Raid on Nassau (1720)

The Raid on Nassau in 1720 was a Spanish military expedition led by Brigadier General José Antonio de la Puente y Peñaherrera aimed at disrupting the pirate haven of Nassau, located on New Providence Island in the Bahamas.

Background:

Following the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, many privateers, now unemployed, turned to piracy, using Nassau as a base of operations. Despite offers of pardon from King George I, piracy flourished. The British government appointed Woodes Rogers as Governor of the Bahamas in 1718 to restore order. Rogers successfully suppressed much of the piracy, but many pirates dispersed to other locations or continued to operate covertly. The Spanish, concerned about the continued pirate activity and the potential for British expansion in the region, saw Nassau as a strategic threat.

The Raid:

In February 1720, a Spanish fleet under the command of Brigadier General de la Puente attacked Nassau. The force landed and briefly occupied the settlement, inflicting damage and disrupting the local infrastructure. Governor Rogers, who was ill at the time, was unable to mount a full defense. The Spanish forces pillaged what they could, but their primary objective was to weaken Nassau as a pirate center rather than establish a permanent occupation.

Aftermath:

While the raid caused significant damage and disrupted life in Nassau, it did not permanently cripple the settlement. The British colonists eventually rebuilt and reinforced the island's defenses. The raid served as a reminder of the vulnerability of Nassau and the ongoing tensions between Spain and Great Britain in the Caribbean. While piracy never completely disappeared from the region, the increased British presence and periodic Spanish interventions gradually diminished its power and influence in Nassau. The raid also highlighted the difficulties the British faced in maintaining control over the Bahamas and suppressing piracy in a vast and complex archipelago.