Teancum
Encyclopedia
According to the Book of Mormon
, Teancum was a Nephite
military leader. Found in the Book of Alma
between Alma 50:35 and Alma 62:40 (inclusive), his period of time shown is 67-60 BC. His major accomplishments include the assassinations of King Amalickiah
in 67 BC, and the subsequent assassination of Amalickiah's brother, Ammoron
, seven years later. During his time he proved to be a great chief captain in the Nephite army.
.
Morianton's forces were afraid that Captain Moroni and his army would attack, so they changed their course and attempted to take the land in the North. Captain Moroni caught hold of the plan when one of Morianton's maid servants, whom he had physically abused, escaped from him and allied herself with Captain Moroni. As a preventative measure, Captain Moroni dispatched a contingent of soldiers led by Teancum in order to stop Morianton and his people from fleeing to the North. In the battle which ensued, Teancum killed Morianton and defeated his army, afterward taking prisoners. He then made an oath with the prisoners, allowing them to go back to their homes if they would "keep the peace. "
army, Amalickiah, had been taking possession of many Nephite cities which were located on the east boarders by the seashore. As his army was moving North and capturing Nephite cities, Teancum was marching South with his army attempting to take back those cities. The two armies came to a head on the seashore.
The soldiers of Teancum, skilled and well trained in the ways of warfare, slaughtered Amalickiah's armies during the day and drove them back toward the beaches. Amalickiah's army then pitched their tents on the beach and slept for the night. During the night, Teancum and his servant crept into the camps of the Lamanites, threw a javelin at Amalickiah, which struck him in the heart and killed him immediately, and fled back to his camp without being noticed.
Upon returning to his camp, the victorious Teancum awakened his armies and caused them to prepare for battle with the Lamanite forces. When the Lamanite army awoke that morning, they found their leader dead, which caused the army to retreat back to the city of Mulek for protection.
, a Nephite city located south of Bountiful
that was captured by the Lamanites in 67 BC. Mulek had been fortified by Captain Moroni before falling into the hands of Amalickiah and thus was a stronghold for the Lamanite forces. Immediately following the demise of Amalickiah, the Lamanite army that was contending with Teancum's army abandoned their attempt to capture Bountiful and retreated to the city of Mulek.
While Teancum was employed in preparing for war, he received orders from Captain Moroni to attempt a retake of the city of Mulek. However, upon marching with his armies into Mulek, he observed that his army was not prepared to contend with the Lamanites in their fortified city. He then returned to Bountiful and awaited the arrival of Captain Moroni and his forces.
When Captain Moroni later arrived with his armies, he called many chief captains of the Nephite forces together for a war council. A strategy was then devised that would cause Teancum to take a small force and march near the city as a decoy while Captain Moroni and his forces would retake Mulek. The operation was successful and the leader of this Zoramite
-Lamanite army was killed. The city of Mulek was again in the possession of the Nephites.
's time. During the late 4th century, the Lamanites drove the Nephites out of Teancum, and took possession of it.
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, Teancum was a Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
military leader. Found in the Book of Alma
Book of Alma
The Book of Alma is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The full title is The Book of Alma: The Son of Alma. The title refers to Alma the Younger, a prophet and "chief judge" of the Nephites.-Historical Outline:...
between Alma 50:35 and Alma 62:40 (inclusive), his period of time shown is 67-60 BC. His major accomplishments include the assassinations of King Amalickiah
Amalickiah
In the Book of Mormon, Amalickiah was a Nephite leader of a movement to reestablish a king, specifically him as the king of the Nephites. When he failed to gain power through a popular uprising he dissented to the Lamanites becoming their king and using them as a means to gain power over the...
in 67 BC, and the subsequent assassination of Amalickiah's brother, Ammoron
Ammoron
According to the Book of Mormon, Ammoron was a Nephite traitor. He was a descendant of Zoram and succeeded his brother Amalickiah as the king of the Lamanites. Amalickiah, as king, had started a major war with the Nephites which the Nephites had hoped would end with his death. However Ammoron...
, seven years later. During his time he proved to be a great chief captain in the Nephite army.
Battle with Morianton
In the years between 71 and 68 BC there was much peace in the land of the Nephites. The exception was a dispute that began to grow in the land of Lehi and the land of Morianton, which were neighboring lands. The inhabitants of the land of Morianton claimed ownership of a part of the land of Lehi. The dispute grew and eventually led to the inhabitants of Morianton attacking the inhabitants of Lehi, led by a man called Morianton. The people of Lehi fled from the attack to the camp of Captain MoroniCaptain Moroni
According to the Book of Mormon, Captain Moroni was an important Nephite military commander and patriot who lived during the 1st century BC. He is perhaps best known for raising the "Title of Liberty" as a call to arms for his people to defend their country, family and religion...
.
