Metacomet

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Philip, King of Mount Hope, 1772, by Paul Revere

Metacomet (c. 1639-August 12, 1676), also known as King Philip or Metacom, was a war chief or sachem of the Wampanoag Indians and their leader in King Philip's War. Metacomet was the second son of Massasoit, the chief who had befriended the Pilgrims in 1621. He became chief in 1662 when his brother Wamsutta (or King Alexander) died.

Wamsutta's widow Weetamoo (d. 1676), sachem of the Pocassets was his ally and friend for the rest of her life.

At first he sought to live in harmony with the colonists. As a sachem, he took the lead in much of his tribes trade with the colonies. He adopted the European name of Philip, and bought his clothes in Boston. But the colonies continued to expand. To the west, the Iroquois Confederation continued expanding, pushing hostile tribes east, thereby encroaching on his territory.

Finally, in 1671 the colonial leaders of the Plymouth Colony forced major concessions from him. He surrendered much of his tribe's armament and ammunition, and agreed that they were subject to English law. The encroachment continued until actual hostilities broke out in 1675. Metacomet hurried to catch up with his warriors, to lead them in the uprising that would later bear his name, King Philip's War.

One particularly interesting aspect of this war was detailed in the writing of Mary Rowlandson, who was taken captive during a raid on Lancaster and wrote about a meeting with Metacomet during her captivity.

When the war eventually turned against him, he took refuge in the great Assowamset Swamp in southern Rhode Island. Here he held out for a time, with his family and remaining followers. Hunted by a group of rangers lead by Captain Benjamin Church, he was fatally shot by Praying Indian John Alderman, on August 12, 1676 on Mount Hope in Bristol, Rhode Island. After his death, his wife and eight year old son were captured and sold as slaves in Bermuda while his head was mounted on a pike at the entrance to Fort Plymouth, where it remained for over two decades.

Washington Irving's romantic short story Philip of Pokanoket depicts Metacomet as a "savage hero". Published in the The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon together with an essay about Traits of Indian Character Irving's historical study intended to arouse the conscience of his fellow Americans.

The 19th century play Metamora; or, The Last of the Wampanoags was an adaptation of his life story.

Stephen Vincent Benet in his short story The Devil and Daniel Webster has "King Philip" among the jury of the damned -and incorrectly claims the cause of his death was a gash on the head when in fact he was shot through the heart.

Phillips Pond, in Sandown, NH, as well as Phillipswood Road are named in honor of King Philip

The Metacomet Trail & Metacomet-Monadnock Trail are named in his honor.

A ship in the United States Navy was named Metacomet in his honor.

Metacom Avenue, a road running through Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island, is named after him, as is Metacomet Street in Walpole, Massachusetts.

King Philip High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts is named after Metacomet.

Metacomet Park in Medfield, Massachusetts is named after him.

Metacom married Weetamoo's little sister Wootonekanuske.