The politics of the Tsenacomoco were very complicated; Tsenacomoco was ruled by the mamanatowick or the chief. When the English got to Tsenacomoco, Powhatan  A.K.A wahunsonacock was the chief. Historians assume that Powhatan was most likely born in 1550 in the town of Powhatan. Powhatan inherited the core six tribes of Tsenacomoco; as for the other tribes, he either conquered them or had them pay tribute.

Powhatan was powerful, but he didn’t have all the power. Each chiefdom of Tsmenacoco had its own weroanance, who sits on the council or the cockarouse that advised the Manamotowick. Sometimes the paramount chief would ask the council on a matter, but sometimes he would act alone. Chiefs were often provided with priests, unlike the Manatowick the weroance would be subordinate or lower in rank to their priests.

Unlike many of Powhatan’s successors, he was focused on diplomacy with others. Many of the other successors acted like war leaders. Powhatan has power against anyone he wanted, and he did not hesitate to use them. He was also in charge of the welfare of the people. The people gave him power, when the people felt that Powhatan was leading them well, they give him more tribute (mostly food for sacred rituals and times of need), but when he failed the tribes their trust in him went down, therefore his power declined. Before the English came in 1607 Powhatan had the highest amount of power he could