>>149271259
>>149271131
>>149270685
Deposition and Governance Conflicts
Ratcliffe alienated colonists by over-generous trading with the Powhatan and by ordering the construction of a lavish governor’s house—later nicknamed “Ratcliffe’s Palace”—during food shortages. His handling of diplomacy and supply shortages led to his removal in July 1608; Matthew Scrivener replaced him.
The Starving Time: Ambush and Death
During the winter of 1609–1610, known as the Starving Time, Ratcliffe and 25 men were lured to a Powhatan “trade” feast. It was a trap: most were killed as they entered Indian dwellings or while carrying away corn. Ratcliffe alone was bound naked to a stake, flayed by women using mussel shells, and forced to watch his skin cast into the flames. This grisly account comes from William Phettiplace’s survival testimony and George Percy’s chronicle (A Trewe Relacyon).
Context: Why This Happened
Powhatan likely orchestrated the ambush as revenge for earlier English insults, assaults, and Ratcliffe’s credulity—he had released Powhatan’s son and daughter, forfeiting valuable hostages. Ratcliffe also failed to maintain proper guard protocols, sending men in small groups into Indian settlements. Anthropologist Helen C. Rountree notes that Powhatan customarily met “notorious enemies” with prolonged, public executions as an “honorable” punishment, distinct from swift justice meted out to common criminals.
Modern Historical Critique
All we know of Ratcliffe’s fate derives from English survivors with clear motives: justifying harsh reprisals against the Powhatans. Scholars caution that George Percy’s narrative amplifies Native “savagery” to rally colonial support. Modern historians debate the literal accuracy of every torturous detail, pointing to the lack of Powhatan-sourced accounts and the possibility of sensationalism in early Virginia chronicles.
A great guy.
