The best‑known early 1600s leader of the Wampanoag people was Massasoit , also known as Ousamequin, the grand sachem (chief) of the Wampanoag Confederacy at the time of the Pilgrims’ arrival in Plymouth.

Key facts

  • Massasoit was the main political and diplomatic leader of the Wampanoag in the early 17th century, often described as their grand sachem.
  • He forged a mutual defense and peace alliance with the Plymouth colonists after 1620, which shaped early relations between the Wampanoag and the English.
  • His leadership later passed within his family, including to his sons Wamsutta (Alexander) and Metacom (King Philip), but when people ask “who was the leader of the Wampanoag people” in a historical context, they usually mean Massasoit.

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