In modern times it is called La Louisiane française to distinguish it from the modern state of Louisiana. French Louisiana, part of New France, was known in French as La Louisiane in colonial times. In this year the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved to Biloxi (or Bilocci) from Mobile (or La Mobile). In 1720, the area of today's city of Biloxi was settled for the first time around Fort Louis. Labeled along with 'Fort Maurepas' on maps dated circa year 1710/1725, the name was sometimes used in English as 'Fort Bilocci'. The name of Biloxi in French was Bilocci, a transliteration of the term for the local Native American tribe in their language. La Louisiane was separated from Spanish Florida at the Perdido River near Pensacola (this was founded by the Spanish 1559 and again in 1698).
The settlement was under the direction of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville.
In 1699, French colonists formed the first permanent, European settlement in French Louisiana, at Fort Maurepas, now in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and referred to as 'Old Biloxi'. See also: Seven Years' War and French and Indian War Old Biloxi (site B) and New Biloxi (site A), French map, beginning of 18th century
