Metacomet

Metacomet (c. 1638 in Massachusetts – August 12, 1676), also known as Pometacom, Metacom, and by his adopted English name King Philip, was sachem (elected chief) to the Wampanoag people from 1662–1676. He was the second son of the sachem Massasoit, after his older brother Wamsutta (c. 163462). Metacomet became sachem after Massasoit's death. Metacomet was killed on August 12, 1676, near Mount Hope, Rhode Island. Some scholars say his death marked the end of King Phillip's War (1675–1678).

Metacomet's initial goal was to live in peace with the colonists. His main responsibility was trade with the colonists. This peace changed later on after consistent negative interactions with the colonists. In King Philip's War (1675–1678), Metacom led a coalition of Algonquian tribes of the Northeastern Woodlands—the Wampanoags, the Pocomtucs, the Nipmucs, and the Narragansetts—against the Puritan settlers of the New England Colonies and their Indian allies: the Mohegans, the Pequots, and Christian Indians. Metacomet was killed during the war on August 12, 1676.

Family Metacomet's older brother Wamsutta (also known as King Alexander) briefly became sachem after their father's death in 1661. Metacomet believed their father was poisoned due to English hatred of Native Americans. However, Wamsutta also died shortly thereafter. This led to Metacomet becoming sachem in 1662.

Wamsutta's widow, Weetamoo, female sachem of the Pocasset, became Metacomet's ally and lifelong friend. He married her younger sister, Wootonekanuske.

Following the defeat of the Native Americans in King Philip's War, Wootonekanuske and their only son were imprisoned. Phillip's only son was sold into slavery in the West Indies. It is unclear how many other children Metacomet had or what ultimately happened to them, but scholars note that Metacomet only had one son.

Name change

Remaining Native Americans that weren't killed during the war relocated to join other tribes or reservations, while many Native American leaders were sold into slavery.

Representations Mary Rowlandson, who was taken captive during a raid on Lancaster, Massachusetts, later wrote a memoir about her captivity, and described meeting with Metacom while she was held by his followers. Washington Irving relates a romanticized but sympathetic version of Metacom's life in the 1820 sketch "Philip of Pokanoket," published in his collected stories, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1820). Another notable representation of Metacomet is in John Augustus Stone's tragedy play, Metamora; or, the Last of the Wampanoags (1829). The play was very popular during the 1830s and 1840s, with significance during this time given the greater political context of Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act. Edwin Forrest played the role of Metacomet. In real life, King Philip is not thought to have spoken during his death. However, this play gave King Philip the last word before his death. King Philip Mountain, a peak on Talcott Mountain, near Hartford, Connecticut King Philip's Hill, on the western bank of the Connecticut River in Northfield, Massachusetts King Phillip's Nose, a rock island in the Connecticut River, south of Northfield, Massachusetts King Philip's Rock, a historic site situated on a trail in Sharon, Massachusetts King Philip Avenue/Road/Street or Drive in East Providence and Bristol, Rhode Island; Fall River, Longmeadow, Raynham, Somerset, Worcester, and South Deerfield, Massachusetts; and in West Hartford, Connecticut King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

There are also multiple places named Metamora, paying homage to the heroic depiction of Metacomet in John Augustus Stone's play: Metamora, Ohio, Metamora Township, Michigan, Metamora, Indiana, and Metamora, Illinois.

One insect species is named after Metacomet: Tipula metacomet, a species of large crane fly with a type locality in Amherst, Massachusetts