Jacques Cartier was born on December 31, 1491 on a port in Saint-Malo, part of duchy Brittany which in 1532 would form part of France. Even though Cartier was born into a respectable family of mariners, he upgraded his status when he married Mary Catherine des Granches in 1520. Des Granches was a member of a leading ship-owning family. The marriage between des Granches and Cartier produced no children.
In 1534 King Francis I of France commissioned Cartier to set sail in hopes to find a western passage to Asia. On May 10, 1534 he began exploring what we know now as the Canadian Atlantic Provinces and The Gulf of Saint Lawrence. During his first voyage he captured the two sons of the leader of the Iroquoian tribe and took them back with him during September of 1534. On May 13 of the following year he set off for his second voyage with three ships, over one hundred men, and the two native boys. Reaching the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, he sailed up-river for the first time, and reached the Iroquoian village of Stadacona where Chief Donnacona was reunited with his two sons. Cartier spent the winter of 1535-1536 in Stadacona, after discovering Hochelaga. After the longest and most profitable of his voyages, Cartier returned with Chief Donnacona (whom he kidnapped) to Saint Malo. His third voyage was on 1541, but unlike the last two voyages, this one was led by Jean-François de la Rocque de Roberval, with Cartier as his subordinate. While Roberval waited for artillery and supplies, he gave allowed to Cartier to continue with his ships. The natives were ominous towards them and attacked. Thirty five Frenchmen died, and Cartier left. He re-united with de la Rocque de Roberval and refused to stay. Cartier escaped back to France in 1542.
Cartier did not go on any more voyages, although he did make lasting impact on Canada. When Jacques Cartier heard the Iroquoian word for town or village, "kanata", he thought it was the name for the country. The name began appearing on European maps. At the age of 66, Jacques Cartier died a successful businessman.
