Powhatan

Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Pawhatan), or Wahunsenacawh (c. 1547 – c. 1618), was the paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Virginia Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia at the time English settlers landed at Jamestown in 1607.

Powhatan, alternately called "King" or "Chief" Powhatan by the English, led the main political and military power facing the early colonists, was probably the older brother of Opechancanough, who led attacks against the English in 1622 and 1644. He was the father of Pocahontas, who eventually converted to Christianity and married the English settler John Rolfe.

Early life

Little is known about Powhatan's early life. He apparently inherited the leadership of about 4-6 tribes, with its base at the fall line near present-day Richmond, Virginia. Through diplomacy and/or force, he had assembled a total of about 30 tribes into the Powhatan Confederacy by the early 17th century. The confederacy covered approximately 16,000 square miles.

Contact with the English

Powhatan first learned about the arrival of English settlers in May 1607. He sent a party to investigate them and returned with reports that the English intended to stay. This was the beginning of a complex relationship between Powhatan and the English.

Death and legacy

Powhatan died in Virginia in 1618. His burial place is not known. His legacy is complex, but he is remembered as a leader who attempted to deal with the English settlers through diplomacy rather than warfare.

See also

• Pocahontas
• John Smith
• John Rolfe
• Opechancanough
• Powhatan Confederacy
• Tsenacommacah

References

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  Map of Powhatan's territory by John Smith
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