Oureouharé
Encyclopedia
Oureouharé was a Cayuga
chief. He was one of the Iroquois
chiefs that were seized treacherously and sent to the galleys in France
in 1687, after being invited to a conference at Fort Frontenac
by Denonville
, the Canadian governor
. He was allowed to return with Frontenac to Canada in 1689, became attached to the new governor, accompanied him to Montreal, and advised him to release the other Indian captives that were then in Canada. His advice was followed; the Indians were sent back to their tribes, and were exhorted by Oureouhare to persuade the latter to send an embassy to Montreal
. This was done on 9 March, 1690, and the envoy said that the French prisoners that had been scattered in the other cantons were now all at Onondaga, and would be disposed of as Oureouhare should direct. The efforts of the latter to reconcile the Iroquois to French rule were unsuccessful, and Frontenac began to have doubts of his fidelity. His conduct in 1691, when the Iroquois invaded the French colony, dispelled all doubts, and his bravery at Repentigny
contributed greatly to the defeat of the savages. He commanded the Christian
Hurons in an engagement at La Prairie
in the same year, and afterward pursued a body of Iroquois and recaptured several French prisoners. He then went to Quebec and received the thanks of Frontenac, as well as numerous presents. Several tribes offered to make him their chief, but he replied that he would never leave Ononthio (Frontenac), for whom he seems to have felt a sincere affection. He retired among the Christian Iroquois of the mountain in 1692, but made frequent excursions among the Cayugas and other tribes in the interest of the French, persuading the Cayugas to release their French prisoners, and keeping them firm in their allegiance. He visited Quebec in 1697, and fell sick after his arrival. He was a sincere Christian, and when the missionary
who attended him spoke of the crucifixion, it is said that he cried out: “Why was I not there? I would have prevented them from so treating my God.” He was buried with pomp. Frontenac regretted him all the more that he relied on him principally for bringing about a treaty with the Iroquois.
Cayuga nation
The Cayuga people was one of the five original constituents of the Haudenosaunee , a confederacy of American Indians in New York. The Cayuga homeland lay in the Finger Lakes region along Cayuga Lake, between their league neighbors, the Onondaga to the east and the Seneca to the west...
chief. He was one of the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
chiefs that were seized treacherously and sent to the galleys in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1687, after being invited to a conference at Fort Frontenac
Fort Frontenac
Fort Frontenac was a French trading post and military fort built in 1673 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It was positioned at the mouth of the Cataraqui River where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario , in a location traditionally known as Cataraqui...
by Denonville
Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville
Jacques-Rene de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville was Governor General of New France from 1685 to 1689 and was a key figure in the Beaver Wars....
, the Canadian governor
Governor of New France
The Governor of New France was the viceroy of the King of France in North America. A French noble, he was appointed to govern the colonies of New France, which included Canada, Acadia and Louisiana. The residence of the Governor was at the Château St-Louis in the capital of Quebec City...
. He was allowed to return with Frontenac to Canada in 1689, became attached to the new governor, accompanied him to Montreal, and advised him to release the other Indian captives that were then in Canada. His advice was followed; the Indians were sent back to their tribes, and were exhorted by Oureouhare to persuade the latter to send an embassy to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. This was done on 9 March, 1690, and the envoy said that the French prisoners that had been scattered in the other cantons were now all at Onondaga, and would be disposed of as Oureouhare should direct. The efforts of the latter to reconcile the Iroquois to French rule were unsuccessful, and Frontenac began to have doubts of his fidelity. His conduct in 1691, when the Iroquois invaded the French colony, dispelled all doubts, and his bravery at Repentigny
Repentigny, Quebec
Repentigny is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in the province of Quebec, located north of Montreal, on the lower end of the L'Assomption River and on the Saint Lawrence River. Repentigny and Charlemagne are the first towns off the island of Montreal.-History:...
contributed greatly to the defeat of the savages. He commanded the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Hurons in an engagement at La Prairie
La Prairie, Quebec
La Prairie is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada at the confluence of the Saint-Jacques River and the Saint Lawrence River in the Regional County Municipality of Roussillon...
in the same year, and afterward pursued a body of Iroquois and recaptured several French prisoners. He then went to Quebec and received the thanks of Frontenac, as well as numerous presents. Several tribes offered to make him their chief, but he replied that he would never leave Ononthio (Frontenac), for whom he seems to have felt a sincere affection. He retired among the Christian Iroquois of the mountain in 1692, but made frequent excursions among the Cayugas and other tribes in the interest of the French, persuading the Cayugas to release their French prisoners, and keeping them firm in their allegiance. He visited Quebec in 1697, and fell sick after his arrival. He was a sincere Christian, and when the missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
who attended him spoke of the crucifixion, it is said that he cried out: “Why was I not there? I would have prevented them from so treating my God.” He was buried with pomp. Frontenac regretted him all the more that he relied on him principally for bringing about a treaty with the Iroquois.