owhatan-English co-operation alive and served to strengthen the colonists morale. In December 1607, as the Powhatan warriors were about to fall on Smith with their clubs, the young princess, stepped out of the crowd of Powhatan’s who had come to witness the execution. She took Smith’s head into her hands and placed her head upon his and begged her father to spare his life. According to Powhatan custom Pocahontas was now Smith’s guardian. Smith had become her special ward or possession. By 1608, fighting had broken out between the white settlers and Powhatan’s Indians. In 1613, Pocahontas was lured on board an English ship and temporarily held captive, by and English Captain Samuel Argall. Argall agreed to release Pocahontas if Powhatan would agree to an enduring peace. Powhatan sent back to Jamestown seven Englishmen he had held captive, but kept all the stolen English goods. He also only sent one canoe full of grain, though he promised to try to send more after the harvest. But there was no indication that he had decided to stop fighting. Soon Powhatan did not respond further to Pocahontas abduction. Knowing that she was safe and well cared for, Chief Powhatan simply let the seasons pass away.While waiting hopefully for some positive response from Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas was converted into a Christian. Finally, in the spring of 1614, Pocahontas received the sacrament of Baptism. They renamed her Rebecca and welcomed her into the fellowship of the Church of England.During the time Pocahontas was held hostage, she became acquainted with a twenty-eight-year-old widower named John Rolfe. Pocahontas and Rolfe began seeing each other on a regular basis. When Pocahontas was eighteen-years-old, the lonely Rolfe began pondering the possibility of marriage.On April 5, 1614, John Rolfe and Pocahontas were united in marriage. Present at the wedding were Pocahontas uncle, two of her brothers as Powhatan r...
