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The emperor of Coweta instigated the Yamasee War
Source: Early History of the Creek Indians and Their Neighbors #121
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The Coweta [Note: On the maps I have spelled this phonetically, Kawita. The above is the form which has been adopted into popular usage.] The Coweta were the second great Muskogee tribe among the Lower Creeks, and they headed the war side as Kasihta headed the peace side. Their honorary title in the confederacy was Kawita ma'ma'yi, "tall Coweta." Although as a definitely identified tribe they appear later in history and in the migration legends which have been preserved to us the Kasihta are given precedence, the Coweta were and still are commonly accounted the leaders of the Lower Creeks and often of the entire nation. By many early writers all of the Lower Creeks are called Coweta, and the Spaniards and French both speak of the Coweta chief as "emperor" of the Creeks. An anonymous French writer of the 18th century draws the following picture of his power at the time of the Yamasee uprising: "The nation of the Caouita is governed by an emperor, who in 1714 [1715] caused to be killed all the English there were, not only in his nation, but also among the Abeca, Talapouches, Alibamons, and Cheraqui. Not content with that he went to commit depredations as far as the gates of Carolina. The English were excited and wanted to destroy them by making them drag pieces of ordinance loaded with grape-shot, by tying two ropes to the collar of the tube, on each one of which they put sixty savages, whom they killed in the midst of their labors by putting fire to the cannon; but as they saw they would take vengeance with interest, they made very great presents to the emperor to regain his friendship and that of his nation. The French do the same thing, and also the Spaniards, which makes him very rich, for the French who go to visit him are served in a silver dish. He is a man of a good appearance and good character. He has numbers of slaves who are busy night and day cooking food for those going and coming to visit him. He seldom goes on foot, always [riding on] well harnessed horses, and followed by many of his village. He is absolute in his nation. He has a quantity of cattle and kills them sometimes to feast his friends. No one hasever been able to make him take sides with one of the three European nations who know him, he alleging that he wishes to see everyone, to be neutral, and not to espouse any of the quarrels which the French. English, and Spaniards have with one another." [Note: The story about slaughtering Indians who were pulling a cannon crops up in connection with the Popham colony.] Traditionally the name is supposed to have had some connection with the eastward migration of this tribe, and it is associated with the word ayeta, to go. No reliance can be placed upon this, however, any more than on Gatschet's derivation from the Yuchi word meaning "man." 2 (Swanton)
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