Kondiaronk, nicknamed The Rat by the French, was chief of the Wyandot or Huron of Michillimakinac. Through his martial feats, his mastery of the art of diplomacy and his unequalled talents as an orator, he wielded considerable influence over the Great Lakes nations. The main craftsman of the Great Peace, he passed away in Montréal, during the conference of 1701, two days only before the treaty's ratification. The French organized a lavish funeral in his honor.