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1,500 Iroquois attack the village of Lachine in New France

The Lachine massacre, part of the Beaver Wars, occurred when 1,500 Mohawk warriors launched a surprise attack against the small (375 inhabitants) settlement of Lachine, New France, at the upper end...

The Lachine massacre, part of the Beaver Wars, occurred when 1,500 Mohawk warriors launched a surprise attack against the small (375 inhabitants) settlement of Lachine, New France, at the upper end of Montreal Island, on the morning of 5 August 1689.

The attack was precipitated by the growing Iroquois frustration with the increased French incursions into their territory and the ongoing concern about French Marquis de Denonville's attack of 1687, and it was encouraged by the settlers of New England as a way to leverage power against New France during King William's War.

In their attack, the Mohawk warriors destroyed a substantial portion of the Lachine settlement by fire and captured numerous inhabitants, killing around 24.

Historical Significance

The Lachine massacre, part of the Beaver Wars, occurred when 1,500 Mohawk warriors launched a surprise attack against the small (375 inhabitants) settlement of Lachine, New France, at the upper end of Montreal Island, on the morning of 5 August 1689.

Events Before

  1. City council of Amsterdam votes to support Prince William of Orange's invasion of England, known as "The Glorious Revolu

    City council of Amsterdam votes to support Prince William of Orange's invasion of England, known as "The Glorious Revolution" in the Netherlands

  2. Prince William of Orange accepts invitation to take up the British crown

    Prince William of Orange accepts invitation to take up the British crown

  3. King James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch, flees to France from William of Orange

    James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 1688 – 1 January 1766), also known as the Old Pretender, was the senior House of Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland from 1701 until...

  4. Quakers consider drafting formal protest of slavery in Germantown, Pennsylvania

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  5. "Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery": Francis Daniel Pastorius presents 1st formal written protest against Afric

    "Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery": Francis Daniel Pastorius presents 1st formal written protest against African-American slavery in English colonies in Germantown, Pennsylvania

Events After

  1. Army of Protestant King William III of England defeats deposed Roman Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne a

    Army of Protestant King William III of England defeats deposed Roman Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne at Oldbridge, Ireland

  2. Joseph I, later Holy Roman Emperor and son of Emperor Leopold I, becomes King of the Romans and King in Germany

    Joseph I, later Holy Roman Emperor and son of Emperor Leopold I, becomes King of the Romans and King in Germany

  3. The musical instrument, the clarinet, is invented in Nuremberg, Germany

    The musical instrument, the clarinet, is invented in Nuremberg, Germany

  4. Iroquois tribes renew their allegiance to the British in opposition to the French

    Iroquois tribes renew their allegiance to the British in opposition to the French

  5. French and Native American troops attack and destroy Schenectady settlement in New York Province, either killing or capt

    French and Native American troops attack and destroy Schenectady settlement in New York Province, either killing or capturing its inhabitants, revenge for the Lachine massacre

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 5, 1689?
The Lachine massacre, part of the Beaver Wars, occurred when 1,500 Mohawk warriors launched a surprise attack against the small (375 inhabitants) settlement of Lachine, New France, at the upper end of Montreal Island, on the morning of 5 August 1689. The attack was precipitated by the growing Iroquois frustration with the increased French incursions into their territory and the ongoing concern about French Marquis de Denonville's attack of 1687, and it was encouraged by the settlers of New England as a way to leverage power against New France during King William's War. In their attack, the Mohawk warriors destroyed a substantial portion of the Lachine settlement by fire and captured numerous inhabitants, killing around 24.
Why is 1,500 Iroquois attack the village of Lachine in New France significant?
The Lachine massacre, part of the Beaver Wars, occurred when 1,500 Mohawk warriors launched a surprise attack against the small (375 inhabitants) settlement of Lachine, New France, at the upper end of Montreal Island, on the morning of 5 August 1689.

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August 5 in HistoryYear 1689