Gregor MacGregor Scottish soldier, adventurer. Date of Birth: 24.12.1786 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Gregor McGregor

Gregor McGregor was a Scottish soldier and adventurer. He was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland and very little is known about his early years. At the age of 16 in 1803, McGregor joined the British army and quickly rose to the rank of lieutenant. He married the daughter of an admiral and settled in London, but continued his military service. In 1809, his regiment was sent to Portugal to assist the Duke of Wellington.

McGregor became a major in the Portuguese army, but eventually left the British army, possibly due to disagreements with his superiors. In December 1811, McGregor became a widower and sold his Scottish estate. He traveled to Venezuela and joined the army of General Francisco de Miranda, where he married for the second time. However, Miranda was captured by Simon Bolívar's forces and McGregor and his wife had to flee to Curaçao. From there, McGregor planned to go to New Granada and join the army of General Antonio Nariño. Despite facing numerous obstacles, McGregor eventually reached his destination.

In Jamaica, McGregor was hailed as a hero and he later joined forces with Bolívar. However, McGregor and his troops were unable to separate from Bolívar's main army and spent almost a month trying to reach Barcelona. Some consider this month to be the most famous episode in McGregor's military career. He eventually captured the Spanish fort of San Carlos and declared it the "Republic of the Floridas." However, McGregor's rule over the republic was short-lived due to competition and financial troubles.

In 1820, McGregor arrived in London and posed as the ruler of a fictional state called Poyais. He managed to gain fame, improve his financial situation, and recruit a group of colonists to settle in Poyais. However, when the colonists arrived in 1823, they found no fertile lands, only untouched jungles. Unable to establish themselves, some of the colonists were later rescued by the authorities of British Honduras. McGregor fled to France, where he continued trading land and recruiting colonists. He was arrested but later acquitted.

McGregor returned to London in 1826, but his reputation as the ruler of Poyais hindered his success. He spent some time in Scotland before moving to Venezuela, where he passed away in December 1845. Despite his controversial exploits, McGregor remains a fascinating figure in history.