Reality.
Pocahontas existed. True, she was a representative of the tobacco industry, something of a living Indian "tobacco shop" in the days when tobacco stores had not yet opened.
The young Indian princess Pocahontas (1595 - 1617) was kidnapped by British settlers in 1613 - this was done in order to conclude a more favorable peace between the whites and the girl’s father, Chief Powhatan. They hoped to exchange Pocahontas for British prisoners. While she was in prison, the Reverend Father Whitetaker taught the girl English, introduced her to the Holy Scriptures, and tried to “instill in her decent manners” (Pocahontas was accustomed to walking naked from the waist down from childhood and often asked the boys to “build her a carriage so that she could ride it without clothes").
The girl showed good abilities - she grasped everything on the fly, learned quickly and quickly got used to her new life.
She was baptized with the name Rebecca and married to an Englishman, farmer John Rolfe. It was John's tobacco plantations (the first in Virginia) that gave the state a chance to survive.
In 1616, John took a trip to England to show new samples of the product, and Pocahontas was also one of the samples.
It should be noted that the English King James I hated tobacco, calling it “harmful to the eyes, disgusting to the nose and deadly to the brain.”
When Pocahontas, her husband and a dozen tribesmen arrived in London, the Indians were introduced to the court. Pocahontas was a success with Queen Anne. While all the Indians came to England in their usual dress, Pocahontas came to the palace dressed in the latest fashion - in a dress with a high English collar. Pocahontas became everyone's favorite. And it was then that John Smith for the first time - 10 years after it happened - began to tell others the story of “how-she-saved-me-from-death.” Here it should be noted that back in 1608, John Smith wrote a book called “The Real Discovery of Virginia” - and so, in this book there was NOT A WORD about his miraculous salvation with the help of the Indian girl Pocahontas! Another curious thing is that after John’s departure, Pocahontas married a fellow tribesman named Kokoum and, apparently, was his faithful wife until 1613, when she was kidnapped by the colonists. And the whole love story was described by John Smith only in 1624. Maybe Smith was just trying to attract a little more attention to himself? In addition, no evidence has yet been found that Captain John Smith and Pocahontas actually met during her stay in England.
Half of the Indians who arrived in England with John Rolfe died from unknown diseases. Pocahontas also fell ill with smallpox and, after much suffering, died in March 1617 at the age of 22. She is buried there, on the shores of Foggy Albion.
As for John Rolfe’s mission, it failed: the king did not reduce taxes. However, Virginia doubled its tobacco exports in a year - from 20 to 40 thousand pounds.
John Rolfe (1585 - 1625) married again - this time to an Englishwoman, but a few years later he was killed - they say this was done by the Indians. And his legacy lives on today - in the Joe Camel tobacco company.
The four faces of Pocahontas.
Many people are familiar with the story of Pocahontas, an Indian woman who fell in love with an Englishman, John Smith, during the conflict between European settlers in America and the Indians. In 1995, the Disney studio made a beautiful cartoon that showed the romantic relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas. /website/
Everyone knows that Disney cartoons contain a lot of artistic exaggeration. But many believed that the main events in Pocahontas' life were depicted realistically: the love between her and John Smith, her courage when she saved his life, and the tragic ending when John Smith returns to England for treatment. However, Pocahontas's real life looked completely different.
The Disney studio filmed the romantic and twisted life story of Pocahontas. Photo: fanpop.com
It is believed that Pocahontas was born around 1595 into the family of a Powhatan Indian chief. Her real name was Matoaka, although some sources mention the name Amonut. "Pocahontas" is a nickname meaning "spoiled child" or "prankster." The Matoaqui tribe is one of 30 tribes of Indians who speak Alcongin languages. They lived in Tywater, Virginia Territory.
Matoaka was a child when the British arrived in the New World. Conflicts often arose between the colonialists and the Indians. In 1607, English sailor and explorer John Smith arrived in Virginia on a ship with hundreds of other settlers. One day, while he was exploring the Chickahominy River, he was captured by Indians. He was brought to the Powhatan settlement at Werowocomoco.
