Ajacan Mission
The Ajacan Mission was an early attempt by Spanish Jesuits to establish a Christian mission in present-day Virginia, initiated around September 10, 1570, by Father Juan Bautista de Segura and a small group of Jesuits. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, its precise location remains uncertain, with theories suggesting it may have been near the York River or the Chickahominy River. The mission aimed to convert local Indigenous populations to Christianity, assisted by a Native American guide named Paquiquineo, who had previously spent time in Spain and was educated there.
Despite their initial plans, the mission faced significant challenges, including a famine and a lack of resources, leading to strained relations with the Indigenous tribes. In February 1571, the situation escalated when Jesuit brothers sent to find Paquiquineo were killed, resulting in the destruction of the mission and the deaths of most of its inhabitants, except for a young Spanish boy. Historical accounts suggest that Paquiquineo may have been involved in leading the attack against the mission.
The aftermath of the Ajacan Mission's failure had lasting implications, as it dampened Spanish enthusiasm for further exploration and colonization in the region, ultimately paving the way for British settlement, including the establishment of Jamestown in 1607. The events surrounding the Ajacan Mission highlight the complex interactions between Spanish explorers and Indigenous populations during the era of early colonization in North America.
Ajacan Mission
Ajacan Mission was a failed attempt by Spanish Jesuits to establish a Christian mission in what is now Virginia. In 1570, a small group of Jesuits led by Father Juan Bautista de Segura established a small mission in the lower Chesapeake area. Although some details are uncertain, it is known that they were attacked by a group of Native Americans, and the mission was destroyed. The Spanish subsequently visited the area, capturing and killing the Native Americans thought to have been responsible for the attack. However, the Native American who led the attack was not caught. The fate of Ajacan Mission dampened Spanish enthusiasm for exploration in the area, leaving modern-day Virginia open to future British exploration and colonization.
Background
Spain was active in exploring and colonizing South and Central America throughout the 1500s. By the middle of the century, the Spanish dominated these areas. They also began voyaging to North America but stayed mostly in what is now Florida before moving toward the American Southwest. In most cases, the Spaniards were antagonistic toward the native populations. As a Catholic nation, Spanish explorers also wanted to force the natives they encountered to convert to Catholicism. This caused conflict between the Spanish and Indigenous populations.
Overview
Ajacan was a small mission established by Jesuits in the Virginia Peninsula. The exact location is unknown. Some believe it was near the York River at Queen’s Creek, while others contend it was in an area where Diascund Creek joins the Chickahominy River. In this area was once a town called Axacam, which is an alternative spelling of Ajacan. The Ajacan Mission may have been in the vicinity of the land formerly occupied by the Kiskiack tribe, which is now in the possession of the US Navy.
The Ajacan Mission was established on or about September 10, 1570, when Father Juan Baptista de Segura arrived with a group of seven other Jesuits and a young Spanish boy named Alonso de Olmo. They were also accompanied by a Native American from the area, who served as their guide and interpreter. The Native American, known to the Spanish as Paquiquineo, was believed to have been the son of an Algonquian Native American chief. He was about seventeen in 1561 when he left North America aboard a Spanish ship. It is unclear whether he went voluntarily or was kidnapped. While in Spain, he met King Philip II and was educated by the Spanish. Several years later, he sailed to Mexico City for what was to be a brief visit but became so ill that he had to stay much longer. During the Catholic rite of baptism administered during this time, he took the name Don Luís de Velasco. After recovering, de Velasco attempted to get back to his homeland twice in the company of Dominican missionaries but ended up returning to Spain instead.
In 1570 when Father Segura and his followers were preparing to set out to establish the mission, de Velasco was chosen to be their guide and interpreter. Unlike many other Spanish mission voyages, this one took place without military escort. Father Segura and the others were confident that de Velasco’s presence ensure that their introduction to the native population was congenial. They also thought that a military presence might hamper their efforts to evangelize and convert the natives to Christianity.
Nine years after he first left his family and homeland, de Velasco returned. Father Segura and the Jesuits established St. Mary’s Mission in the town of Ajacan. It was essentially a two-room wooden structure, with one room used as a sanctuary dedicated for mass. de Velasco stayed with the Jesuits for a time but eventually left, saying that he was going to see his family and gather supplies for the mission.
The area was experiencing a famine at the time, and the underprepared Jesuits struggled. Without their interpreter, they struggled to negotiate with the natives for food and other provisions. Then, in February 1571, Father Segura sent some of the Jesuit brothers in search of de Velasco. On their way back, the brothers were killed. Additionally, everyone who had remained at the mission was killed except for the young Spanish boy, Alonso de Olmo. Most sources say that de Velasco led the attack himself. However, some historians believe that the attack may have occurred because the Spaniards violated Native gift-exchange rules.
Several months later, a Spanish supply ship arrived in the area and was attacked. Several of the Native Americans were caught and interrogated. As the full truth about what had happened to the Ajacan Mission was revealed, the Spanish commander Pedro Menendez had most of the Native American captives baptized before hanging them from the ship’s mast. However, Menendez could not find de Velasco. Some speculation exists among historians that he might have become Opechancanough, a powerful Powhatan chief who launched attacks on English colonies in the area in the early 1600s.
The destruction of the Ajacan Mission and its inhabitants significantly affected the Spaniards, who largely gave up on missionary and colonization efforts in the area. This cleared the way for the British to colonize in the area, including the Jamestown settlement founded in 1607.
Bibliography
“Don Luís de Velasco / Paquiquineo (fl. 1561–1571).” Encyclopedia Virginia, encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/don-luis-de-velasco-paquiquineo-fl-1561-1571/. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
“Historic Resources.” York County Virginia, www.yorkcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/25739/Historic-Resources. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
“Juan Baptista de Segura (1529–1571).” Encyclopedia Virginia, encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/segura-juan-baptista-de-1529-1571/. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
“Paquiquineo (aka Don Luis de Velasco).” Virtual Jamestown, www.virtualjamestown.org/Paquiquineo.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
“Pacquiquino.” Native Americans, www.native-americans.org/paquiquino/. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
“Spain in the New World to 1600.” National Park Service, www.nps.gov/fora/learn/education/unit-1-spain-in-the-new-world-to-1600.htm. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
“The Spanish at Ajacan.” Virginia Places, www.virginiaplaces.org/settleland/ajacan.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
St. John Erickson, “A Lost Spanish Mission on the York River.” Hampton Roads Daily Press, 8 May 2013, www.dailypress.com/history/dp-nws-spanish-mission-on-the-york-20130508-story.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.