[MR] Wikipedia: Jesuit Ajacán Mission in Virginia

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1570, Spanish Jesuit missionaries founded a settlement in
what is now Virginia. Exactly where is uncertain, but it definitely was
within the area later described as the Powhatan Confederation. The mission
is generally known to historians as Ajacá, the Spanish name for the
Chesapeake Bay area.

The story really begins in 1571 when a Spanish exploration party kidnapped
a young native American boy from Chesapeake Bay. He was baptized, renamed
Don Luis de Velasco, and eventually taken to Spain where he was given a
Jesuit education. When the decision was made to set up a mission in
Virginia, Don Luis was included in the party as a guide and interpreter.
The party included eight Jesuits, and a young Spanish boy named Alonso de
Olmos. Tragically, the party did not include any soldiers, as was the usual
custom for similar missions in the New World.

Don Luis almost immediately decamped, and returned to his people. In
February 1571 several of the Jesuits located Don Luis in his home village.
They were immediately murdered by the Indians. Then Don Luis and his tribe
attacked the mission, killing all the Europeans except Alonso.

In 1572, a Spanish supply ship arrived to relieve the mission. The ship was
attacked by the Indians, with several being killed and others taken
captive. The captives were later exchanged for Alonso. In 1573 the Spanish
returned with an armed party seeking revenge. They baptized then hanged a
number of Indians, and killed a few more to make their point. Then the
Spanish left, leaving Virginia empty of Europeans, at least for a while. It
was not an auspicious start.

Some scholars identify Don Luis with Opechancanough, half brother of Chief
Powhatan. Opechancanough later succeeded Powhatan as chief, and led his
people in attempts to wipe out the Jamestown settlers. Alternatively, some
think Opechancanough was Powhatan's father. In any case, Native American
hatred of European intruders was well established even before the English
came in 1607.

More about the Ajacán Mission is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajacán_Mission .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