting governor 1658 4 Later career 1658 64 5 Notes 6 Citations 7 SourcesEarly years 1607 44 EditMederic or Mery Rools de Goursolas esquire lord of Goursolas in Firbeix Dordogne was born around 1607 His parents were Jean Rolle lord of Goursolas and Marie de Lafon 2 His father a king s judge at Courbefy Haute Vienne died on 3 July 1636 3 His mother was the daughter of a notary 1 His brother was Francois Rolle de Laubiere who later led militia forces on Martinique when Goursolas was acting governor 4 Martinique under du Parquet 1644 58 Edit Antigua Dominica Martinique Saint Vincentclass notpageimage Locations in the Lesser Antilles Goursolas was aged 37 when he arrived in Martinique in 1644 b with Constant d Aubigne 2 He was accompanied by his brother Francois Rolle de Loubiere 1 At the end of 1652 the governor of Martinique Jacques Dyel du Parquet returned to France for health reasons He left Goursolas in charge as Major during the minority of his son 5 On 24 February 1653 Goursolas married Jeanne Hurault daughter of Claude Jacques Huralt esquire and Anne Vinet 2 Du Parquet appointed Goursolas Lieutenant General of the island on 22 November 1653 6 Acting governor 1658 EditDu Parquet died in Saint Pierre on 3 January 1658 aged 52 7 After his death his wife Marie Bonnard du Parquet took charge of the island as regent in the name of her oldest son Dyel d Esnambuc 8 Francois de Loubiere who had married du Parquet s cousin was appointed guardian of his children 1 A struggle began between two factions on the island the Parisians led by Maubray and the Normans led by Plainville Plainville was named procureur syndic on 22 July 1658 6 While Maubray was absent in Antigua Plainville arrested and imprisoned Mme du Parquet Goursolas presided over an assembly on 6 August 1658 in which various supporters of the Parisians were removed from office Goursolas and Plainville signed the minutes of this meeting 6 After Mme du Parquet agreed to renounce the government she was freed and restored to her property Goursolas was in effect governor 6 In September 1658 Goursolas formed a force of 600 militiamen to eliminate the last Island Caribs from the northern Capesterre region of the island 200 were carried by sea in five ships under Francois de Loubiere 200 advanced by land around Mount Pelee and 200 by Morne des Gommiers 9 The Caribs were soon defeated by the overwhelming French forces and fled towards Dominica and Saint Vincent Their villages were burned and de Loubiere built a small fort on the north coast of Martinique to block their return 9 Many of the soldiers received land in return for their services and went on to found sugarcane plantation dynasties The campaign was a decisive event in establishing full French control over the island 10 Later career 1658 64 EditOn 15 September 1658 the King appointed du Parquet s son Governor and Lieutenant General of Martinique and Saint Lucia with his uncle Adrien Dyel sieur de Vaudroques to act in his place until he reached the age of 20 11 12 Goursolas was named Major and Lieutenant General of Martinique on 22 November 1658 2 Adrien Dyel died on 24 October 1662 and Goursolas served as interim governor until 1663 when he was replaced by Jean Dyel de Clermont 12 Mederic Rolle de Goursolas died in 1664 12 A census of families on Martinique in 1664 listed Madmoiselle Jeanne Herault 38 widow of the deceased Medery Rolle Escuyer Sieur de Gourselas Mederic Rools de Gourselas and her children Emond Rolle 7 Adrien Rolle 6 Louis Rolle 5 and Madeleine Rolle 11 months 13 His wife died in Fort Royal on 15 April 1697 2 Notes Edit The spelling Rools later prevailed over Rolle 1 Another source says Goursolas came to Martinique in 1642 1 Citations Edit a b c d e Roget 1975 p 179 a b c d e Rossignol amp Rossignol 2003 p 3806 Azorin Margry 1878 p 542 Roget 2000 p 16 a b c d Margry 1878 p 541 Margry 1863 p 72 Boucher 2010 p 137 a b Marley 2008 p 236 Anglo 2010 p 28 Jesse 1967 p 46 a b c Cahoon Roget 2000b p 112 Sources EditAnglo Roger 2010 Martinique Guyane Guadeloupe les raisons de la colere les conditions du changement in French Harmattan ISBN 978 2 296 10474 7 retrieved 6 May 2018 Azorin Patrick Jean Marie Mederic Mery ROLLE de GOURSOLAS de Geneanet in French retrieved 2018 05 05 Boucher Philip P 29 December 2010 France and the American Tropics to 1700 Tropics of Discontent JHU Press ISBN 978 1 4214 0202 4 retrieved 3 May 2018 Cahoon Ben Martinique WorldStatesmen org retrieved 2018 05 06 Jesse C December 1967 SOLD FOR A SONG Du Parquet Buys St Lucia Together with Martinique Grenada the Grenadines In A D 1650 for 1660 Sterling Caribbean Quarterly Taylor amp Francis Ltd 13 4 JSTOR 40653043 Margry Pierre 1863 Origines transatlantiques Belain d Esnambuc et les Normands aux Antilles d apres des documents nouvellement retrouves in French A Faure retrieved 3 May 2018 Margry Pierre 1878 Origines Francaises des Pays d Outre Mer Revue maritime et coloniale in French Le Ministere retrieved 5 May 2018 Marley David F 2008 Wars of the Americas A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the Western Hemisphere 1492 to the Present ABC CLIO ISBN 978 1 59884 100 8 retrieved 5 May 2018 Roget Jacques Petitjean 2000 Documents in French Desormeaux Books ISBN 978 2 85275 031 9 retrieved 3 May 2018 Roget Jacques Petitjean ed 1975 Histoire de l isle de Grenade en Amerique 1649 1659 1659 in French Montreal Les Presses de l Universite de Montreal retrieved 2018 05 06 Roget Jacques Petitjean 2000b RECENSEMENT 1664 Rolle general de la Compagnie de Monsieur DE LAUBIERE Personnes et familles a la Martinique au XVIIe siecle in French vol 1 Documents Desormeaux Books ISBN 978 2 85275 031 9 retrieved 5 May 2018 Rossignol Bernadette Rossignol Philippe April May 2003 Famille ROOLS de GOURSOLAS huit generations en Martinique qui se terminent en 1902 Genealogie et Histoire de la Caraibe 158 159 retrieved 2018 05 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mederic Rolle de Goursolas amp oldid 1072571863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
