Jacques Cartier died aged 65. Jacques Cartier was born on December 31, 1491. Discover who shares a birthday with Jacques Cartier, plus his life highlights.
How old was Jacques Cartier when he died?
Jacques Cartier died aged 65. He was born on 31 December 1491 and died on 24 September 1557.
Born: 31 December 1491 · Died: 24 September 1557 · Age at death: 65
Jacques Cartier's voyages gave France its first claim to a vast part of North America. Sailing from Saint-Malo in 1534, he explored the Gulf of St Lawrence and met the Iroquoian people living along its shores. On his second voyage he travelled far up the St Lawrence River, reaching the village of Hochelaga, near present-day Montreal. His expeditions were searching for gold and a route to Asia, and found neither, but they mapped the way for later French settlement. He is remembered in Canada as one of the founding figures of its history.
Key Milestones
1534: First voyage – explores the Gulf of St Lawrence
1534: Cross at Gaspé – claims the land for France
1535: Second voyage – sails up the St Lawrence
1535: Reaches Hochelaga – near present-day Montreal
Last reviewed: October 2026
Jacques Cartier was born in the Breton port of Saint-Malo in 1491 and became an experienced sailor. In 1534 King Francis I sent him to search for a western route to Asia and for riches.
On his first voyage he explored the Gulf of St Lawrence and claimed land for France at Gaspé. On his second, in 1535–36, he sailed up the St Lawrence River to the sites of Quebec City and Montreal.
His crew survived a deadly winter thanks to a cure for scurvy shared by local Iroquoians. A third voyage in 1541 failed to find the gold he hoped for, and he retired to Saint-Malo, where he died in 1557.
When is Jacques Cartier's birthday? Jacques Cartier's birthday is December 31. He was born on December 31, 1491 in Saint-Malo, France.
How old was Jacques Cartier when he died? Jacques Cartier died on September 24, 1557, aged 65.
Who shares a birthday with Jacques Cartier? Famous people who share Jacques Cartier's December 31 birthday include Henri Matisse, Anthony Hopkins, Alex Ferguson, Umm Kulthum and George Marshall.
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