Who were seigneurs at the time of first nations?

Seigneurs were landowners in New France, a French colony established in North America during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were granted large tracts of land by the French crown, which they managed and developed, often using the labor of settlers and Indigenous peoples. The seigneurial system was characterized by a hierarchical social structure, where seigneurs held significant power over their lands and the people living on them, including the First Nations. Their interactions with Indigenous communities were complex, involving trade, alliances, and at times, conflict.