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.