Richelieu

Richelieu, river in southern Quebec province, Canada, 171 km (106 mi) long. It issues from the northern end of Lake Champlain, near the United States border, and flows north to the St Lawrence River, near the city of Sorel and Lake St-Pierre. The surrounding valley was originally inhabited by the Algonquin, Iroquois, and Huron. The river was navigated by French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1609. In 1642, the river was named after Cardinal Richelieu of France. It was an important military route during the French and Indian War (1756-1763), the American War of Independence (1775-1783), and the War of 1812. Economically important in the 19th century, the Richelieu's commercial traffic eventually declined with the construction of railway lines between Montreal and the United States.