Sir William Alexander (c. 1602 – 18 May 1638) was the founder, in 1629, of the Scottish colony of Nova Scotia with the establishment of Charles Fort, now the site of modern Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada.
His expedition partner, James Stewart, 4th Lord Ochiltree established a short-lived settlement at Baleine on Cape Breton Island, some 600 km (373 mi) northeast.
He was a courtier to Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, and then a Gentleman Usher to Charles I of England.
[2] It was on the site of Charles Fort that the returning French in 1632 built their second settlement known by the name of Port-Royal.
[3] The plaque has been removed and relocated as the actual site of Charles Fort has been established through archaeological evidence at Annapolis Royal; lying beneath Fort Anne.