Gregor MacGregor

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Gregor MacGregor

General Gregor MacGregor (24 December 1786 – 4 December 1845) wis a Scots sodger, adventurer an confidence trickster wha attemptit frae 1821 tae 1837 tae draw Breetish an French investors an settlers tae "Poyais", a feectional Central American territory that he claimed tae rule as "Cazique". Hunders investit thair savins in supponed Poyaisian govrenment bonds an laund certeeficates, while aboot 250 emigratit tae MacGregor's inventit kintra in 1822–23 tae find anerly an untitchit jungle; mair nor hauf o them dee'd. MacGregor's Poyais scheme haes been cried ane o the maist braisant confidence tricks in history.

Quick Facts Born, Dee'd ...
Gregor MacGregor
General Gregor MacGregor; mezzotint bi Samuel William Reynolds, efter Simon Jacques Rochard, c. 1820–35
Born24 December 1786(1786-12-24)
Stirlingshire, Scotland, Great Breetain
Dee'd4 December 1845(1845-12-04) (aged 58)
Caracas, Venezuela
Place o buirialCaracas, Venezuela
Allegiance
  •  Unitit Kinrick (1803–10)
  • Venezuela (1812)
  • New Granada (1813–15, 1818–19)
  •  Venezuela (1816–17, 1839–45)
Service/branch
  • Breetish Airmy (1803–10)
  • Portuguese Airmy (seicontment; 1809–10)
  • Venezuelan Airmy (1812)
  • New Granadian Airmy (1813–15, 1818–19)
  • Venezuelan Airmy (1816–17, 1839–45)
RankDiveesional general (frae 1817)
Battles/wars
  • Peninsular War
  • Spaingie American wars o unthirldom
AwairdsOrder o the Liberators (Venezuela)
Ither wirkInvolved in Amelia Island affair o 1817. Claimed tae be Cazique o Poyais frae 1821 tae 1837.
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