Thomas Gates (governor)

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Sir Thomas Gates
Sir Thomas Gates (Barbados Archives at The Bermuda National Trust, Globe Museum)
Born	Unknown Essex, England
Died	1622 Netherlands
Known for	Colonial governor of Virginia
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Sir Thomas Gates (died 1622) was the governor of Jamestown in the English Colony of Virginia (now the Commonwealth of Virginia, part of the United States of America). His predecessor, George Percy, through inept leadership, was responsible for the lives lost during the period called the Starving Time. The English-born Gates arrived to find a few surviving starving colonists commanded by Percy, and assumed command. Gates ruled with deputy governor Sir Thomas Dale. Their controlled, strict methods helped the early colonies survive. Sir Thomas was knighted in 1596 by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex for gallantry at the Capture of Cadiz.^[1] His knighthood was later royally confirmed by Queen Elizabeth I.