Morianton's forces were afraid that Captain Moroni and his army would attack, so they changed their course and attempted to take the land in the North. Captain Moroni caught hold of the plan when one of Morianton's maid servants, whom he had physically abused, escaped from him and allied herself with Captain Moroni. As a preventative measure, Captain Moroni dispatched a contingent of soldiers led by Teancum in order to stop Morianton and his people from fleeing to the North. In the battle which ensued, Teancum killed Morianton and defeated his army, afterward taking prisoners. He then made an oath with the prisoners, allowing them to go back to their homes if they would "keep the peace. "
Assassination of Amalickiah
His next notable appearance occurred later in the year 67 BC. The leader of the LamaniteLamanite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Lamanite is a member of a dark-skinned nation of indigenous Americans that battled with the light-skinned Nephite nation...
army, Amalickiah, had been taking possession of many Nephite cities which were located on the east boarders by the seashore. As his army was moving North and capturing Nephite cities, Teancum was marching South with his army attempting to take back those cities. The two armies came to a head on the seashore.
The soldiers of Teancum, skilled and well trained in the ways of warfare, slaughtered Amalickiah's armies during the day and drove them back toward the beaches. Amalickiah's army then pitched their tents on the beach and slept for the night. During the night, Teancum and his servant crept into the camps of the Lamanites, threw a javelin at Amalickiah, which struck him in the heart and killed him immediately, and fled back to his camp without being noticed.
Upon returning to his camp, the victorious Teancum awakened his armies and caused them to prepare for battle with the Lamanite forces. When the Lamanite army awoke that morning, they found their leader dead, which caused the army to retreat back to the city of Mulek for protection.
Retaking of the city of Mulek
Teancum was next sent to attack the city of MulekMulek
According to the Book of Mormon, Mulek was the only surviving son of Zedekiah, the last King of Judah, after the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem...
, a Nephite city located south of Bountiful
Bountiful (Book of Mormon)
Bountiful is the name of two places described in the Book of Mormon, a religious narrative dictated in 1829 by Joseph Smith, Jr. The first location is set in the Old World near Jerusalem, and the second location is set somewhere in the Americas...
that was captured by the Lamanites in 67 BC. Mulek had been fortified by Captain Moroni before falling into the hands of Amalickiah and thus was a stronghold for the Lamanite forces. Immediately following the demise of Amalickiah, the Lamanite army that was contending with Teancum's army abandoned their attempt to capture Bountiful and retreated to the city of Mulek.
While Teancum was employed in preparing for war, he received orders from Captain Moroni to attempt a retake of the city of Mulek. However, upon marching with his armies into Mulek, he observed that his army was not prepared to contend with the Lamanites in their fortified city. He then returned to Bountiful and awaited the arrival of Captain Moroni and his forces.
When Captain Moroni later arrived with his armies, he called many chief captains of the Nephite forces together for a war council. A strategy was then devised that would cause Teancum to take a small force and march near the city as a decoy while Captain Moroni and his forces would retake Mulek. The operation was successful and the leader of this Zoramite
Zoramites
In the Book of Mormon, the Zoramites were one of three major Nephite sects, existing during the administration of Alma the Younger as the High Priest over the Church of God...
-Lamanite army was killed. The city of Mulek was again in the possession of the Nephites.
Assassination of Ammoron and death
In 60 BC, a large battle occurred after the retaking of the city of Nephihah from the Lamanites. His force marched to meet the Lamanites with the armies of Lehi and Captain Moroni. Both sides were greatly fatigued because of the long march. Teancum was angered by Amalickiah and Ammoron for starting the war. He believed if he were to kill Ammoron, the Lamanite army would accept defeat. He, in striking similarity with his previous encounter with Amalickiah, went out into the night and let himself over the wall using a rope. He crept into Ammoron's tent, threw a javelin at him, and struck him near the heart. The blow, however, was not immediately fatal and Ammoron cried out, awakening his servants. Teancum fled, but the servants of the king chased him and killed him. His death was greatly mourned by Captain Moroni and Lehi.Town
Teancum is also the name of a Nephite town that played an important role during the war in MormonMormon (prophet)
Mormon is believed by followers of Mormonism to have been the narrator of much of the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which describes him as a prophet-historian and a member of a tribe of indigenous Americans known as the Nephites...
's time. During the late 4th century, the Lamanites drove the Nephites out of Teancum, and took possession of it.
See also
- HelamanHelamanAccording to the Book of Mormon, Helaman was a Nephite prophet and soldier who lived around the 1st century BC. He is perhaps best known in LDS theology for leading into battle an army of two thousand young warriors, which he referred to as his two thousand sons...
- Stripling WarriorsTwo thousand stripling warriorsThe two thousand stripling warriors, also known as The Army of Helaman, were an army of young men in the Book of Mormon, first mentioned in the Book of Alma They were extremely valiant and loyal warriors who were all reportedly wounded at one time or another, but none ever died from their...
External links
- Teancum - Book of Mormon index entry
- Book of Alma on the wikisource website