Person

Woodes Rogers

c. 1679–1732 · 18th century

Woodes Rogers was an English privateer and colonial governor who sailed round the world in 1708–1711, rescuing the castaway Alexander Selkirk on the way. Appointed first royal governor of the Bahamas, he arrived at Nassau in 1718 with a royal pardon, broke up the pirates' republic and hanged those who returned to piracy. He served a second term from 1729 until his death in 1732.

Woodes Rogers — Image: William Hogarth · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 state histories

Colony of the Bahamas Republic of Pirates

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Woodes Rogers. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/woodes-rogers
MLA: “Woodes Rogers.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/woodes-rogers. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Woodes Rogers.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/woodes-rogers.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Woodes Rogers’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/woodes-rogers (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