Fall of Fort Louisbourg
French King Louis XV wanted a fortress to be the star of his entire empire, so in 1719 the construction began of Fort Louisbourg. By 1745 the construction was finished, and the French King could actually see his fortress rising above the western horizon from his palace at Versailles. Soon the Fortress was a huge trading center, as well as a military center. It was well protected by big guns which all were pointed out in the direction of the sea. However there was a problem. Pirates soon noticed that they could loot British ships passing, that were en route to the thirteen colonies. That angered the citizens of the Thirteen Colonies. They felt like Britain was failing to protect them, and they soon demanded that the British Navy escort the cargo ships. Soon with the War of Austrian Succession beginning, and also in plain frustration, in 1745 the Thirteen Colonies saw their chance to get rid of their problem. A British military force that was lead by William Pepperrell took over the fortress of Fort Louisbourg after 46 days of battle. It was not over though, as 3 years later, the War of Austrian Succession was over, and the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed which returned Fort Louisbourg to the French. In 1756 the Seven Years War began, between the French and the English, and two years later the British set their sights on capturing Fort Louisbourg as it was in their way of their troops getting into the St. Lawrence River. The siege lasted for 48 days with constant artillery shelling from this position, almost destroying the walls of the fortress. Soon the British would set fire to the largest building in Fort Louisbourg, which squashed any confidence that the French had in their commanders, and it was all over. The French would Surrender Fort Louisbourg on July 26th 1758 to the English, who would blow up the entire fortress in fear it could soon be returned to the French.