Emmanuel Le Borgne

Who was Emmanuel Le Borgne?

Emmanuel Le Borgne was the governor of Acadia 1657–67 and was the claimant to the estate of Charles de Menou d'Aulnay who had governed Acadia at a previous time.

Le Borgne was a highly successful merchant in France and had financed d’Aulnay in his Acadian trade. When d’Aulnay died by drowning, Le Borgne laid formal claim to the estate. He then sent an expedition to Acadia the next year to attempt a monopoly of the trade and secure the money owed to him. His competition was Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour at Saint John and Nicolas Denys at Cape Breton. In 1653, along with raiding Pentagouet, LaHave, Nova Scotia, and Nipisguit, Emmanuel Le Borgne with 100 men also raided Saint-Pierre. Denys was taken prisoner and returned to France.