Pocahontas was the daughter of the paramount chief Powhatan.
Pocahontas -LRB- born Matoaka , known as Amonute , 1596 -- 1617 -RRB- was a Native American woman notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown , Virginia .. Virginia. Virginia. Native American. Native American tribes in Virginia. Pocahontas was the daughter of Powhatan , the paramount chief of a network of tributary tribal nations in the Tsenacommacah , encompassing the Tidewater region of Virginia .. Virginia. Virginia. Powhatan. Powhatan ( Native American leader ). paramount chief. paramount chief. Tsenacommacah. Tsenacommacah. Tidewater region. Tidewater region. In a well-known historical anecdote , she is said to have saved the life of a captive of the Native Americans , the Englishman John Smith , in 1607 by placing her head upon his own when her father raised his war club to execute him .. John Smith. John Smith ( explorer ). Some historians have suggested that this story , as told by Smith , is untrue .. Pocahontas was captured by the English during Anglo-Indian hostilities in 1613 , and held for ransom .. During her captivity , she converted to Christianity and took the name Rebecca .. Christianity. Christianity. When the opportunity arose for her to return to her people , she chose to remain with the English .. In April 1614 , she married tobacco planter John Rolfe , and in January 1615 , bore their son , Thomas Rolfe .. John Rolfe. John Rolfe. Thomas Rolfe. Thomas Rolfe. In 1616 , the Rolfes traveled to London .. Pocahontas was presented to English society as an example of the `` civilized savage '' in hopes of stimulating investment in the Jamestown settlement .. She became something of a celebrity , was elegantly feted , and attended a masque at Whitehall Palace .. masque. masque. Whitehall Palace. Whitehall Palace. In 1617 , the Rolfes set sail for Virginia , but Pocahontas died at Gravesend of unknown causes .. Virginia. Virginia. Gravesend. Gravesend, Kent. She was buried in a church in Gravesend in the United Kingdom , but the exact location of her grave is unknown .. Gravesend. Gravesend, Kent. Numerous places , landmarks , and products in the United States have been named after Pocahontas .. Her story has been romanticized over the years , and she is a subject of art , literature , and film .. Many famous people have claimed to be among her descendants through her son Thomas , including members of the First Families of Virginia , First Lady Edith Wilson , American Western actor Glenn Strange , and astronomer Percival Lowell .. Virginia. Virginia. First Families of Virginia. First Families of Virginia. First Lady. First Lady of the United States. Edith Wilson. Edith Wilson. Glenn Strange. Glenn Strange. Percival Lowell. Percival Lowell