Pocahontas who might be known as Rebecca, Matoaka, or Amonute was mostly referred to as Pocahontas and in English translating into mischievous one. She was born around 1596 near today’s Jamestown Virginia. She helped create peace between Indian tribes and the English settlers, she did this by befriending them.  She was the daughter of Powhatan the Chief of the Powhatan empire which consisted of about 28 tribes. Pocahantas was around 10 or 11 when she first met the settlers who settled in the Chesapeake bay area. Colonial leader John Smith has said that in the December of that year Pochantas saved his life because her father had taken him as a  prisoner. Pocahontas saved his life by placing herself over him in what was thought to be his execution. 

After this, Pocanantas visited the settlement, sometimes bringing gifts or food. She continued to save colonist’s lives in a trading party by warning them of an ambush. Once Smith left for England in 1609 the relationship between Powhatans and settlers went downhill. Pocahontas was informed of Smith’s death and stopped visiting the settlements for about 4 years. In 1613 She was taken prisoner by Samuel Argall, who tried using her to get weapons, and Colonists back who had been taken as prisoners.  Chief Powhatan released a couple of prisoners but once he refused to negotiate further she was taken to another English settlement called Henricus. There she was converted to Christianity and was baptized with her Christian name Rebecca. Once Pocahantas accepted the marriage proposal from John Rolfe both Chief Powhatan and Sir Thomas Dale Agreed to the marriage. They were married in April 1614. After the marriage, there was peace between the English and the native Americans for as long as Chief Powotan Lived. In the spring of 1616 Pocahantas, Her husband, their one-year-old son, and a group of other Native Americans sailed to England. While they were preparing for their visit back to Virginia Pocahantas Became Ill with something believed to be lung disease. She died in a town called Gravesend around the age of 21. She was buried there on March 21, 1617. Once her son was older and had moved to Virginia, he became a successful tobacco farmer. Pocahantas has been an image in American Literature and Art as The Indian Princess.