It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of author René Chartrand, a prominent figure in military history whose work, often on the fringes of popular media topics, left an indelible mark. This historian, who passed away last week, leaves behind a remarkable legacy that deserves to be celebrated and recognized.
Like Serge Bouchard, Jacques Lacoursière and Denis Vaugeois, he was able to transform the small story into something remarkable. Not only did his work enrich our understanding of Quebec history, but it also resonated beyond borders, reaching an international audience.
Born in Montreal, Chartrand had an atypical academic background, attending high school in Boston and college in Nassau, Bahamas, where he began his career as a journalist. Fluent in English and French, and able to read Spanish and Portuguese, he acquired valuable skills for his later research and writing.
Upon his return to Canada, he spent a few years at university, enrolled in history and philosophy, before receiving research contracts in military history.
In 1968, he joined Parks Canada as a curator, marking the beginning of a rich and varied three-decade career that allowed him to deepen his understanding of military history and share his findings with the general public. It was during these years that he began to publish his work, without ever obtaining a university degree. His knowledge and expertise, however, are the fruit of hard work at Parks Canada and in archives here and in the countries where many of his travels have taken him.
In retirement, he continued his career as a historian and consultant in material culture, conservation and the enhancement of historic sites. His work is vast and varied, including more than 50 books as well as countless articles published in various specialized journals.
His publications cover topics as varied as the Vikings, Napoleon’s armies and colonial wars. His magnum opus, Canadian Military Heritage (Art Global), offers a wealth of detail that delights specialists and neophytes alike and serves as a textbook at the Royal Military College in Canada. His most recent book, Armies and Wars of the French East India Companies (1664-1770)published by Helion in 2024, occupied a special place in his work for him.
This specialist, best known for his works on Canadian military history, is now internationally recognized as an authority on world military history. His meticulous approach and attention to detail have greatly enriched knowledge in this field. His work is particularly distinguished by its ability to rediscover and illuminate often neglected aspects of military history.
Free electron
Although he has often been considered a “free electron” in the academic world because of his atypical approach, his work has been received with respect and admiration. He was one of the first to make important discoveries in the colonial archives, shedding light on the rich military past of French America, an empire that once stretched from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Rocky Mountains in the west, to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, including the Antilles.
He also left a lasting impact through his generosity and desire to share his knowledge. His rigorous approach and commitment to research touched many people.
An outstanding popularizer and communicator, he succeeded in making a fascinating part of Canadian history accessible to the general public, and his vast corpus will continue to serve as a reference for future generations. A humble and generous man, he paved the way for many historians and established the foundations on which we can continue to build.
In remembering this distinguished scholar, we honor not only an exceptional scholar and an extraordinary gentleman, but also a man whose work contributed invaluably to the rediscovery of the military traditions of our ancestors’ time. His legacy will live on through his writings and in the collective memory of our history.