The Other States of America: History Podcast

Chief Powhatan and the settlers of Jamestown find themselves in a conflict only Pocahontas can end. The peace that follows however, will create greater challenges for the Powhatan that are only realized in hindsight. The Peace of Pocahontas will not hold for long.

The Great Chief Powhatan reigned over a Paramount Chiefdom of perhaps 22,000 people. Then suddenly a group of strangers arrive and settle within Powhatan’s domain, they have desirable goods to trade, but are otherwise a difficult bunch to assimilate. This is the story of Pocahontas, John Smith and Jamestown, as can best be told from the point of view of Chief Powhatan the Great Werowances of Werowances, often overshadowed by his misunderstood daughter.

In the land of Tsenacomoco, a young man named Wahunsenacawh inherits six chiefdoms, he and his brothers will go on to create the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom, consisting of 30 or more villages, each with its own traditions and folk-ways. 

With the English Empire on the rise the Spanish consolidate their holdings in Florida and prepare for the worst, but the largest threat will prove to come from mother nature and the neighboring Natives. All of this is happening as the founding generation of Saint Augustine passes on.

The full story of Roanoke begins years before the foundation of the infamously “lost” colony of Roanoke, and involves the takeover of Newfoundland and Privateers in the Caribbean. This episode is the story of the first colony of Roanoke, the colony that set into motion many of the factors that led to the disappearance of the next colony, making it very clear where the lost colonists could seek safe haven in times of distress…

Pedro Menendez, the true founder of Spanish Florida has died leading to a number of governors in rapid succession, all the while the natives reduce the colony down to a single settlement. With recovery in sight, Sir Francis Drake attacks Saint Augustine with overwhelming force… 

In 1567 Pedro Menéndez de Avilés left Florida for Spain, having planted Spaniards at twelve or so sites from the Miami area to modern day Tennessee. The hero of our last two episodes, his attention will be divided from this point on, as Spanish Florida endures the return of the French and the rath of Chief Carlos, Chief Felipe, Chief Saturiwa and the cunning Paquiquineo.

In the wake of 40 years of failure, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, an Admiral, not a Conquistador, is the first Spaniard to successfully settle Florida. Now he will try to rapidly expand Spanish Florida, all the while fighting the great Timucua Chief Saturiwa, putting down constant mutinies, and hunting down Chief Carlos II of the Calusa, who sacrifices shipwrecked Spaniards to an Idol.

French Hugeonots have made a secret colony in the land the Spanish call Florida and claim as their own. The King of Spain calls upon Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to oust the French and finally create a Spanish settlement in Florida, a feat many have tried and most have died undertaking, all ending in massive failure. Menendez will now have to quickly raise a fleet, gather colonists and race the French Fleet, led by rival Jean Ribault, to Florida. Menendez will carry out a Holy War in the New World, the effects of which reverberate outward to us today.

Tristán de Luna y Arellano is ordered by the Viceroy of New Spain to construct a series of forts and settlements from the Gulf, to the Mound Builders at Coosa, to Santa Elena in modern day South Carolina. With 1500 settlers, only an act of God could derail, De Luna's plans.

For more information on the archeological finds related to De Luna see this wonderful podcast: https://thehistoryoftheamericans.com/calamity-at-pensacola/