Do you remember the movie? Matusalem, by director Roger Cantin? In this swashbuckling 1993 film, actor Marc Labrèche plays Philippe Ambroise Dubuc de Beauchêne, an 18th-century piratee Century becomes a ghost in search of his poisoner. This character and the film’s story are inspired by the life of a man whose existence was long doubted but who actually lived: Robert Chevalier, known as de Beauchêne! Here is his fascinating story…
In 1732, Alain-René Lesage’s book Les Avantures de Monsieur Robert Chevalier, known as de Beauchêne, captain of the privateers in New France, was published. Lesage was then a recognized writer in France and author of the famous novel Gil Blas. In the preamble he points out that his book comes from the memoirs of a certain Chevalier de Beauchêne, which he had received from his widow with the aim of having them published.
In 1732, the writer Alain-René Lesage published “Les Avantures de Monsieur Robert Chevalier, dit de Beauchene, captain of the privateers in New France.” The book has been the subject of several new editions. Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory. Ministry of Culture and Communication
An extraordinary life
Lesage’s story, written in the first person, tells the life of Robert Chevalier de Beauchêne, a young Frenchman born in Montreal (Pointe-aux-Trembles) who was kidnapped by the Iroquois at the age of 7. The latter keep him close and teach him about life in nature, hunting and the basics of war. After a few years with the Iroquois, he returned to the French after being captured in an attack by Frontenac’s troops.
Throughout the story, the adventurous young man with a warrior spirit leads expeditions with indigenous peoples in the New France area, including Port-Royal, where he is said to have helped save this Acadia fort from English attack in 1707. After this episode he gradually became a privateer. He then traveled the seas from the Antilles to Africa, regularly fighting English ships. After numerous adventures, he ended his life in France, rich from the loot he had accumulated.
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An existence in doubt
Lesage’s book has been republished and translated several times since its initial publication. However, for a long time it was considered a simple novel from Lesage’s fertile imagination. In particular, the authenticity of Beauchêne’s memoirs and his existence are questioned.
For posterity, Robert Chevalier, known as de Beauchêne, was considered a fictional character until the 20th century.
In Roger Cantin’s film Matusalem, actor Marc Labrèche plays a Robert Chevalier-inspired privateer known as de Beauchêne. Elephant. Remembering the cinema of Quebec
Proof of its existence
At the beginning of the 20th century, some people, such as Charles de la Roncière and Léo Leymarie, who believed in the veracity of Lesage’s preface and the authenticity of Beauchêne’s memoirs, began to look for traces that would prove the existence of the filibuster.
In 1929 there was a dramatic change! An American professor named Harry Kurtz published the death certificate of Robert Chevalier de Beauchêne, who died in Tours, France, in 1731 after a street fight. Shortly afterwards we found his birth certificate, which shows that Beauchêne was baptized on April 23, 1686 in Pointe-aux-Trembles. Now it is proven: Robert de Beauchêne is not just a romantic hero, he definitely existed!
Since then, several historians and researchers have examined the case of the Chevalier de Beauchêne. A critical edition by the researcher Emmanuel Bouchard offers a good synthesis of the knowledge acquired.
If Beauchêne’s memoirs contain certain inaccuracies and certain passages were visibly retouched by the writer Lesage, several facts reported in the story were later confirmed and testify to the fact that Robert Chevalier, known as de Beauchêne, had a quite extraordinary personality…
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