Pierre Bélain, sieur d’Esnambuc

Pierre Bélain was a French trader and adventurer in the Caribbean who established the first permanent French colony, Saint-Pierre, on the island of Martinique in the first half of the 17th century.

When Pierre the first time sailed to the Caribbean in 1625 he was motivated by desire to establish a French settlement on the St. Christopher Island. He returned to France the next year and managed to get the support of Cardinal Richelieu to establish French colonies in the region. With that aim the “Compagnie de Saint-Christophe” later reorganized as “Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique” with Richelieu as one of its shareholders was founded.

In 1635 d'Esnambuc led the expedition with one hundred French settlers to clear land for sugar cane plantations in Martinique. That led first to tensions, and later to open warfare with the indigenous Caribbean population. After six months d'Esnambuc brough a decision to return to Saint Christopher where he died soon afterwards. His nephew Jacques-Dyel du Parquet became captain general of Martinique.

On hearing of his death, Cardinal Richelieu said that the king and his realm had lost one of their best servants.