| rdfs:comment | - Lumieres was founded as a nation of chance and discovery. Before entering the union of Cybernations, the small island nation had a long and fairly stable history. Previously deserted, the nation's main center of population and commerce, Palay Island, was first discovered by French explorer named Jacques Alfonse in 1522. Although credited with the initial discovery of the island, Alfonse did not see any potential in an island not only so far away from France, in the Pacific, but one with so few natural resources.
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| abstract | - Lumieres was founded as a nation of chance and discovery. Before entering the union of Cybernations, the small island nation had a long and fairly stable history. Previously deserted, the nation's main center of population and commerce, Palay Island, was first discovered by French explorer named Jacques Alfonse in 1522. Although credited with the initial discovery of the island, Alfonse did not see any potential in an island not only so far away from France, in the Pacific, but one with so few natural resources. However, on that ship, Le Decouverte, was a French naval officer named Louis Bonvalont. Born in the Picardy region in France, Bonvalont was the second of three children and only son of Marie and Richard Bonvalont. Though the Bonvalont Family was not exceptionally rich, Richard's position in the French Navy (Most known for his participation in the defeat of Genoese in August of 1476) earned them a reasonable income throughout his early childhood. However, very little is known about Louis' early life aside from his enlistment in the Navy. Due to his father and expertise, Louis quickly rose through the ranks of the French Navy and was acting First Mate the day Alfonse discovered Palay Island. Not wanting to forsake the island so quickly, Bonvalont returned to France and in 1524, at the age of 34, secured a Royal Charter from King Francis I to settle the island in the name of France. So Louis and his crew of 57 sailed to the Pacific and arrived at the island in January of 1525. Initially intended to be a stopping point for trading ships heading to Asia, the island was very small, and rarely ever exceeded a population of 70. Bonvalont was acting Governor of the island but saw little to be desired in the island after finding nothing more than Alfonse had three years prior. However, in October of 1525, a member of the initial crew sent to settle the island was exploring some of the many natural caves along the coastline when he discovered a vein of silver ore. Upon further exploration, Bonvalont and his crew discovered that the island was sitting on an unquantifiable amount of silver.
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