Princeton historian helps Versailles mark 300th anniversary of a state visit by Native American allies to France

In 1725, five Native American diplomats from the Otoe, Osage, Missouria and Illinois (Peoria) Nations of the Mississippi Valley crossed the Atlantic to be received at the French court of King Louis XV at the Palace of Versailles.

Their visit recognized the alliance between France and the Native American nations. 

Three hundred years later, a museum exhibit at Versailles will commemorate the event, showcasing research by Princeton historian Elizabeth Ellis, a member of the exhibit’s scientific committee.

Ellis, associate professor of history, is a citizen of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, one of six Native nations who partnered with French museum curators on the exhibit, “1725: Native American Allies at the Court of Louis XV.” She provided historical and cultural expertise on behalf of both the Peoria Nation and the University.

The exhibit features 17th- and 18th-century Native American artifacts and artwork acquired by French colonists and uses them to explore the dynamics of the international alliances between France and its Native allies — which helped establish the French influence in Louisiana that endures today.

SOURCE

Read the full article.