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Wahunsenecawh, the Native American leader commonly known as "Powhatan" was the head of a confederation of six tribes located in Tsenacomoco, now comprising southeastern Virginia. Other Algonquian-speaking tribes to the north, east, and south were also loosely connected. He was born in the middle of the 17th century, possibly as early as 1540. Powhatan was the oldest of four brothers (the others were Opitchapam, Opechancanough, and Kekataugh). Powhatan leadership descended through women, but sons ruled unless or until there were no surviving sons.
Spanish sailors and priests were the first Europeans to explore the Powhatan area, arriving about 1560. They took Native Americans as captives and when they returned in 1570 the local tribes killed many of the Spaniards. The Spanish left in 1572 and did not return. [1]
In 1607, English colonists of the Virginia Company arrived, hoping to make their fortune. The colonists were met with mixed reactions, some were attacked and others were welcomed. The colonists were unprepared for life in Virginia and many died of disease and starvation. Trade with the Indians helped the settlers to survive their first year, and in 1608 the settlers asked Powhatan to come to their fort to receive gifts, pledge allegiance to King James, and be crowned. He refused to come, saying "If your king have sent me presents, I am also a king and this is my land. Eight days I will stay here to receive them," but he allowed the English to come to his town bringing gifts and a crown, which he accepted. [2] John Smith was able to establish a good relationship with Powhatan, but after Smith returned to England in 1609 the relationship between the colonists and the Indians deteriorated. Much of what we know about Powhatan and his nation was recorded by Smith who wrote:
John Smith described Powhatan as follows: "...their Emperor proudly [lay] upon a bedstead a foot high upon ten or twelve mats, richly hung with many chains of great pearls about his neck, and covered with a great covering of Rahaughcums [raccoon skins]. At his head sat a woman, at his feet another, on each side, sitting upon a mat upon the ground, were ranged his chief men on each side [of] the fire, ten in a rank, and behind them as many young women, each a great chain of white beads over their shoulders, their heads painted in red, and [he] with such a grave a majestical countenance as drove me into admiration to see such state in a naked savage." [4]
Powhatan was also written about by Norman Wood who described the Chief, based on English reports, as "tall, well-proportioned man with a sower looke, his head somewhat gray, his beard so thinne that it seemeth none at all, his age neare sixtie, of a very able and hardy body, to endure any labor." [5]
Powhatan took a series of wives from each of the tribes and villages he ruled. Once a child was born the wife would be returned to her home. As soon as the child was old enough, he or she would go to live with Powhatan to be educated. Contemporary accounts say that Powhatan had "many more than one hundred" wives. [6]
While visiting Jamestown in the early 1600s, writer William Strachey asked about the wives of Powhatan, then wrote them down in the following order, using his own spelling:[7]
While the following wife was not named by Strachey, she was identified as mother of a known child of Powhatan: [8] [9]
The names of only six children of Powhatan are known:[8]With one exception, the names and family groups (clans) of the mothers of these children are not known; typically, each wife gave Powhatan a single child and then was sent back to her village. [10][11]
A previous version of this profile claimed additional children, for whom there is no evidence; they have been detached:
See also:
Werowocomoco: Seat of Power], Jamestown Settlement Special Exhibition: May 15, 2010 to June 30, 2011
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Wahunsenaca is 27 degrees from Zendaya Coleman, 27 degrees from Sting Sumner, 18 degrees from Josh Brolin, 24 degrees from Timothée Chalamet, 20 degrees from José Ferrer, 20 degrees from Frank Herbert, 17 degrees from Richard Jordan, 23 degrees from David Lynch, 16 degrees from Virginia Madsen, 22 degrees from Charlotte Rampling, 30 degrees from Patrick Stewart and 24 degrees from Denis Villeneuve on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
P > Powhatan > Wahunsenaca Powhatan
Categories: Family of Powhatan | Pamunkey Indian Reservation Cemetery, King William, Virginia | Anglo-Powhatan Wars | First Anglo-Powhatan War | Namesakes US Counties | Powhatan
Don Luis was a young man from another tribe who was taken by the Spanish about 1660 and returned about 1672. He has no known connection to Powhatan, and is not either Powhatan himself or Powhatan's father. Japasaw was a younger man than Powhatan.
If you are interested in learning about Powhatan and his world, two of the best books are by Helen Rountree: "Pocahontas, Powhatan, Opechancanough: Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown," and "Pocahontas People."
edited by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
He was an indentured servant who was sold or traded to Grand Chief Wahunsenacawh to learn their ways and their language. It's the earliest known written account of the daily life of the Powhatan people. It's a hard read in 'ye olde English' with Fs that are really S's and all of that, but it's well worth the effort to read what I believe is an honest account of his firsthand observations.
I'm short of time at the moment, but the pdf of the book that was printed based on Spelman's manuscripts is in this wiki.
Henry Spelman of Jamestown https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Spelman_of_Jamestown
https://books.google.com/books?id=IYQmEAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22RELATION+OF+Virginia%22+%2BSpelman&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&ovdme=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp397Iy8KDAxVwjokEHd3ZBpEQ6wF6BAgFEAU#v=onepage&q&f=false
EDITED TO ADD: Only the first few pages are viewable there.
A full transcript might be this one: http://www.virtualjamestown.org/exist/cocoon/jamestown/fha/J1040
edited by Jillaine Smith