Henry Morgan
Sir Henry Morgan (24 January 1635 - 25 August 1688) was a Welsh privateer, plantation owner, and, later, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.
Early life
[change | change source]Not much is known about Morgan's early life. He was born in Llanrhymny, South Wales, to a wealthy farming family. Historians believe he spent his childhood in Wales, but do not know how or why he traveled to the Caribbean.[1]
In 1654, Oliver Cromwell had decided to send an army to the Caribbean to attack the Spanish there. Morgan may have joined these troops under General Venables in Portsmouth.[1]
Privateering
[change | change source]As a privateer, Morgan had the unofficial support of the English government.[2] From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, Morgan attacked Spanish settlements and ships in the Caribbean. This weakened the Spanish Empire's authority in the area[2] and made Morgan rich. With his new wealth, he purchased three large sugar plantations in Jamaica.
Arrest & release
[change | change source]In 1671, Morgan raided and captured Panama, an important Spanish colonial city. He did this after Spain and England had already signed an official peace treaty. For this reason, he was arrested and sent to London in April 1672. However, the peace between the two countries fell apart. In 1674 King Charles II knighted Morgan and made him deputy governor of Jamaica.[3]
Morgan lived as a wealthy property owner in Jamaica till his death.[2] At that time, he owned large sugar plantations and 109 slaves.[1]
References
[change | change source]- 1 2 3 "Sir Henry Morgan". Historic UK. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
- 1 2 3 "Sir Henry Morgan". Encyclopedia Britannica. January 1, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Henry Morgan | Smithsonian Ocean". ocean.si.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-08.