Moytoy of Citico was a Cherokee leader during the time of the Anglo-Cherokee War (1759–1761) and was its chief instigator. Also called Amo-adaw-ehi, Moytoy was the nephew of the Moytoy of Tellico.
Contents
Military actions
In retaliation for perceived slights by the British while campaigning with them against the French in the French and Indian War in 1758, Moytoy took his band and left the campaign to return home. He stole a number of British horses in compensation. The rest of the Cherokee allies were said to agree with his perception of the British, but the leaders Attakullakulla and Ostenaco did not agree with his actions.
Moytoy was a war chief in the conflict that began in 1759 between the Cherokee and British.
Etymology
Moytoy's name comes from the Tsalagi A-Ma-Do-Ya (or Amatoya), "Rainmaker." The name is a Cherokee family name which became a title after being passed down through several generations. All seven of the Cherokee chief delegates to King George II in 1730 were members of the Moytoy Family.
The original form of the name was "Ama Matai" (pronounced Ama-Madey in Cherokee). Ama is the Tsalagi word for water and Matai (Mah-Tey) is a French word meaning "to master." The title, Ama Matai (water master/water conqueror) became the names Amatoya and Moytoy. Amo-Adawehi was another Cherokee variant of the name, meaning "water conjuror" as was Amadoda (water traveler).
According to Hernandes de Soto's travels, a group of several North African Ottoman slaves, including a 'Queen,' escaped into Cherokee lands. He had taken them captive when they escaped. The painting of Sequoyah shows him wearing a turban, a preferred fashion among some of the Cherokee of the 1700s.