Edward Maria Wingfield facts for kids

Edward Maria Wingfield (born 1550, died 1631) was an English soldier and politician. He played a key role in starting the first successful English colony in America, Jamestown, Virginia.

Captain John Smith said that Wingfield was very important in starting the London Virginia Company. He was one of the four people who officially created the company in 1606. Wingfield also helped fund the trip and recruited about 40 of the 104 colonists. He was the only investor who actually sailed to the New World.

When the colonists arrived in Virginia, Wingfield was chosen as the first president of the governing council. This was the first election held by Europeans in the New World. He led the Jamestown colony for four months, starting on May 13, 1607.

Life in the new colony was very hard. There was little food, and many people died from sickness and attacks by native people. Wingfield made the men work hard to build the fort and find food. Because of the tough conditions, he was blamed for the problems. On September 10, 1607, he was removed from his position.

Wingfield was sent back to London in April 1608 to answer charges against him. Most of these charges were minor. He successfully cleared his name and continued to be involved with the Virginia Company until 1620. He died in England in 1631.

Who Was Edward Maria Wingfield?

Wingfield was born in 1550 at Stonely Priory, near Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire. He was the oldest son of Thomas Maria Wingfield and Margaret Kaye. His middle name, "Maria," came from Mary Tudor, Queen of France, who was the sister of King Henry VIII.

Edward's father died when he was seven. His mother remarried, and his uncle, Jacques Wingfield, became an important figure in his early life.

Early Military Training

His uncle, Jacques Wingfield, was a military leader in Ireland. When Edward was 19, he joined his uncle in Ireland. He helped build a new settlement in Munster, Ireland. This experience taught him about setting up colonies and defending them.

Later, in 1576, Wingfield started studying law in England. But he soon left to become a soldier.

Fighting in the Netherlands

Wingfield fought as a soldier in the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands and Belgium). He commanded a group of 100 soldiers against Spanish invaders. He learned a lot about defending forts and fighting in small battles.

In 1588, he was captured by the Spanish and held prisoner for a while. He was later released as part of a prisoner exchange.

Serving in Parliament

In 1593, Wingfield became a member of Parliament for Chippenham, England. This was a temporary role, and he soon returned to his life as a soldier in Ireland.

Organizing the Virginia Expedition

Getting the Expedition Started

Many people wanted to start a colony in Virginia, but it was hard to get things moving. Captain John Smith wrote that Wingfield helped make the Jamestown expedition happen. He worked with his cousin, Bartholomew Gosnold, and others to get support.

Wingfield was one of the main people who invested money in the trip. He worked with important figures like Sir Thomas Gates and Sir Thomas Smythe. Without Wingfield's efforts, the expedition might not have sailed.

Finding Settlers

In 1606, Wingfield and his cousin Bartholomew Gosnold recruited about 40 of the 105 settlers. Many of these were younger sons of noble families who needed new opportunities.

Wingfield also helped get approval for Reverend Robert Hunt to join the expedition as the chaplain. This was important because all colonists had to be Protestant.

Making the Expedition Legal

"Virginia" was the term for all of British America in 1607.

On April 10, 1606, Wingfield was one of eight "incorporators" of the Virginia Company. These people asked King James I for permission to create a company to start colonies in America.

The King's Charter allowed Wingfield, Richard Hakluyt, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Somers to start a colony in Virginia. They could choose any suitable place between 34 and 41 degrees North latitude. The charter also gave them the right to dig for gold, silver, and copper. They could also build forts and defend themselves against anyone trying to stop them.

Wingfield was the only investor who actually sailed to Virginia. He took a copy of the King's Charter with him.

Jamestown Colony

The Journey to Virginia

Three small ships, the Susan Constant, the Discovery, and the Godspeed, sailed from London on December 19, 1606. Captain Christopher Newport was in charge of the ships.

The journey was long, and the colonists did not know who would lead them once they landed. This caused some arguments among the leaders.

Arrival and Election

On April 26, 1607, the ships reached land, which they named Cape Henry. Here, Newport and Wingfield officially claimed Virginia for the English Crown. That night, the secret orders from London were opened. These orders named the members of the council and stated that they should elect a president for one year.

On May 13, 1607, the council members were sworn in. Wingfield was chosen as the first president. This was the first democratic election by Europeans in the New World.

Choosing the Site for Jamestown

Wingfield was 57 years old, much older than some other council members. He was an experienced soldier and a major investor. This made him the clear choice for president.

The council in London had given advice on where to build the settlement. They suggested an island that was easy to defend and not too far from the river's mouth. Wingfield, as a soldier, wanted to keep the ships close to the settlement for protection. He rejected another site called Archer's Hope because it was too open to attack from the sea.

Instead, Wingfield chose the current Jamestown site, about 50 miles upriver. This location allowed the ships to be secured to trees. It was also easier to defend against attacks from native tribes.

Building the Fort and Guarding the Colony

During his time as president, Wingfield oversaw the building of James Fort. This was a huge task, involving cutting down hundreds of trees to build a strong triangular wall. Wingfield, being the most experienced soldier, supervised this work.

His cousin, Gosnold, warned him that he was pushing the men too hard. Wingfield made them work, watch, and guard constantly.

Defending Against Attacks

On May 27, 1607, President Wingfield successfully led the defense against a fierce attack on Jamestown. The colonists were outnumbered, but Wingfield led from the front. He even had a shot go through his beard but was not hurt. Other colonists described him as a "valiant Gentleman."

Wingfield also managed the food supplies very carefully. He knew they needed to save food until their first harvest. He traded with the native people for extra supplies. The colonists had very little to eat, sometimes just a small amount of boiled wheat and barley.

Facing a Drought

The Jamestown colony was founded during a severe drought, the worst in 800 years. This made fresh water scarce and ruined corn crops. The colonists did not know about the drought, but it made their lives much harder. Despite these challenges, the strong colonists survived and helped establish important parts of British America, like representative government and a Protestant church.

Removed as President

On September 10, 1607, Wingfield was arrested and removed from his position as president. This happened during a time of starvation and attacks from native tribes. Captain Newport later said that most of the charges against Wingfield were minor.

Some settlers later wanted Wingfield to be reinstated as president. However, the new president, John Ratcliffe, prevented this.

Wingfield's Reputation

For a long time, Wingfield was seen as a villain, mainly because of how John Smith wrote about him. Smith often exaggerated and described Wingfield as overly confident and suspicious. However, these qualities can also be seen as necessary for a leader.

Historians now believe that many of Smith's criticisms were unfair. Wingfield was not an aristocrat, as Smith claimed, and he had a strong military background.

After returning to England, Wingfield successfully defended himself against the charges. He continued to be involved with the Virginia Company for many years, even when he was 70 years old. He died in 1631 and was buried in Kimbolton.

In Fiction and Film

Edward Maria Wingfield has been shown in several movies:

• Played by Stephen Blackehart in First Landing (2007)
• Played by David Thewlis in The New World (2005)
• Played by Tony Goldwyn in Pocahontas: The Legend (1999)
• Played by James Seay in Captain John Smith and Pocahontas (1953)

He is also a character in the science fiction novel A Different Flesh by Harry Turtledove.

Images for kids

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  "Virginia" was the term for all of British America in 1607.