Chief Chicagou
Encyclopedia
Chief Chicagou, also known as Agapit Chicagou, was an 18th century Native American
leader of the Mitchigamea
. He visited Paris and participated in the Chickasaw Wars
.
.
The chiefs met with King Louis XV on November 22nd. The Mercure de France reported that Chicagou made a speech to the young French king pledging allegiance to the crown. On the next day, the king took the chiefs on a rabbit hunt.
It was while the chiefs were in Paris that Jean-Philippe Rameau
attended a performance given by them at the Theatre Italien. At this performance they danced three kinds of dance: the Peace, War and Victory dances. Rameau was inspired by this to write a piece for harpsichord
entitled Les Sauvages. This was later published in Nouvelles Suites de Pieces de Clavecin.
nation to gave allegiance to the French. He further mentions that Chicagou was at the head of the Mitchigamea and that Mamantouensa was at the head of the Kaskaskia
s.
Next it is reported that the Illinois warriors participated in the Battle of Ogoula Tchetoka during the Chickasaw Wars
in 1736. While attacking a village of Natchez
refugees near present day Pontotoc, Mississippi
they were defeated and took to flight when the Chickasaw and Englishmen surprised them from behind a hill.
The last mention is by Jean Bernard Bossu in his journal. Here he describes meeting with an Indian prince Chicique who was the son of the since deceased Chief Chicagou who visited Paris.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
leader of the Mitchigamea
Mitchigamea
Mitchigamea or Michigamea or Mitchigamie were a tribe in the Illinois Confederation. Not much is known about them and their origin is uncertain. Originally they were said to be from the Lake Michigan, perhaps the Chicago area...
. He visited Paris and participated in the Chickasaw Wars
Chickasaw Wars
The Chickasaw Wars were fought in the 18th century between the Chickasaw allied with the British against the French and their allies the Choctaws and Illini. The Province of Louisiana extended from Illinois to New Orleans, and the French fought to secure their communications along the Mississippi...
.
Paris
Mention was first made of Chief Chicagou in 1725, when his visit to Paris was discussed in the December 1725 issue of the Mercure de France. The Company of the Indies was responsible for bringing him and five other chiefs to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The chiefs met with King Louis XV on November 22nd. The Mercure de France reported that Chicagou made a speech to the young French king pledging allegiance to the crown. On the next day, the king took the chiefs on a rabbit hunt.
It was while the chiefs were in Paris that Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...
attended a performance given by them at the Theatre Italien. At this performance they danced three kinds of dance: the Peace, War and Victory dances. Rameau was inspired by this to write a piece for harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
entitled Les Sauvages. This was later published in Nouvelles Suites de Pieces de Clavecin.
After Paris
In 1730 a letter by Father Mathurin le Petit describes the Natchez and Yazoo War of 1729-1731. In it the Father mentions that representatives of the IlliniwekIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
nation to gave allegiance to the French. He further mentions that Chicagou was at the head of the Mitchigamea and that Mamantouensa was at the head of the Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia
The Kaskaskia were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation or Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in the Great Lakes region...
s.
Next it is reported that the Illinois warriors participated in the Battle of Ogoula Tchetoka during the Chickasaw Wars
Chickasaw Wars
The Chickasaw Wars were fought in the 18th century between the Chickasaw allied with the British against the French and their allies the Choctaws and Illini. The Province of Louisiana extended from Illinois to New Orleans, and the French fought to secure their communications along the Mississippi...
in 1736. While attacking a village of Natchez
Natchez people
The Natchez are a Native American people who originally lived in the Natchez Bluffs area, near the present-day city of Natchez, Mississippi. They spoke a language isolate that has no known close relatives, although it may be very distantly related to the Muskogean languages of the Creek...
refugees near present day Pontotoc, Mississippi
Pontotoc, Mississippi
Pontotoc is a city in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census...
they were defeated and took to flight when the Chickasaw and Englishmen surprised them from behind a hill.
The last mention is by Jean Bernard Bossu in his journal. Here he describes meeting with an Indian prince Chicique who was the son of the since deceased Chief Chicagou who visited Paris.