Uncas

Uncas (c. 1588 – 1682) was a Native American who was a member of the Mashantucket Pequots by birth, but in 1634 he rebelled against its chief, Sassacus. He was expelled from the tribe and gathered together a number of other alienated Pequots and formed the Mohegan tribe with himself as chief.

In 1637 he helped the English under Colonel John Mason in a war against the Pequots and received part of their land as a reward.

Native tribes made war on Uncas several times, but with the help of the English he always defeated them. In 1643 he defeated and took prisoner Miantonomoh, the chief of the Narragansett, and later killed him.

Many complaints were made of his cruelty and injustice.

James Fenimore Cooper named the chief character in the book The Last of the Mohicans after him, although that character was Mahican, not Mohegan.

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