Pocahontas biography

Pocahontas Matoaka

Pocahontas was named Amonute at birth and went by means of the name Matoaka. She allegedly earned the nickname Pocahontas, which means “playful one,” because assert her happy, inquisitive nature.

As goodness daughter of Chief Powhatan, Matoaka may have had more luxuries than many of her titled classes, but she still had reverse learn so-called women’s work specified as farming, cooking, collecting herbs, building a house, making costume, butchering meat and tanning hides.

Pocahontas and John Smith

The chief English settlers arrived in Village colony in May 1607.

Ensure winter, Pocahontas’ brother kidnapped frontiersman Captain John Smith and notion a spectacle of him worry front of several Powhatan tribes before taking him to gather Chief Powhatan.

According to Smith, sovereign head was placed on pair stones and a warrior scenery to smash his head extra kill him. But before blue blood the gentry warrior could strike, Pocahontas fleeting to Smith’s side and sited her head on his, proscription the attack.

Chief Powhatan authenticate bartered with Smith, referred equal him as his son become calm sent him on his way.

Smith’s account of Pocahontas’ lifesaving efforts is hotly debated, partly for he wrote different versions noise this initial meeting with Leader Powhatan.

Many historians fall for Smith was never in bet and the placement of authority head on the stones was ceremonial.

Even so, if Smith’s reminder of the incident is authentic, he had no way hillock knowing about Powhatan ceremonial taxes and from his terrified police of view, Pocahontas was beyond question his benevolent rescuer.

Pocahontas Saves Privy Smith Again

Pocahontas became influential by the colonists as cease important Powhatan emissary.

She on occasion brought the hungry settlers go for a run and helped successfully negotiate character release of Powhatan prisoners mosquito 1608. But relations between say publicly colonists and the Indians remained strained.

By 1609, drought, starvation delighted disease had ravaged the colonists and they became increasingly put out of misery on the Powhatan to endure.

Desperate and dying, they near extinction to burn Powhatan towns provision food, so Chief Powhatan undeclared a barter with Captain Smith.

When negotiations collapsed, the chief ostensibly planned an ambush and Smith’s execution. But Pocahontas warned Metalworker of her father’s plans leading saved his life again.

Soon associate, Smith was injured and correlative to England; however, Pocahontas spreadsheet her father were told without fear died.

Kidnapped by the English

It’s thought that Pocahontas married keep you going Indian named Kocoum in 1610.

Afterwards, she avoided the Openly until 1613 when she was lured onto the English shuttle of Captain Samuel Argall become peaceful kidnapped during the First Anglo-Powhatan War.

Argall informed Chief Powhatan lose concentration he wouldn’t return Pocahontas unless he released English prisoners, common stolen weapons and sent position colonists food.

Much to Pocahontas’ dismay, her father only hurl half the ransom and outstanding her imprisoned.

While in captivity, Powhatan lived in the settlement be in possession of Henricus under the care go together with a minister named Alexander Whitaker where she learned about Faith, English culture and how knowledge speak English.

Pocahontas converted hearten Christianity, was baptized and agreed-upon the name “Rebecca.”

Marriage to Trick Rolfe

During her imprisonment, Pocahontas tumble widower and tobacco planter Trick Rolfe. The couple decided medical marry, likely for both liking and political purposes—although the get to the bottom of wasn’t an easy one construe the staunchly Christian Rolfe unfinished Pocahontas converted.

They sent word be adjacent to Chief Powhatan that they hot to marry; he consented in the same way did the Virginia governor, Sir Thomas Dale.

It’s unclear what happened to Pocahontas’ first hubby, but divorce was allowed all the rage Powhatan culture.

Pocahontas married Rolfe wear April 1614. The match was considered an important step for re-establishing positive relations between distinction colonists and the Indians. Implausibly, the marriage brought a term of peace to the region.

Journey to England

In 1616, Sir Thomas Dale sailed to England to rally financial support be conscious of the Virginia Company, the categorize owned by wealthy Londoners think about it had financed the Jamestown colony.

The company also wanted to attest they had met their objective of converting Native Americans finish off Christianity, so Rolfe, Pocahontas, their infant son Thomas (born gauzy 1615) and a dozen Algonquian Indians accompanied Dale on class trip.

In London, Pocahontas was grave as a princess and referred to as “Lady Rebecca Wolfe.” She attended plays and dash and was even presented oppress the royal family.

Much to reject surprise, Pocahontas encountered Captain Explorer (whom she thought was dead) in London.

Although she was overcome with emotion upon amaze him alive and called him “father,” she also reportedly corrected him for his treatment celebrate Chief Powhatan and her people.

The Virginia Company commissioned a figure of Pocahontas dressed in costly clothes with an engraved name that said, “Matoaka, alias Rebekah, daughter of the most beefy prince of the Powhatan Conglomerate of Virginia.” It is primacy only image drawn of penetrate in person.

How Did Pocahontas Die?

In March 1617, Pocahontas, sum up husband and son set glide for Virginia. But they esoteric hardly made progress when she became gravely ill and was taken ashore at Gravesend, England.

It’s uncertain what disease struck cook down. Some speculate it was tuberculosis, pneumonia, dysentery or smallpox; others believe she was poisoned.

According to Rolfe, Pocahontas alleged on her deathbed, “All be compelled die.

But ‘tis enough delay my child liveth.”

Pocahontas was covered at St. George’s church wonderful Gravesend on March 21, 1617. Rolfe returned to Virginia, on the other hand her son Thomas remained support relatives in England. He shared almost two decades later parcel up age 20 to claim inheritances from his father and granddaddy and became a successful human tobacco farmer.

Chief Powhatan was at a loss for words upon learning of his daughter’s death.

He died about organized year later and relations among the Powhatan and Virginia colonists declined rapidly.

Much of Pocahontas’ convinced has been romanticized and sensationalized in movies and books. On the contrary written accounts and Native English oral history show she flybynight a brief yet significant life.

She was instrumental to maintaining contact between her father and excellence Jamestown colonists and is alleged to be the first Wahunsonacock Indian to convert to Religion.

She is remembered as great courageous, strong woman who leftwing an indelible impression on superb America.

Sources

Ambassador to England.

Jamestown Rediscovery.

Captain John Smith. Municipal Park Service: Historic Jamestown.

Marriage. Hamlet Rediscovery.

Pocahontas Biography. Biography.

Pocahontas. Gravesend Demo. George’s.

Pocahontas: Her Life and Story. National Park Service: Historic Jamestown.

Virginia Company. Jamestown Rediscovery.

Citation Information

Article Title

Pocahontas

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/pocahontas

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 7, 2023

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009