John Rolfe
John Rolfe (* 1585 in Heacham , Norfolk , England ; † 1622 ) was a tobacco grower, co-founder of Jamestown in Virginia and husband of Pocahontas .
Life
Achievement and first marriage
Rolfe brought the first relief to Jamestown when he discovered that tobacco , which was a luxury item in England, was growing wild in Virginia. Since the wild varieties were too strong for the English taste, he gave the impetus to plant the less bitter varieties from the Antilles . After two years of experimentation, in 1612 he was able to produce a noble type of tobacco that was completely adapted to the soil and the climate of Virginia.
Rolfe lost his first wife in a shipwreck near Bermuda that provided the material for Shakespeare's The Tempest .
Marriage to Pocahontas
Rolfe probably met Pocahontas in April 1613 and married her as Rebecca 1614 to consolidate native policy, "not out of the lust of the flesh", but "for the good of the planting, for the glory of my country and for the glory of God". 1615 the only son Thomas was born.
The couple traveled to England with twelve Indians in 1616. Rolfe was not allowed to attend Pocahontas' reception at King Jacob and Anna of Denmark because of his low status. James I even had the Privy Council clarify whether Rolfe was to be accused of high treason . Finally, he was satisfied with the promise of Rolfes that he would not make any claims to the throne of Virginia for their son with Pocahontas. For the rest of the year, the couple went to a country estate outside London, where they surprisingly met John Smith .
When he left for Virginia in March 1617, Pocahontas passed away in the Thames estuary because of the winter fog. Rolfe left Thomas in England and continued his journey.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b André Maurois : The history of America. Rascher, Zurich 1947, p. 42
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rolfe, John |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English tobacco grower |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1585 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Heacham , Norfolk, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1622 |