Further events are described differently in different sources. John Smith himself wrote that he was invited to a great celebration, during which he sat next to and talked with the Powhatan leader. In a letter written to Queen Anne, John Smith said that Matoaca rushed to him and covered him with her body when the Indians wanted to execute him. But John Smith was known as a man who liked to lie to gain fame.
In the Disney film, Matoaka/Pocahontas is depicted as the young girl who rescued John Smith. But according to him, she was then a little over 10 years old. Therefore, it is unlikely that any romantic feelings arose between them.
"Pocahontas Rescues John Smith", painting by Alonzo Chappell, circa 1865. Photo: Wikimedia
Matoaka often visited the colonial settlements in Jamestown and brought them food during difficult times. On April 13, 1613, during one of these visits, Samuel Argall captured Matoaka to exchange her for several English prisoners her father was holding. She lived for a year in Jamestown as a hostage.
During her imprisonment, tobacco planter John Rolfe took a "special interest" in the young captive. He secured her release after she agreed to marry him. Matoaka was baptized as Rebecca and married John Rolfe in 1614. This is the first known marriage between a European and a representative of Indian tribes.
“The Baptism of Pocahontas”, painting by John Gadsby Chapman. Chapman portrayed Pacohontas in a white dress. She is baptized by the Anglican priest Alexander Whitaker in Jamestown. Pocahontas is surrounded by her family members and English settlers. Her brother Nantequaus turned away during the ceremony. The scene depicts the common belief of the time that Indians should embrace Christianity and the European way of life. Photo: Wikimedia
“The Wedding of Matoaka and John Rolfe” from the series “Pocahontas: Her Life and Legend” by William M. S. Rasmussen. This is the first known marriage between English colonialists and Indians. Photo: Wikimedia
Two years later, John Rolfe brought Matoaka to England to use her in a show campaign to obtain funding for a colony in Virginia. She was presented as a living symbol of good relations between the British and Indians. Rebecca was seen as a successful example of "savage" reform, and Rolf was praised for bringing Christianity to "godless tribes."
In England, Matoaka met John Smith. She refused to talk to him, turned away from him and avoided him. Her behavior clearly did not resemble the selfless love shown in the Disney cartoon.
In 1617, Rolfe's family equipped a ship to return to Virginia. But Matoaka was unable to complete the journey home. She became seriously ill. There are various theories here: pneumonia, tuberculosis, smallpox, according to some versions she was poisoned. She had to get off the ship in the English city of Gravesend, where she died on March 21, 1617. She was approximately 21 years old at the time. Unfortunately, the life of the real Pocahontas did not have a fairytale happy ending.
Pocahontas statue in Jamestown, Virginia, USA. Photo: Wikimedia
A more exciting film than Disney's could be made about the life of the real Pocahontas, but it would be tragic.
Pocahontas: the wrong side of the legendChief's Daughter
Pocahontas was born around 1594 or 1595 (the exact date is unknown), presumably at the Indian settlement of Werawocomoco (now Wicomico, Virginia), north of the Pamaunkee River (York River). Her ancestral, secret name was Matoaka ("Snow-White Feather").
She was the daughter of a Powhatan chief named Wahunsonacock. True, in the history of white people he remained Powhatan - after the name of the union of tribes that he led. There were about 25 tribes under his rule. Pocahantas was the daughter of one of his many wives.
In the spring of 1607, English settlers landed at the mouth of the Pamaunka River. At the confluence of the Pamaunkee and Chickahiminy, they founded a city named Jamestown (in honor of King James I). By that time, the Powhatan Indians already knew about the existence of white people. In 1570-71, they encountered the Jesuit Spaniards, they heard and about the attempts of the palefaces to establish English colonies in the Carolinas. English ships also sailed to the mouth of the Pamaunka River. A few years before the founding of Jamestown, the English killed one of the Powhatan leaders, and captured many Indians and enslaved them. It is not surprising that the new batch of colonists were Indians They were met unkindly: they were attacked, killed one and wounded several settlers.However, after two of the three ships weighed anchor and sailed back to England, Chief Powhatan invited the settlers to make peace and, as a proof of goodwill, sent a deer to the first governor of the colony, Wingfield. It was at this time that Matoaka met the pale-faced people, who knew her as Pocahontas, which means “spoiled” or “playful.” It was then, presumably, that Pocahontas met John Smith, a man largely thanks to whom her story has survived the centuries and become a legend.
