Adolphe-Basile Routhier
A Canadian judge who penned the French lyrics to 'O Canada,' a national anthem born from a poetry contest.
1839–1920 (age 81)·Canadian judge and poet·Birthday: May 8
Biography
Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier served as Chief Justice of Quebec's Superior Court while building a parallel career as a poet. His intellectual rigor and conservative Catholic values defined his legal work in the decades after Confederation. In 1880, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society organizing committee sought a patriotic song for Quebec City's festivities. Calixa Lavallée composed the music, while Routhier, already a respected poet, won the contest to supply the text. His French verses began 'Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux' and were first performed on June 24, 1880. The English version later developed separately, but Routhier's original lyricism provided the solemn French-language foundation for what became, a century later, Canada's official national anthem.
#1 When Adolphe-Basile Was Born
The biggest hits of 1839
Adolphe-Basile's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1839Born
1844Started school
1852Became a teenager
1855Could drive
1857Could vote
1860Turned 21
1869Turned 30
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1879Turned 40
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1889Turned 50
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Turned 60
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 70
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 80
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Died at 81
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
Key Achievements
- Wrote the original French lyrics for Canada's national anthem, 'O Canada,' in 1880.
- Served as Chief Justice of the Superior Court for the Quebec district from 1904 until his retirement.
- Was knighted by King George V in 1911 for his distinguished service to the law.
- Authored several volumes of poetry, literary criticism, and historical works throughout his life.
Did You Know?
The original anthem was titled 'Chant national' and was written specifically for Quebec's Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebration.
He was a staunch defender of the French language and Catholic values in a predominantly English-speaking Canada.
Routhier's lyrics were not officially translated; the common English version was written independently by Robert Stanley Weir in 1908.
He outlived the composer Calixa Lavallée by 36 years, seeing their collaborative work gain widespread popularity.
“O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command.”
