René Robert, Sieur de La SalleLa Salle, Ren·é Ro·bert, Sieur de /lə ˈsæl, ˈreneɪ ˈrɒbeə $ rəˈneɪ rɑːˈbeər, ˈsjɜː də $ ˈsjɜːr-/ (1643–87) a French explorer who travelled through North America, down the Mississippi River, and claimed a large area of the southern part of North America for France, naming it Louisiana. He was killed by his followers when another expedition he was leading was unsuccessful and they got lost.