 Henricus was named for Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, but it was destroyed during the Indian massacre of 1622, during which local Native American warriors of the Powhatan confederacy attacked the English settlers to drive them from the area.In 1634, Henrico Shire was one of the eight original Shires of Virginia established in the Virginia Colony.Since then, 10 counties and three independent cities have been formed from the original territory of Henrico Shire.