In 1616, Smith wrote a letter to Queen Anne of Denmark in anticipation of Pocahontas’s visit to England. Today historians pretty much agree that it never happened and blame Smith himself for starting the rumor: And this is when the alleged incident of Pocahontas saving Smith from execution was supposed to have occurred. Powhatan warriors led by Opechancanough captured Smith during the winter of 1607 while he was seeking food along the Chickahominy River. That’s how rumors get startedĪs lovely as the legendary tales of romance and heroism are between John Smith and Pocahontas, historians agree that most of them fall under the technical term “absolute crap.” First and foremost, the two never had any sort of romantic relationship, as Matoaka was about nine or ten when the English colonists first arrived on the scene. He later received a promotion to Paramount Cheif and, as was the custom at the time, had several other wives and hence other children. His name was Wahunsenaca, (sometimes spelled Wahunsenakah or Wahunsenacawh) and he totally doted on Pocahontas because she looked so much like his departed wife. Regardless, she was born around 1595 in what’s now Virginia as the daughter of a Powhatan Cheif. The third, we will explore later on when she grows up a bit. The first is that “Pocahontas” was actually a term of endearment meaning “naughty one” or “spoiled one.” The second is that her father often called her by her mother’s name in loving memory of his departed wife. Exactly how the artist formally known as Matoaka became dubbed Pocahantus is a little blurry but probably comes down to one of three theories.

Upon her birth, the historical Pocahontas was actually named Matoaka, though she was sometimes also known as Amonute. It was actually the name of her mother, who died giving birth to her. Will the real Pocahontas please stand up?įirst and foremost, Pocahontas wasn’t always her real name. That said, if you dare to go where few history books have gone before, gird your loins as we delve into the true story of Pocahontas. So if you’re a kid looking to turn in a book report that won’t leave your classmates in therapy for years to come, we recommend leaving now with your innocence intact. Here you’ll find the real story of Pocahontas and, be forewarned, it ain’t for the faint of heart. Unfortunately, such tales are about as true as your average tabloid headline. It’s unlikely that you’ve made it this far in life without hearing all sorts of flowery tales about a young BIPOC girl named Pocahontas and her love affair with the dashing Englishman John Smith.

The real pocahontas