<Tr> <Th> Founded by </Th> <Td> Virginia Company of London </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Named for </Th> <Td> James VI and I </Td> </Tr> <P> The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas . It was located on the east bank of the Powhatan (James) River about 2.5 mi (4 km) southwest of the center of modern Williamsburg . William Kelso writes that Jamestown "is where the British Empire began". It was established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607 O.S.; (May 14, 1607 N.S.), and was considered permanent after brief abandonment in 1610 . It followed several failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke, established in 1585 on Roanoke Island . Jamestown served as the capital of the colony of Virginia for 83 years, from 1616 until 1699 . </P> <P> The settlement was located within the country of Tsenacommacah, which was ruled by the Powhatan Confederacy, and specifically in that of the Paspahegh tribe . The natives initially welcomed and provided crucial provisions and support for the colonists, who were not agriculturally inclined . Relations soured fairly early on, however, leading to the total annihilation of the Paspahegh in warfare within three years . Mortality was very high at Jamestown itself due to disease and starvation, with over 80 percent of the colonists perishing in 1609--10 in what became known as the "Starving Time". </P>

Who founded jamestown in what is now virginia