Plenty Coups

Plenty Coups
Alaxchíia Ahú
Portrait of Plenty Coups (c.1908)
Mountain Crow (Apsáalooke), Crow Nation leader
Personal details
Born	Chíilaphuchissaaleesh ("Buffalo Bull Facing The Wind") 1848 The-cliffs-that-have-no-name (possibly near Billings, Montana)
Died	1932 Chief Plenty Coups (Alek-Chea-Ahoosh) State Park and Home, Crow Indian Reservation, Montana
Spouse(s)	Strikes-the-iron
Parents	Medicine-Bird, Otter-woman
Known for	Defending Crow lands in Washington, D.C., promoting education

In Crow called Alaxchiiaahush / Alaxchíia Ahú (″Many War Achievements″), he is better known by his English name as Plenty Coups (a translation of his name, coming from the word coup, meaning "counting many coups (war achievements"); 1848 – 1932) was the Ashbacheeítche (″Chief Of The Camp″, band chief) of the Mountain Crow Band (Ashalaho/, later: Awaxaawaxammilaxpáake) of the Crow Nation (Apsáalooke), a visionary leader, and a great diplomat.

As last traditionally elected Ashakée (″Owner Of The Lodges″ - principal chief, chief over all of the chiefs) of all three Crow (Apsáalooke) Bands - Mountain Crow (Awaxaawaxammilaxpáake), River Crow (Binnéessiippeele), and Kicked In The Bellies (Eelalapito), he allied the Crow with the whites when the war for the West was being fought, because the Sioux and Cheyenne (who opposed white settlement of the area) were the traditional enemies of the Crow. Plenty Coups had also experienced a vision when he was very young that non-Native American people would ultimately take control of his homeland (Montana), so he always felt that cooperation would benefit his people much more than opposition. He very much wanted the Crow to survive as a people and their customs and spiritual beliefs to carry on. His efforts on their behalf ensured that this happened, and he led his people peacefully into the 20th century.

One of his famous quotes is: "Education is your greatest weapon. With education you are the white man's equal, without education you are his victim and so shall remain all of your lives. Study, learn, help one another always. Remember there is only poverty and misery in idleness and dreams - but in work there is self respect and independence." Chief Plenty Coups became a chief at the age of twenty-nine; he is the last chief who was elected a chief by other chiefs.

Plenty Coups was born into the Mountain Crow tribe in 1848 at the-cliffs-that-have-no-name (possibly near Billings, Montana), to his father Medicine-Bird and his mother Otter-woman. He was given the birth name Chíilaphuchissaaleesh, or "Buffalo Bull Facing The Wind".

During the first decades of Plenty Coups' life, he led the life of a Crow warrior, which involved warring with other major tribes such as the Sioux and Cheyenne over territory, hunting rights, prestige, and the other parts of the traditional warrior way of life.