John Smith
John Smith was born around 1580 (that is, he was about 15 years older than Pocahontas). His life was full of adventures. Before arriving on the shores of the new continent, he managed to fight in Hungary against the Turks (in 1596-1606). Contemporaries called him "a rude, ambitious, boastful mercenary." According to eyewitnesses, he was short and had a beard.
An experienced soldier, adventurer, explorer, Smith also had a quick pen and a rich imagination. It was he who wrote the first known description of an English settlement in the New World through the eyes of an eyewitness - “A True Narrative of the Remarkable Events in Virginia since the Founding of this Colony” (1608). This book, however, does not mention Pocahontas. Smith told about how the Indian princess saved his life only in 1616 in a letter to Queen Anne (Pocahontas had just arrived in England, but more on that below), and then repeated this story in his book “General Historie”, published in 1624.
According to Smith, in December 1607, he, at the head of a small detachment of colonists, left the fort in search of food. The Indians, led by Pocahontas's uncle, Openchancanu, attacked the expedition, killed everyone except Smith, and he was taken to the capital Powhatan, to the supreme leader. He ordered Smith to be killed, and then the young Indian woman protected him from the clubs of her fellow tribesmen.
Researchers and historians disagree on how true this story is. Smith could well have invented it - as already said, his imagination always worked well. Doubts were aggravated by the fact that before, Smith, according to him, had already been saved by a princess, but not an Indian, but a Turkish woman - when he was in Turkish captivity. There is another version: the Indians did not intend to kill him at all, but, on the contrary, wanted to accept him into the tribe. Part of the ritual was a mock execution, from which Pocahontas “saved” him.
One way or another, but in Smith's presentation, Pocahontas became a real good angel of the colony of English settlers in Jamestown. Thanks to her, relations with the Indians improved for some time. Pocahontas often visited the fort and maintained friendly relations with John Smith. She even saved his life again by warning him that Chief Powhatan wanted to kill him again. In the winter of 1608, Indians brought provisions and furs to Jamestown, trading them for axes and trinkets. This allowed the colony to hold out until spring.
However, in October 1609, Smith suffered a mysterious accident - he was seriously wounded in the leg by a gunpowder explosion, and had to return to England. Pocahontas was informed that Captain Smith had died.
Among the pale-faced
After Smith's departure, relations between the Indians and colonists began to rapidly deteriorate. In the fall of 1609, Powhatan orders the killing of 60 settlers who arrived in Werawocomoco. Around the same time, Pocahontas marries her fellow tribesman Kokum and goes to live in an Indian settlement on the Potomac River. Little is known about this period of her life (even if John Smith was not found), as well as about the further fate of her husband.
In 1613, one of the residents of Jamestown, the enterprising captain Samuel Argoll, found out where Pocahontas was, and with the help of one of the small Indian leaders (he received a copper cauldron for treason), he lured the daughter of High Chief Powhatan onto his ship, after which he demanded her father - in exchange for his daughter - to release the English captured by the Indians, as well as return the weapons stolen from the settlers and pay a ransom in corn. After some time, the chief sent part of the ransom to Jamestown and asked that his daughter be treated well.
From Jamestown, Pocahontas was transported to the city of Henrico, where Thomas Dale was then governor. The governor entrusted the Indian woman to the care of Pastor Alexander Whitaker. After some time, Pocahontas converted to Christianity. She was baptized into the Anglican faith under the name Rebecca. Around the same time, another white man appeared on the scene, who played a significant role in Pocahontas’s life - colonist John Rolfe.
