Maple History: A Canadian History Podcast

The Life and Murder of Étienne Brûlé

Maple History: A Canadian History Podcast

Show Notes

Étienne Brûlé was one of the most important young men in the early days of New France. He acted as an interpreter and liaison between the Wendat Confederacy and the French traders and colonizers led by Samuel de Champlain. This was not an easy world to navigate and he made plenty of enemies. Eventually those enemies caught up with him and he suffered a fate he couldn't talk his way out of.

Sources: Champlain's Dream by David Hackett Fischer The Edge of the Woods by Jon Parmenter The Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce Trigger Natives and Newcomers: Canada's "Heroic Age" Reconsidered by Bruce Trigger Crosses in the Sky: Jean de Brébeuf and the Destruction of Huronia by Mark Bourrie

Fox, William. “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business”: Historical Accounts and Archaeological Evidence Concerning an Early-Seventeenth Century Partnership. Ontario History, vol. 115, no. 1, Spring 2023, pp. 99-113.

Caloz, Danièle. “Étienne Brûlé: Paris Bourgeois.” Champlain Society Blog. 2014. https://champlainsociety.utppublishing.com/digital-content/champlain-blog/etienne-brule-paris-bourgeois-by-daniele-caloz.

Caloz, Danièle . "Étienne Brûlé: A Wealthy Parisian Trader?." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 03, 2015; Last Edited June 29, 2015.

Olga Jurgens, “BRÛLÉ, ÉTIENNE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed December 3, 2025, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/brule_etienne_1E.html. Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPod Follow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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