Wamsutta (Alexander) was the son of Massasoit, the Wampanoag grand sachem (chief) who signed a peace agreement with the Plymouth Colony in 1621. Massasoit kept the peace with Plymouth and occasionally sold land to the English. Wamsutta, known to the English as Alexander, became the leader of the Wampanoag after the death of his father in 1660. He was also famous as Alexander Pokanoket, as he was named by New England colonists, who were the eldest son of Massasoit (meaning “Great Leader”).
Shortly after Wamsutta came to power, Plymouth officials became concerned when he sold land to the colony at Rhode Island. The Plymouth leadership informed Wamsutta that he could only sell land to the Plymouth Colony. Apparently, this had little effect on Wamsutta, however, as he continued to sell land to the Rhode Island settlers. Irritated with what they regarded as Wamsutta’s stubbornness, Plymouth resorted to sterner measures, in 1662 sending an armed party under Major Josiah Winslow to confiscate the sachem.
Winslow captured Wamsutta while he was hunting and took him and his son under guard back to Plymouth. There the Plymouth authorities questioned him at length, and according to some reports, they attempted to get him to abrogate an earlier agreement that gave the Wampanoags full control over their lands.
They finally released Wamsutta but held his son hostage to ensure his good behavior. There are conflicting versions as to what happened next. Some sources claim he became ill while in English custody, and others say he became sick on the way home. The English claimed 808 Wappingers that his illness was brought on by hot weather, but the Wampanoags believed that the colonists had poisoned him.
In any case, he died shortly thereafter. On Wamsutta’s death, his brother Metacom (known to the English as Philip) became the sachem of the Wampanoag. If anything, Metacom was a more implacable foe of the English than his brother, launching the conflict that came to be known as King Philip’s War in 1675–1676. He died in 1662.
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