Teganissorens
Encyclopedia
Teganissorens was an influential Onondaga
chief
, orator and diplomat
. He played a leading role in English-French-Iroquois relations during the last quarter of the seventeenth and first quarter of the eighteenth centuries.
chiefs that was sent to Montreal
to make terms with Frontenac
and his Indian allies. It was soon discovered that the Iroquois had sent Teganissorens as a blind, and were taking the field against the Illinois
, while pretending to wish for peace. But the French governor dismissed him with honor, knowing that his influence did not extend to all the Iroquois tribes.
He set out on a similar mission in 1688, and the preliminaries for a treaty were arranged between Denonville
, the Canadian governor, and the Iroquois deputies. The Hurons were dissatisfied with the proposed treaty, and, on the return of Teganissorens and his party, they were attacked by Kondiaronk, a Huron chief. Some were killed and others taken prisoners, among the latter Teganissorens, who, on complaining of this attack on an ambassador and a friend of the French, was told by Kondiaronk that the latter themselves had sent him. To show that he spoke sincerely, he at once released the Iroquois ambassador. Teganissorens, however, remained loyal, and continued to render such services that he ranked with Oureouhare
and Garaconthie as one of the three Indians to whom the French colony in Canada was most indebted.
He became a Christian
in 1693, and in May 1694, arrived in Quebec
with eight deputies. He was received with kindness by Frontenac, the governor, who gave him many presents. He proposed the restoration of Catarocouy (Kingston
), and that it should be strengthened and made the bulwark of the colony. The suggestion was eagerly adopted by Frontenac, who prepared a large escort which was to conduct to that port a garrison, mechanics, and all necessary stores, but he was obliged to countermand the expedition, owing to an order from the French court. He excited the displeasure of the governor afterward by not returning to Montreal at a fixed date with the submission of some of the Iroquois tribes who were holding back. But the reason of his delay was that he found his efforts to bring about a general reconciliation between the Iroquois and the French abortive.
He remained at Onondaga, where he received three French ambassadors that had been sent to make a treaty with the Iroquois on August 10, 1700. He afterward received both French and English agents and declared his intention of remaining neutral. Hearing in 1703 that some of the Iroquois were concerting with Vaudreuil
(who had then succeeded Callières
in the government of the colony) an attack on the English settlements, Teganissorens went to Montreal and protested angrily against this breach of neutrality and declared that his tribe would take part for neither side. As the neutrality of the Iroquois was what the French governor wanted, he assured the chief that he would not send any parties against the English in New York. Teganissorens, on his part, pledged himself to retain the missionaries that were in his country. In 1711 he informed Vaudreuil that preparations were made at New York
, Albany
, and Boston
for an invasion of Canada.
His wife was murdered for alleged witchcraft. She was said to have learned "poisoning" from the Jesuits, but the description of her act of poisoning fits the classic pattern of Iroquois witchcraft. Her victim was the son of Aqueendero, the chief sachem
of Onondaga who alternated speaking roles with Teganissorens. A relative of her victim spied her in Albany and beat out her brains.
Onondaga (tribe)
The Onondaga are one of the original five constituent nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Their traditional homeland is in and around Onondaga County, New York...
chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
, orator and diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
. He played a leading role in English-French-Iroquois relations during the last quarter of the seventeenth and first quarter of the eighteenth centuries.
Biography
He was strongly attached to the French, and in 1682 was placed at the head of a deputation of IroquoisIroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
chiefs that was sent to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to make terms with Frontenac
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
and his Indian allies. It was soon discovered that the Iroquois had sent Teganissorens as a blind, and were taking the field against the Illinois
Illinois
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,...
, while pretending to wish for peace. But the French governor dismissed him with honor, knowing that his influence did not extend to all the Iroquois tribes.
He set out on a similar mission in 1688, and the preliminaries for a treaty were arranged between Denonville
Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville
Jacques-Rene de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville was Governor General of New France from 1685 to 1689 and was a key figure in the Beaver Wars....
, the Canadian governor, and the Iroquois deputies. The Hurons were dissatisfied with the proposed treaty, and, on the return of Teganissorens and his party, they were attacked by Kondiaronk, a Huron chief. Some were killed and others taken prisoners, among the latter Teganissorens, who, on complaining of this attack on an ambassador and a friend of the French, was told by Kondiaronk that the latter themselves had sent him. To show that he spoke sincerely, he at once released the Iroquois ambassador. Teganissorens, however, remained loyal, and continued to render such services that he ranked with Oureouhare
Oureouharé
Oureouharé was a Cayuga chief. He was one of the Iroquois chiefs that were seized treacherously and sent to the galleys in France in 1687, after being invited to a conference at Fort Frontenac by Denonville, the Canadian governor...
and Garaconthie as one of the three Indians to whom the French colony in Canada was most indebted.
He became a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
in 1693, and in May 1694, arrived in Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
with eight deputies. He was received with kindness by Frontenac, the governor, who gave him many presents. He proposed the restoration of Catarocouy (Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
), and that it should be strengthened and made the bulwark of the colony. The suggestion was eagerly adopted by Frontenac, who prepared a large escort which was to conduct to that port a garrison, mechanics, and all necessary stores, but he was obliged to countermand the expedition, owing to an order from the French court. He excited the displeasure of the governor afterward by not returning to Montreal at a fixed date with the submission of some of the Iroquois tribes who were holding back. But the reason of his delay was that he found his efforts to bring about a general reconciliation between the Iroquois and the French abortive.
He remained at Onondaga, where he received three French ambassadors that had been sent to make a treaty with the Iroquois on August 10, 1700. He afterward received both French and English agents and declared his intention of remaining neutral. Hearing in 1703 that some of the Iroquois were concerting with Vaudreuil
Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil
Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil was a French politician, who was Governor-general of New France from 1703 to 1725....
(who had then succeeded Callières
Louis-Hector de Callière
Louis-Hector de Callière or Callières was a French politician, who was the governor of Montreal , and the governor of New France from 1698 to 1703. He played an important role in defining the strategy that New France followed during the Queen Anne's War.De Callière was born in Thorigny-sur-Vire,...
in the government of the colony) an attack on the English settlements, Teganissorens went to Montreal and protested angrily against this breach of neutrality and declared that his tribe would take part for neither side. As the neutrality of the Iroquois was what the French governor wanted, he assured the chief that he would not send any parties against the English in New York. Teganissorens, on his part, pledged himself to retain the missionaries that were in his country. In 1711 he informed Vaudreuil that preparations were made at New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
for an invasion of Canada.
His wife was murdered for alleged witchcraft. She was said to have learned "poisoning" from the Jesuits, but the description of her act of poisoning fits the classic pattern of Iroquois witchcraft. Her victim was the son of Aqueendero, the chief sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
of Onondaga who alternated speaking roles with Teganissorens. A relative of her victim spied her in Albany and beat out her brains.