John Rolfe
When John Rolfe and his wife Sarah were sailing from England to Jamestown, a storm drove them to Bermuda. While in Bermuda, Sarah gave birth to a girl, but both Rolf's wife and his newborn daughter soon died. There, in Bermuda, Rolf picked up local tobacco grains, and, arriving in Virginia in 1612, crossed it with local coarse varieties. The resulting hybrid gained enormous popularity in England, and the export of tobacco ensured the financial well-being of the colony for a long time. Of course, Rolf became one of the most respected and wealthy residents of Jamestown. The tobacco plantation he owned was called "Bermuda Hundred".
Pocahontas met John Rolfe in July 1613, after tobacco had brought him wealth and respect from the colonists. The canonical legend states that Pocahontas and Rolfe fell in love and married - with the blessing of Governor Thomas Dale and Pocahontas' father, Chief Powhatan. However, genuine historical documents (in particular, a surviving letter from Rolfe to Governor Dale) allow us to conclude that this marriage was only a political union, and the very pious John Rolfe not only did not want, but even feared an alliance with a pagan and agreed to it only “for the good of plantation, for the honor of the country, to the greater glory of God and for her own salvation" and only after Pocahontas converted to Christianity. For Pocahontas, consent to marriage could be a condition of release.
One way or another, on April 5, 1614, 28-year-old widower John Rolfe and the Indian princess Pocahontas got married. The wedding was attended by relatives from the bride's side - her uncle and brothers. Leader Powhatan himself did not appear at the celebration, but agreed to the marriage and even sent a pearl necklace for his daughter. In 1615, Pocahontas, now Rebecca Rolfe, gave birth to a son, who was named Thomas, after the governor. The descendants of Pocahontas and Rolf were known in the United States as the "Red Rolfs."
In his 1616 Narrative of Virginia, Rolfe calls the next few years "blessed" for the colony. Thanks to the marriage of Pocahontas and Rolf, peace reigned between the colonists of Jamestown and the Indians for 8 years.
In the civilized world
In the spring of 1616, Governor Thomas Dale traveled to England. The main purpose of the trip was to seek funding for the Virginia Tobacco Company. In order to impress and attract public attention to the life of the colony, he took with him a dozen Indians, including Princess Pocahonas. Her husband and son accompanied her on the trip. Indeed, Pocahontas had great success in London and was even presented to the court. It was during her stay in England that John Smith wrote a letter to Queen Anne, in which he told the story of his miraculous salvation and in every possible way extolled the positive role of Pocahontas in the fate of the colony. Then Pocahontas and John Smith met again. Sources disagree on the circumstances in which this meeting took place. According to Smith's notes, Pocahontas called him father and asked him to call her daughter. But Chief Roy Crazy Horse, in an authentic biography of Pocahontas on the website powhatan.org, claims that Pocahontas did not even want to talk to Smith, and at the next meeting she called him a liar and showed him the door. Whether this is true or not, Pocahontas and John Smith never met again.
In March 1617, the Rolf family began to prepare to return home to Virginia. But while preparing to sail, Pocahontas fell ill - either with a cold or with pneumonia. Some sources even name tuberculosis or smallpox among the likely illnesses. She died on March 21 and was buried in Gravesend (Kent, England). She was, according to various sources, 21 or 22 years old.
Epilogue
Pocahontas's father, Chief Powhatan, died the following spring of 1618, and relations between the colonists and the Indians deteriorated completely and irrevocably. In 1622, Indians under a new chief attacked Jamestown and killed about 350 settlers. The British responded to aggression with aggression. Even during the lifetime of Pocahontas's peers, the Indians living in Virginia were almost completely exterminated and scattered throughout America, and their lands were given to the colonists. Soon, similar methods of treating the redskins spread throughout the continent.
Jamestown, meanwhile, flourished. John Rolfe continued to grow tobacco successfully. In 1619, he was one of the first to use the labor of black slaves on the plantation; in general, he was a progressive-minded person for his time and, as a result, forever entered the history of the tobacco industry and the history of America. Also in 1619, Jamestown became the capital of Virginia. However, in 1676 the city was practically destroyed during one of the largest Indian uprisings in American history, the Baconis Rebellion, after which it fell into relative decline and in 1698 lost its status as the state capital.
