King Ezra's War Settlers of the New World | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Miskwà Confederacy
Nashua Supported by: |
England
Aquinnahset | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Wamsutta (Ezra) Canoshon |
Joseph Bradstreet Thomas Winslow | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
16,000 Natives 5,000 Native Warriors |
70,000 English colonists 14,000 Militia | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,500 combatant deaths 2,500 other casualties 1,600 combatant deaths |
2,700 combatant deaths 2,000 other casualties |
King Ezra's War (1668 - 1676), also known as Wamsutta's War, among other names (see below), was an armed conflict between the native American inhabitants of the Borealian region of North America, versus English colonists and their native allies. The war is named for sachem Wamsutta of the Unami tribe, who the English nicknamed King Ezra, who formally had good relations with the English during the reign of Wamsutta's father Ousamequin.
Prior to the war Ousamequin had maintained a long-standing alliance with the colonists at Nauset Bay, as well as Unamia. The latter of which had purchased its land from a native chieftain, and traded extensively with the Unami. After Ousamequin's death, however, relations broke down. Wamsutta was Ousamequin's youngest son, and only ascended to the throne of the Unami after the English arrested his older brother. Additionally the English began to demand the natives disarm themselves, while also encroaching further into their territory. Instead Wamsutta began preparing for war, forming the Miskwà Confederacy, which included the Unami, Montaucett, Niphegan, and Narrabesic. Additionally he managed to ally with the Nashua, Pennimac, Arosganok later.
Wamsutta's invasion began in 1668, catching the English by surprise, and raiding as far east as Concord before being repulsed. His war would become heavily intertwined in the Anglo-Dutch Wars as he attracted the support of the Dutch Republic, as well as some support from France in the north. As a result by 1672 full scale war had broken out between the Dutch settlers of New Netherlands and the English.