René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle

René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was a French explorer and colonist who is best known for his voyages to North America. He was born in 1643 in Rouen, France, and began his career as a sailor. La Salle is credited with the discovery of the Mississippi River and the establishment of the first permanent French settlement in North America. He died in 1687 in the Gulf of Mexico.