Biography

Powhatan, also called Wahunsenacah or Wahunsenacawh, was the father of Pocahontas and a Native American from North America.. He presided over the Powhatan empire at the time the English established the Jamestown Colony.

Powhatan had inherited rulership of an empire of six tribes from his father. After succeeding his father, Powhatan brought about two dozen other tribes into the empire that was named for him; at the peak of his power, he is estimated to have ruled between 13,000 and 34,000 people. Powhatan was an astute and energetic ruler, but he was also noted as being strict and occasionally cruel toward his subjects.