Pocahontas' son, Thomas Rolfe, was raised in England under the care of his uncle, Henry Rolfe. However, at age 20, he returned to his mother's homeland, became an officer in the local militia, and commanded a frontier fort on the James River.
John Rolfe died in 1676, the year of the rebellion, but whether he died a natural death (he would have been about 90 years old) or was killed during a massacre committed by Indians in the city is unknown.
In subsequent years, the story of Pocahontas, Captain Smith and John Rolfe gradually became one of the favorite Virginian, and then all-American myths. Many people in Virginia and beyond are descended from Pocahontas, and references to her and her descendants appear in many literary works. Here is what Mine Reed writes, for example, in the novel “Osceola, Chief of the Seminoles”: “There is an admixture of Indian blood in my veins, since my father belonged to the Randolph family of the Roanoke River and traced his descent from Princess Pocahontas. He was proud of his Indian ancestry - almost boasted of this. Perhaps this will seem strange to a European, but it is known that in America whites who have Indian ancestors are proud of their origin. Being a mestizo is not considered a disgrace, especially if the descendant of the natives has a decent fortune. Many volumes written about "The nobility and greatness of the Indians are less convincing than the simple fact that we are not ashamed to acknowledge them as our ancestors. Hundreds of white families claim to be descended from the Virginia princess. If their claims are true, then the beautiful Pocahontas was a priceless treasure for her husband."
The image of Pocahontas still adorns the flag and seal of the city of Henrico.
Well, after cinema was invented, the myth of Pocahontas - the Indian woman who helped the pale-faced - was repeatedly captured on film in different versions. The first film about Pocahontas was the silent film of the same name in 1910, and the last one at the moment is Terence Malick’s project “The New World”.
http://christian-bale.narod.ru/press/pocahontas_story.html
Illustrations by Smith, E. Boyd (Elmer Boyd, 1860-1943), 1906 .
Found here:
Name: Pocahontas (Matoaka)
A country: India
Activity: princess
Family status: Married
Pocahontas: character story
Her father's favorite and a true child of nature, Pocahontas had the gift of diplomacy since childhood. Thanks to the young princess, for many years there was a delicate balance between two completely different worlds. The chief's daughter took into account the interests of her native tribe and was interested in foreign culture. By giving her hand and heart to the Englishman, Pocahontas delayed the death of the primordial civilization at the hands of the invaders.
The history of the legend
One of the most detailed written references to a girl named Pocahontas dates back to 1616. The letter, dedicated to his own salvation and the role of the little Indian girl in this, was written personally by John Smith. The note is addressed to the aristocrat who organized a reception on the occasion of the arrival of such an exotic person in England.
There is no doubt that Pocahontas is a real person, as evidenced by the many references to the “right-thinking savage.” But modern researchers believe that the image created by Smith and other Englishmen differs from the real personality of the princess.
For example, saving the life of a colonialist, so popularized throughout the world, might not have been salvation at all. In the territory of Tsenakommakah (as the Indians call Virginia), the custom flourished of accepting strangers into the tribe, feigning their death. Probably John Smith became a participant in an unfamiliar action, which he misinterpreted.
And the love of an Indian girl for an English planter loses its romantic flair after reading the notes of the couple’s contemporaries. Rolf's marriage to the chief's daughter (yes, Smith's role here is exaggerated) became a political and economic event. There was talk about an interracial union:
“He is one example of bad education, barbaric manners and the influence of a cursed generation, beneficial only to the prosperity of the plantation.”
Biography
Little Matoaka was born in 1595 (in other sources - in 1596) in the family of an Indian leader of the Powhatan tribe. The Indian settlement was located in the territory of the modern state of Virginia. The cheerful girl was nicknamed Pocahontas for her curiosity and liveliness. The daughter of the tribal leader stood out among the local residents, as evidenced by an entry from the diary of an unknown Englishman (presumably John Smith):
“She was a charming young girl, her self-control and posture stood out among all the Indians, and her spirit and intelligence surpassed everyone around her.”
