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Events on Friday 23 May 1541 1
1541France Attempts to Colonize CanadaCartier and Roberval launch the Charlesbourg-Royal settlementJacques Cartier sailed to the St. Lawrence valley to found a French colony near present-day Quebec City, in advance of the expedition's commander, Jean-Francois de Roberval. The settlement of Charlesbourg-Royal suffered through a harsh winter, disease, and conflict with the local Iroquoian population. It was abandoned within two years, delaying French colonization of Canada by decades.