Woodes Rogers: Difference between revisions
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'''Woodes Rogers''' (c. 1679 – 15 July 1732) was an [[United Kingdom|English]] privateer, the first Royal Governor of | '''Woodes Rogers''' (c. 1679 – 15 July 1732) was an [[United Kingdom|English]] privateer, the first Royal Governor of [[the Bahamas]], and a member of the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. | ||
Rogers came from an affluent seafaring family, grew up in {{Wiki|Poole}} and {{Wiki|Bristol}}, and served a marine apprenticeship to a Bristol sea captain. His father, who held shares in many ships, died when Rogers was in his mid-twenties, leaving Rogers in control of the family shipping business. In 1707, Rogers was approached by Captain {{Wiki|William Dampier}}, who sought support for a privateering voyage against the [[Spain|Spanish]], with whom the British were at war. Rogers led the expedition, which consisted of two well-armed ships, the ''Duke'' and the ''Duchess''. | Rogers came from an affluent seafaring family, grew up in {{Wiki|Poole}} and {{Wiki|Bristol}}, and served a marine apprenticeship to a Bristol sea captain. His father, who held shares in many ships, died when Rogers was in his mid-twenties, leaving Rogers in control of the family shipping business. In 1707, Rogers was approached by Captain {{Wiki|William Dampier}}, who sought support for a privateering voyage against the [[Spain|Spanish]], with whom the British were at war. Rogers led the expedition, which consisted of two well-armed ships, the ''Duke'' and the ''Duchess''. | ||
Revision as of 05:07, 24 October 2013
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He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning recent or upcoming releases from the Assassin's Creed series. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. |
Woodes Rogers (c. 1679 – 15 July 1732) was an English privateer, the first Royal Governor of the Bahamas, and a member of the Templar Order.
Rogers came from an affluent seafaring family, grew up in Poole and Bristol, and served a marine apprenticeship to a Bristol sea captain. His father, who held shares in many ships, died when Rogers was in his mid-twenties, leaving Rogers in control of the family shipping business. In 1707, Rogers was approached by Captain William Dampier, who sought support for a privateering voyage against the Spanish, with whom the British were at war. Rogers led the expedition, which consisted of two well-armed ships, the Duke and the Duchess.
In three years, Rogers and his men went around the world, capturing several ships in the Pacific Ocean. En route, the expedition rescued Selkirk, finding him on Juan Fernandez Island on 1 February 1709. When the expedition returned to England in October 1711, Rogers had circumnavigated the globe, while retaining his original ships and most of his men, and the investors in the expedition doubled their money.
While the expedition made Rogers a national hero, his brother was killed and Rogers was badly wounded in fights in the Pacific, including one occasion in which he was shot in the face and scarred for life. On his return, he was successfully sued by his crew on the ground as they had not received their fair share of the expedition profits, and Rogers was forced into bankruptcy. He wrote of his maritime experiences in a book A Cruising Voyage Round the World, which sold well, in part due to public fascination at Selkirk's rescue.
Rogers was twice appointed Governor of the Bahamas, where he succeeded in warding off threats from the Spanish, and in the capture and prosecution of pirates throughout the Caribbean region, effectively ridding the colony of them. However, his first term as governor was financially ruinous, and on his return to England, he was imprisoned for debt. During his second term as governor, Rogers died in Nassau at the age of about 53.
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