Great Sun (tribal leader)
Great Sun was the hereditary title of the principal chief of the Natchez tribe, a Native American group located along the lower Mississippi River. In the early 18th century, the Great Sun faced significant challenges as French settlers began encroaching on Natchez territory. He was the brother of Tattooed Serpent and the son of Tattooed Arm, linking him to a prominent lineage within the tribe. While the Great Sun's family initially supported French alliances, the political landscape shifted following the death of Tattooed Serpent, leading to increased tensions between pro-French and anti-French factions.
Conflict escalated when the governor of Louisiana demanded land for a plantation from the Great Sun, who refused. This refusal culminated in a violent uprising on November 30, 1729, when Natchez warriors attacked French settlements, resulting in significant casualties. Although the uprising was ultimately suppressed, and the Great Sun was captured, he escaped and continued to resist French forces until his eventual surrender and likely execution. The aftermath of this conflict marked a severe decline in the Natchez tribal identity and autonomy. The story of Great Sun reflects the complexities of colonial interactions and the struggles faced by Indigenous leaders in the face of European expansion.
Great Sun (tribal leader)
- Born: Unknown
- Birthplace: Unknown
- Died: c. 1730
- Place of death: Unknown
Category: Tribal leader
Tribal affiliation: Natchez
Significance: The Great Sun who is known to history was the leader of the Natchez Revolt of 1729
Among the Natchez, “Great Sun” was the hereditary title bestowed upon the tribe’s principal chief. The Great Sun who was the head of the tribe in the early eighteenth century had to face the problems that resulted when the French began to settle along the lower Mississippi River. He was the brother of Tattooed Serpent and the son of Tattooed Arm.
The Great Sun’s family was strongly pro-French, but when Tattooed Serpent died, the anti-French faction began to gain influence. Trouble ensued when the governor of Louisiana demanded the Great Sun’s village site for a plantation; the Great Sun refused, and the governor demanded payment in the form of crops. On November 30, 1729, Natchez warriors attacked French settlements along the Mississippi River and inflicted more than five hundred casualties. French and Choctaw forces soon recaptured the main French fort (Fort Rosalie), and the captured Great Sun agreed to a peace. He escaped, however, and fought against French forces again in 1730. Again overpowered, he surrendered and was probably executed, perhaps in New Orleans. In the aftermath of the revolt, the tribal identity of the Natchez was destroyed.