John Rolf and Pocahontas: biography, interesting facts from life. Who created the best image of the tobacco planter on the screen?

Thanks to the colorful Disney cartoons, the world knows the story of the Indian princess Pocahontas and her two lovers - Captain Smith and John Rolf. But was it really so, or did the creators of the cartoon and film about the Indian princess embellish the truth too? And why Pocahontas chose John Rolf, and not his namesake Smith? To understand all this, it is worth to learn more about the fate of Mr. Rolf, as well as about the actor Christian Bayle and other performers of this role.

The Real History of Pocahontas

The Indian princess Pocahontas actually wore a slightly different name - Mataoka. She was originally from the Pauhatans (povatens) and was the daughter of Heleva - one of the numerous wives of the leader of the tribal union - Pouhatan. Although the head of the tribal union had more than 80 children, Mataoka was his favorite, so he often went about her whims. Perhaps that's why the British called her Pocahontas - "mischievous", "dame".

It is believed that Mataoka was born in 1594-1595. In the Indian village of Veravokomoko (present Wicomico) near the Pamaunka River (now York River). About her early years, nothing is known.

In 1607, on the lands of the Pookhatans, white people organized the settlement of Jamestown. So here came John Smith. Being 15 years older than Pocahontas, he managed to visit many places. Smith was a traveler and adventurer, who took part in several wars. For the leader's daughter, who has never been anywhere else, a man like John was exotic, it's no surprise that she immediately fell in love with him.

When the Indians tried to kill John Smith and his people, wandered in search of provisions for the land of redskins, the girl closed the pale face of the captain and thereby saved his life. Later, thanks to her, relations with the Indians at the colonists were adjusted, which helped them survive their first winter on new lands.

Another year John Smith stayed at Jamestown, and all this time he maintained a close acquaintance with the princess of the Indians, who became a real blessing for the colonists. How close their relationship was - history is silent.

In the autumn of 1609, Captain Smith was seriously wounded and sent home to England, while Pocahontas was informed that he was killed. Some historians believe that this was the idea of Smith himself, who thus wanted to complete the protracted romance with a wonderful savage.

Some accuse John Smith of lying to attract attention, since before the arrival of Matoaki in Britain in 1616, the gallant captain never mentioned this romantic story. In addition, his memoirs featured a similar story about the salvation of the hero by the daughter of the Turkish sultan.

On the other hand, one can not deny the fact that with the departure of Smith the relationship between the Indians and the inhabitants of Jamestown deteriorated, which means that he had some influence on their princess. Moreover, it is only the history of Smith that can explain why the British later kidnapped the girl and blackmailed her with the leader of the Pouhatans in order to end the war with them.

Having held Pocahontas in captivity for several months, the colonists realized that by marrying one of the settlers, one can achieve eternal peace with the Indians. But there was a suitable candidate for this. They became John Rolf.

Biography of John Rolf

This man was born in 1585 in Hechem. Unlike Smith, he was not a seeker of adventure and military glory. Rolf was more like a sober entrepreneur, famous for his tobacco trade.

At that time in Europe, the struggle for a monopoly in the tobacco market began. Since the British climate was unfavorable for the cultivation of this plant, it became necessary to master new lands for this purpose in America. Among those engaged in this business was the young John Rolf.

Together with the pregnant wife Sarah the Hacker in 1609, he went to Jamestown to settle there and set up the supply of tobacco. However, because of the bad weather, the Rolfi were stuck in Bermuda. During this period, Sarah gave birth to a daughter, but soon the wife and daughter of John died.

However, the widower did not drop his hands. Having found a special kind of tobacco on Bermuda, he crossed it with the one that was grown in Jamestown. The new variety gained incredible popularity in England and Europe, thanks to which both the colony and John began to flourish.

Meanwhile, Jamestown was still troubled by the Indians. Only the capture of Matoaki allowed for a time to achieve peace. For the sake of the welfare of the colony, John agreed to become the husband of an Indian princess.

Love Triangle: John Smith, Pocahontas and John Rolf

According to legend, Rolf fell in love with Matoacu at first sight and, having gained reciprocity, married her. However, in reality, this marriage was only a business agreement, which John did not dare until the bride took Christianity.

And Pocahontas did not feel a special passion for the groom. Not because of John Smith. If the princess was in love with him, then over time this feeling was gone, and the leader's daughter married a fellow tribesman and lived with him for several years. What happened to the spouse is not known, probably he died before the capture of Matoaki.

For many, it remains a mystery why the proud princess agreed to marry Rolf, if she did not love him. Most likely, she saw in this marriage the only chance of gaining freedom.

In April 1614 the colonist and the princess got married. The bride's father did not arrive for the ceremony, but gave presents through his brother and son.

A year later, Mrs. Rolfe gave birth to a son - Thomas. Through marriage, between colonists and Indians for many years, the world reigned, and Jamestown began to flourish. However, huge royal taxes prevented the city from developing. To persuade the king to reduce them, in 1616, John Rolf, together with his wife and son, went to England. Pocahontas on this trip played the role of an exotic curiosity, which was to win the favor of the monarch.

