Many Londoners in the 1820s were eject and impoverished after the late Napoleonic Wars that had ravaged Europe . They were eager for some Leslie Townes Hope and good news . So when Scotsman Gregor MacGregor arrived in township , claiming to be His Serene Highness Gregor the First , Sovereign Prince of the State of Poyais and its Dependencies , and Cacique of the Poyer Nation , they fall for his engaging tales of the far - off land . concourse of citizen invest in the kingdom and even attempted to move there , becoming victim of one of the world ’s neat swindlers .
MacGregor ’s story is the subject of a recent episode ofRidiculous History , a podcast produce by HowStuffWorks.com and co - hosted by Noel Brown and Ben Bowlin . His intriguing tale begins in 1811 , when MacGregor determine to sail to South America and fight underSimon Bolivarin the Venezuelan War of Independence against Spain . Impressed with MacGregor ’s whole military desktop in the Royal Navy , Bolivar allot him a commission . The personable , daring MacGregor did well in many battles and quickly rise up through the rank and file .
When theSpaniardswere mostly trounce , MacGregor moved to various spots in the region to scuffle with other European outposts . In 1820 , he landed on theMosquito Coast , an area that today incorporates the eastern coast of Nicaragua and a little of southern Honduras . identify after the native Miskito multitude who drifted in and out of the area , it was little more than a muddy , cuss - filled hobo camp . After plying landownerKing Frederic Augustuswith booze , MacGregor persuaded Augustus to sign over the forlorn acreage to him . Then he sweep for London to take up his schema .
MacGregor told Londoners and his fellow Scots that King Augustus had dubbed him Prince of Poyais and yield him 12,500 straight miles ( 3.23 straightforward meter ) of beautiful dry land in the Bay of Honduras . Full of gold mine , rare fruits , sparkle water and productive soil , the land simply take settlers . Partnering with other huckster , he opened offices for the Poyaisian Legation to Britain in London and land offices in Glasgow , Stirling and Edinburgh to sell acreage . MacGregor swapped phoney Poyain money he ’d printed for concerned settlers ' real currentness .
He even offer the book " Sketch of the Mosquito Shore , include the Territory of Poyais " as substantiation of Poyais ' existence . The Word of God likewise described a land not only rich in resources , but also possessing a polite service , bank , army and popular government . But MacGregor had actually published the Quran himself , using the pen name Captain Thomas Strangeways .
100 of people , both rich and poor , bought his story and invested in the land . Soon MacGregor was a multimillionaire by today ’s standards . Then , funnily , MacGregor chartered boats to take people to their young home .
In 1822 , some 240 the great unwashed — many older — set out for Poyais in two ships . When they go far , they obviously did not find the paradise MacGregor had described . Instead , they discover an empty , inhospitable , kooky nation . Malaria and jaundiced fever soon swept through the group , pour down three - quarters of them . finally , 50 people made their way of life back to London , where MacGregor was exposed as a fraud . But by then , he had snarf aside to France .
The French were as well swept away by the concept of Poyais as the Brits and Scots . But Gallic authorities arise suspicious , and MacGregor set ashore in jail — in France , and later in England . implausibly , authorities in both country let go of him after short stays .
In 1839 , penniless and friendless , Gregor MacGregor go back to Venezuela , where he carry self-assurance to grant him a pension for his age of servicing as a general in the Venezuelan War of Independence . He died on December 4 , 1845 , at the years of 59 . Today , Poyais remains unexploited .
