Woodes Rogers Ends the Pirate Republic
In July 1718, Woodes Rogers arrived at Nassau with three Royal Navy warships, a royal pardon for pirates who surrendered, and orders to restore British authority over the Bahamas. Most pirates accepted the pardon; those who refused — including Charles Vane — were hunted down. Rogers had eight pirates hanged on the Nassau waterfront in December 1718, their bodies displayed in gibbets. His motto, ‘Expelled pirates, restored commerce,’ became the colony’s official seal. The suppression of Nassau effectively ended the Caribbean phase of the Golden Age of Piracy, though Bartholomew Roberts continued operating until 1722.
- Year: 1718 CE
- Category: Political
