Miantonimo

Miantonimo. . , Miantonomo, born circa 1600, became one of the greatest of Narragansett warriors and one of the tribe's most celebrated sachems. The nephew of the great sachem Canonicus, Miantonomo bowed to his uncle's wishes and attempted to befriend the colonists. , Following the Pequot massacre and defeat of 1637, Miantonomo saw the beginning of the end for his own people. He began visiting other tribes in hopes of forming an Indian confederacy to deal with the colonists as one voice. Miantonomo's secret visits to the other tribes were reported to the colonists by Mohegan sachem Uncas, kindling the flames of hatred that already smoldered between the Mohegans and the Narragansetts. , In 1643, Uncas claimed that Miantonomo had sent an assassin after him. Angry at this charge, Miantonomo led a force of 1,000 warriors to attack the Mohegans. Pretending to parley, Uncas then signaled for the surprise attack which totally routed the Narragansetts. , Miantonomo, encumbered by heavy armor that an English friend had lent him, was captured and later executed. For years, Narragansetts visiting the spot of Miantonomo's capture honored their sachem's memory by placing a small stone at this memorial site. , Marker Courtesy of a Grant by the Gernon Trust.