Thanks to the colonialists, the biography of Pocahontas is known. In 1606, a British ship landed near the place where the Indians lived. The invaders founded their own colony on Powhatan land called Jamestown.
The head of the colony, John Smith, seeing the plight of the British, who were dying without food and water, went to the Indians for help. It is unknown what went wrong, but the Powhatan tribe decided to get rid of the stranger. Smith was saved from death by an Indian princess. The girl shaded John's head with her body. The warriors of the tribe did not dare to contradict the leader’s favorite and spared the Englishman.
There is no evidence that Pocahontas and John Smith had a romantic relationship. The young beauty had just turned 12, and the colonist was already 27. Moreover, according to the notes of his contemporaries, Smith was not distinguished by beauty and charm.
The friendly relations that began in such an unconventional way reconciled the British and Indians. The leader's daughter acted as envoy and diplomat. The girl often visited Jamestown and learned English.
Still from the cartoon "Pocahontas" The truce ended suddenly. John Smith became seriously ill and was forced to leave the colony. The new leaders of Jamestown were unable to find a common language with the neighboring tribe. To force the Powhatans to cooperate, the English kidnapped Pocahontas. What happened to the girl in captivity is unknown. Some sources claim that the leader's daughter was protected like a treasure. Other evidence supports the theory that Pocahontas was brutally abused.
While imprisoned in Jamestown, Pocahontas meets plantation owner John Rolfe. After a short time, the leader's daughter converts to Christianity and marries a new acquaintance. It is impossible to know what prompted Pocahontas to take such a step. Whether it was love or political calculation, the Indian princess found a husband and a European name - Rebecca Rolfe.
In 1615, Pocahontas became a mother - Thomas Rolfe was born in Jamestown. Soon John's plantations needed new workers, so Rolf gathered his wife and son and went to England.
The journey brought Pocahontas a lot of new impressions. In her homeland, her husband perceived an Indian girl as a curiosity. The beauty stood out from the crowd even in a traditional English dress. The unusual couple was received in noble houses of the Old World. Pocahontas was even introduced to King James I of England.
Shortly before returning home, Mrs. Rolfe fell ill. There are several theories about what kind of disease struck the smart and determined girl. According to official data, Pocahontas died of smallpox. But researchers do not exclude that the disease could be pneumonia or tuberculosis. It is possible that Rebecca Rolfe was poisoned. Allegedly, the girl learned about the impending extermination of the tribe and was going to warn her native people.
John Rolfe recorded the last words of his dying wife:
“Everything must someday die, the tree, the flower, and I... An ear will sprout from my body. Don't cry, darling. Take comfort in the fact that our child will live!”
Pocahontas was buried in the English city of Gravesend. The monument dedicated to the girl diplomat protects the peace of the leader’s daughter and is a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world.
Film adaptations
One of the first to tell the love story between Matoaka and an English colonist was director Lew Landers in the film “Captain John Smith and Pocahontas.” The debut of the film took place in 1953. Most scenes were filmed in Virginia. The role of the Indian chief's daughter went to actress Jody Lawrence.
A film co-produced by the USA and Canada, released in 1995 under the title “Pocahontas: The Legend”, repeats the plot of the previous film. The fictional tale of love was an extraordinary success. Matoaka's husband is not mentioned in the script. The role of Pocahontas was played by Sandrine Holt.
In parallel with the Canadian film, the first full-length animated film from Disney, based on historical events, was released. A special feature of Pocahontas was the music - composer Alan Menken was awarded two Oscars for the compositions he created for the cartoon. The characters in the animated film looked realistic and captivated audiences of all ages.
In 1998, a sequel to the cartoon “Pocahontas 2: Journey to the New World” was released. In the second part of the adventure, the princess went to England to prevent war. The voice of Pocahontas in both films was given by Irene Bedard.
The drama “New World” was released in 2005. The film raises the theme of the conquest of the first Indians and touches on the love story of John Smith and Pocahontas. The role of the shrewd Indian girl went to actress K'Orianka Kilcher, and he played the colonial adventurer.
