Massasoit
Wampanoag Sachem
1580-1661
Massasoit was a chief of the Wampanoag tribe. Also known as Ousamequin, or "yellow feather," he was born about 1590 in the village of Pokanoket which was near the present-day Bristol, Rhode Island. He was one of the most powerful native rulers of New England, he went to Plymouth in 1621 and signed a treaty with the Pilgrims, which he faithfully observed until his death.
The peace treaty which Massasoit and the Pilgrims signed on March 22, 1621 was never broken. Because of this agreement, the Wampanoag and Pilgrims lived in peaceful coexistence. Massasoit's friendship with the colonists kept the Wampanoags neutral during the Pequot War of 1636. Until his death in 1661, Massasoit remained a friend an ally of the Pilgrims. Massasoit's son, Metacomet, became famous as King Philip.