La Belle, the Ship That Changed History

Introduction

9 Introduction W hen the French arrived on the Texas coast in 1685, a series of events played out that would change the course of history. Today La Belle is an important touchstone to that story, helping us understand the region’s role in the larger context of international history. The discovery, excavation, and preservation of La Belle offer a new and broader understanding of the people and social forces that shaped Texas’s cultural legacy. The story of La Salle’s expedition is one of Texas’s most dramatic and exciting chapters, but it also represents stateof -the-art science and conservation technology. During the planning phase of the project, a roundtable of noted scholars convened to further analyze the complex and significant consequences of Spain’s dramatic reaction to the French incursion into Texas in 1685. With a rousing mix of archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians in the room it was clear that the story was complex, with nuanced and varied opinions of the historical events. These opinions , along with multiple interpretations of the evidence, are reflected in the scholars’ essays chosen for this catalog. Our interpretive goal is to bring to the forefront a balanced story of the complex encounters between American Indians , the French, and the Spanish that greatly influenced the course of history in a region that represents two-thirds of the United States. Since the discovery of La Belle there have been several key players and supporters of the endeavor to bring the ship’s story to light. On the institutional level, the Texas Historical Commission has been at the helm for nearly twenty years guiding the recovery, conservation, and stewardship of the ship with unprecedented methodology, approach , and scope. The Conservation Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University’s Center for Maritime Archaeology & Conservation has successfully performed a mammoth undertaking in preservation treatment. We wish to thank the citizens of the state of Texas and organizations including the Texas State Legislature, the Texas State History Museum Foundation and its board, and the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission, who have all helped to bring this ambitious project to fruition. We wish to recognize the Odyssey Museums that represent the Gulf Coast communities of Corpus Christi, Port Lavaca, Victoria, Bay City, Rockport, Edna, and Palacios, who have made important contributions to the project. We also thank the many scholars and advisors, with a special thanks to Dr. Jim Bruseth for his passion and dedication to the project overall and his depth of knowledge about this incredible story. Dr. Jesús F. de la Teja and Dr. Juliana Barr have provided crucial insight as scholar advisors. We also wish to recognize our collaborations with the Musée national de la Marine in Paris who, seventeenth-century records confirm, remain the actual owners of La Belle and its contents. Finally, thank you to the entire staff of the Bullock Texas State History Museum and our close colleagues at the State Preservation Board under Executive Director John Sneed. The expertise and commitment of the hundreds of staff members created a thoughtful interpretation of a complex history. Victoria Ramirez, Deputy Director David Denney, Director of Special Projects, Bullock Texas State History Museum Austin, Texas In late 1683 the French explorer La Salle sought support for an expedition to North America amid European national rivalries and political intrigue. ...