The early French explorer's visit to New Zealand ended in his death, and the bloodshed of hundreds more in retribution.
Marion Du Fresne
Personal details
Full Name:
Marc Joseph Marion du Fresne
Lifetime:
1724 – 12 Jun 1772 to 13 Jun 1772
Biography
Events In History
4 May 1772
Marion du Fresne’s was the second French expedition to visit New Zealand, following that of Jean François Marie de Surville in 1769. Du Fresne’s acceptance of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s beliefs about ‘noble savages’ was to have unfortunate consequences for him and his crew.