- The meaning of the heroine’s name is “white feather,” and the nickname “Pocahontas” translates as “prankster.”
- Pocahontas died at age 22.
- Among the descendants of the Indian princess are two first ladies of the United States - Nancy Reagan and Edith Wilson.
- According to unconfirmed reports, before her wedding to John Rolfe, Pocahontas was married to fellow tribesman Kokoum, but left the man for a planter.
Valentine's Day is celebrated around the world on February 14th. The population associates this day with love. And when we talk about love, how can we allow ourselves to forget about the love of two people - Pocahontas and John Smith.
Pocahontas, the Indian princess was the daughter of Powhatan. "Pocahontas" was her childhood nickname due to her restless nature; in the language of the village of Powhatan it meant "little nonsense." Her father was a chief of the Algonquian Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia.
This happened in April/May 1607, when English colonists arrived in Virginia and began building their settlements. It was then that Pocahontas saw the English for the first time in her life. Among them, she met John Smith, one of the leading colonists, and immediately felt great sympathy for him. The first date between Pocahontas and Jonah Smith has become a legendary story. It is believed that John Smith was leading an expedition in December 1607 when a group of Powhatan hunters captured him and brought him to Werawokomono, one of the main villages of the Powhatan Empire. Smith was taken to the official Powhatan residence, where he was tortured. Pocahontas saved his life. Smith lay on the sacrificial stone and was supposed to be killed, but Pocahontas threw herself on his body. Pocahontas then helped Smith to his feet and Powhatan accepted Smith as his son. This incident helped Pocahontas and Smith become friends.
Pocahontas, after this incident, began to frequently visit Jamestown and conveyed messages from her father to the British.
In 1608, Pocahontas, according to legend, saved Smith a second time. Smith and other colonists were invited to Werawokomono, with whom they had friendly relations, but Pocahontas came to the dwelling where the English lived and warned them that Powhatan was going to kill them all. Because of this warning, the British remained on guard and no massacre occurred.
In October 1609, after being seriously wounded by a gunpowder explosion, John Smith returned to England. When Pocahontas made another visit to the fort, she was informed that John was dead.
In March 1613, English captain Samuel Argall kidnapped Pocahontas and informed Powhatan that he would not release her until he released the English prisoners along with the weapons and tools he had previously confiscated. Samuel Argall arrived in Jamestown in April 1613.
In December 1613, Captain Argall sailed up the Potomac River to a distant Indian village with Pocahontas to trade with the Indians. He bargained for a copper cauldron for Pocahontas. The colonists hoped that Powhatan would exchange prisoners and weapons for Pocahontas. Powhatan sent many prisoners back and promised friendship and corn, but did not return the weapons. Captain Argall decided that this was only part of the ransom and because of this he did not give Pocahontas back to her father.
Although she was a hostage, Pocahontas was free to walk within the settlements. Pocahontas settled in Henricus. There she was given a warm room, beautiful clothes and provisions. It was here that Pocahontas fell in love with the Englishman John Rolfe. They got married in April. Pocahontas was converted to Christianity. She entered the world under the name Rebecca Rolfe, and began to live an English life.
For the next 8 years, whites and Indians lived in peace. Pocahontas and John Rolfe were very happy. They had a child, whom they named Thomas. Rolph invented new ways to plant and treat tobacco diseases. He planned to send a good shipment of tobacco to the Old World. In 1616, John and Pocahontas sailed to England to negotiate with King James for the supply of tobacco to England.
In early 1617, Pocahontas was able to pay a visit to London, where he met her beloved John Smith after 8 long years, and was shocked to see him alive again. She was very worried that she was not able to marry her first love. This was their last meeting.
It is said that she was unable to overcome emotions and memories on the voyage back to Virginia, and she died of a broken heart in March on board the ship. Note. Although love stories are always beautiful, real life is harsher. In fact, she was married to a man from her tribe while she was helping the English. She died, not from a broken heart, but from simple smallpox, which was fatal to all Indians who had contact with England.