The Native American Chief Who Drove Out Spanish Colonists — and Nearly Expelled the English

History ^ | December 9, 2021 | James Horn

[DesertRhino]

Almost... he was *that* close.

[SamuraiScot]

What would you have done differently were you him?

I wouldn't have slaughtered men, women, and children, for starters--which the English did not allow their own to do.

For extra credit, I might have figured out a way for me and my people to profit from this immense opportunity to trade and grow through an alliance with a vastly more developed culture--which this particular Indian had lived among, educated in the royal court of Spain.

He was clever, and pretended to be a convert to Christianity. He also pretended to be their trusted friend. We say he could read the hand writing on the wall--that this continent was going to be invaded by lots more white Christian men. But actually, he misread it. He was wrong that the Indians had a prayer of keeping Europe out of America--any more than the inhabitants of this continent who preceded the Indians (of whom traces with DNA have been found in the Upper Midwest) had a chance of keeping out this Indian's Asian ancestors.

He had seen enough to realize that his people could prosper from making themselves valuable in this new world that was taking shape.

But no.

[Verginius Rufus]

I had heard of Opechancanough but had never heard of his earlier experiences with the Spaniards.

I read that when he tried to wipe out the Jamestown colony in 1622, his people killed white colonists only, no Africans.

[SuperLuminal]

I suspect that this is revisionist history...

[TnTnTn]

Yes…so do I…^^^

[bigdaddy45]

So then I assume you’re trying to figure out away for you and your people to profit from the invasion we’re currently experiencing on our southern border.

[SamuraiScot]

I assume you’re trying to figure out away for you and your people to profit from the invasion we’re currently experiencing on our southern border.

Naaah. They are so much less advanced that they don't stand a chance against even our state militias at the border--once we get rid of Brandon. The ones who are here are trending Republican, going by the recent elections. Hispanics went 50-50 between Dems and GOP.

I don't mind dying in a holy cause, holding back evil. But to defend the holy traditions of rape, slaughter, and treacherous feasts--a favorite trick hunter-gatherers pull on each other around the globe? Give me the English and that wheel-thing we haven't discovered yet. . .

[Fiji Hill]

I am prejudiced., but I thank Opechancanough for helping to insure most of North America did not become part of Spain. I look at the colonial societies founded by the English versus those founded by the Spanish and have been very glad for the former.

Just as the Comanches and a coalition of New Mexican Indians under the leadership of a chief named Popé slowed down the Spanish settlement of the Southwest by their fierce resistance.

[nicollo]

It’s unclear that he was the same man the Spanish had abducted.

He was, however, Chief Powhatan’s younger brother, and he resented his brother’s conciliatory stance w/ the English. It is quite possible that instead of nearly wiping out the English, as this article claims, he accelerated the English conquest of his own people.

[octex]

fta... But “Paquiquineo,” as Spanish officials rendered the young man’s name later that year, would in time re-emerge as Opechancanough, the most formidable warrior chief encountered by Europeans in 16th and early 17th century Virginia.

That Chief, Uncle of Pocahontas, led a raid on the fort at Olde Towne, Virginia Colony. His raid slaughtered ~ 400 colonists, including the first immigrant of my surname and his wife. Only their baby boy survived and lived to further the surname.

[octex]

Saved. Part of family history.