Rolf did not lose - his wife made a real sensation at the court. However, she was no less surprised when she found out that John Smith, whom she considered dead, is alive.

According to legend, Pocahontas was caught between two fires: she had to choose between two men, and she, obeying her duty, stayed with her husband.

Smith himself claimed that at the meeting, Mataoka asked to be called her daughter, and very much praised her. And eyewitnesses testified on the contrary that Mrs. Rolf called Smith a mean liar, kicked him out. They did not meet again, and a few months later Pocahontas fell ill with smallpox and died.

After her death, John Rolf left a two-year-old Thomas in the care of relatives, and he returned to America. After a year and a half he again married the colonist Jane Pearce. From this marriage, the daughter of Elizabeth was born.

With the death of Matoaki, relations with the Indians began to deteriorate. According to one of the legends, Rolf was killed by the Pouahatans in 1622, as revenge for the captivity and death of Pocahontas.

The fate of Thomas Rolf

After the death of his mother, the boy also became a smallpox, so he was left as a father in England. The child managed to survive, but John did not want to take him to him and left in the care of his brother Henry. The boy did not see his father again.

It is believed that his son Pocahontas returned to America at age 21, but his fate in the next six years is unknown. Later, he married Jane Poitress. The couple had only one daughter, Jane.

The last written mention of the son of John Rolf dates back to 1658, it is believed that he died in 1680.

History of the character

The legend of the noble daughter of the leader, who fell in love with the British, was repeatedly screened. For the first time this happened in 1953. The movie was called "Captain John Smith and Pocahontas." In this tape, the plot was built around a pair of Smith and the Princess, so Rolf was a secondary character.

Two years later, the TV magazine "Reader's Digest" of the history of Matoaki was dedicated to the release of America's First Great Lady. In it, John Rolf acted as a noble man, who became a hindrance to the love of Smith and Pocahontas.

In 1998, Disney's studio released the cartoon "Pocahontas 2: Journey to the New World."

The traditional story was changed. Matoaka arrives in England to protect his land from Ratcliffe's machinations, which convinced the king that the Indians have gold. Rolf, in whom she sincerely falls in love, assists her in the new world, and in his company returns to America, rejecting the courtship of John Smith.

In 2005, the film "New World" was shot, in which the story of the daughter's love of the leader was told in a traditional way.

John Rolf: biography, the filmography of the performer of this role Christian Bale

The first two screen versions of the story about Pocahontas, filmed in the 50's, have not gained much popularity. But the tape "New World" was the best of its kind.

In it, the role of the enamored colonist was played by Christian Bale - already quite a well-known actor at that time. John Rolf turned out to be very sincere, and many believe that Bale played better than Colin Farrell, who performed John Smith.

Christian Bale was born in 1974 in Britain in the family of a pilot and circus artist. They endlessly moved from country to country. Already at 9 years young Christian starred in advertising. Domestic viewers, this actor became famous for the first time thanks to the film "Mio, My Mio", in which he played Yum-Yuma. In the following years, Christian Bale did a lot in costume television projects (Treasure Island, Little Women, Portrait of a Lady, etc.). True fame came to him with roles in "American Psycho" and "Equilibrium".

Later, Bail managed to consolidate the success thanks to Batman's mother in the film trilogy of Christopher Nolan. And the performance of Christian is recognized as one of the best in the history of the character's existence.

In addition to Batman, during his career, Bale managed to create on the screen a lot of interesting images: John Connor, Moses, Michael Burrie and John Rolf. The filmography of Christian Bale has more than 40 projects, and he does not plan to stop there. In 2017, with the participation of the actor will be a film of Hostiles about the American captain accompanying the dying Cheyenne leader on the way to the lands of his ancestors.

Other performers of the role of John Rolf

In addition to Bale, her husband Pocahontas was played by other artists. The first performer of this role was the hero of the fantastic films of the 50's - Robert Clarke. John Rolfe's "America's First Great Lady" was played by John Stevenson. And in the Disney cartoon of his beloved Pocahontas sounded the famous playboy of Hollywood - Billy Zane ("Titanic", "Sniper").

Interesting facts

Many Americans and British are proud to call themselves descendants of Pocahontas. However, most of them are not right. The fact is that in the 30s of the XVII century. In England lived the namesake of Thomas Rolf. In 1632 he married the British Elizabeth Washington. This couple had 5 children. Their numerous descendants consider themselves the heirs of Pocahontas. But, according to the documents, this man lived in England in 1642, while the real Thomas Rolf at that time lived thousands of miles from him in Virginia, to which there is documentary evidence.

Nancy Reagan and Edith Wilson, the wives of the two US presidents, are considered direct descendants of Pocahontas.

Before "New World" Christian Bale participated in another project related to the history of the Indian princess. He voiced one of the sailors in the cartoon "Pocahontas".

Unfortunately, the real fate of John Rolf and his wife Pocahontas was not so romantic as it is shown in the Disney cartoon or in the "New World". But do not be there, then there would be nothing to inspire writers and artists who created on its motives beautiful masterpieces that the whole world admires to this day.