Henry Morgan

See also: Morgan

Sir Henry Morgan (born in 1637 with the Wales - died the August 23rd 1688 with the Jamaica), was a Corsaire having often tasted with piracy, or a Pirate Boucanier having often accepted missions of corsair. Violent man and without scruples, it carried out an existence of gangster, flying and killing without counting, but its daring forwardings, whose majority proceeded on the dry land, did one of the most respected captains of it the Caribbean. He regarded the boats as effective means of transport, but not as an invaluable weapon. He indeed knew many shipwrecks which had with his lack of talent as a captain. In spite of its cruelty, it was anobli at the end of its life.

Its youth

Henry Morgan is the oldest son of Robert Morgan, a lord of the manor of Llanrhymny in Glamorganshire (Wales).

A legend tells that he would have been kidnapped child with Bristol and is sold like slave with the Barbados, then that he would have succeeded in joining the Jamaica. The English historians think rather than it would have been the Capitaine Morgan which accompanied forwarding by John Morris and Jackman which captured the Spanish colonies of Vildemos, Trujillo and Granada. In 1666, Morgan ordered a ship of the forwarding of Edward Mansfield which captured the island of New Providence and of Santa Catalina (close to Panama). When Mansfield is captured and killed by the Spaniards some time later, Morgan is chosen by the Boucanier S to be their admiral.

One sees badly, however, how an young man without experiment could have obtained the direction of a ship for such a forwarding . Another source, Frenchwoman that one ( Accounts of the flibuste and the seas the Caribbean of George Fronval), indicates that the young person Henry Morgan would have engaged like simple foam in England. Arrived at the Barbados, he would have deserted then wandered in the island, being done in turn wandering, beggar and even brigand. He then would have been sought and continued. It is in order to escape the bracket that it would have left to the Jamaica, where it would have joined the English flibustiers. Skilful with the play, it would have grown rich quickly and would have bought a modest ship. With several comrades, they would have carried out a forwarding on the coast of Campèche and would have returned with appreciable spoils. Morgan, being aware of its lack of experience, would then have offered its services to Edward Mansfield, an old corsair, who died in 1668. On this level, the two versions meet , with some differences near in the motivations of the corsair. Contrary to what is written below, it would not have always been with the orders of the governor of Jamaica. One can think that the English historians wanted to legitimate the actions of Morgan in their giving a certain respectability, because it was anobli at the end of its life, but it is much more probable than like all its similar, it is initially the lure of gain which determined its actions.

Its principal exploits

According to the English historians, in 1668, it is sent to Cuba by Sir Thomas Modyford, governor of the Jamaica, in order to make captive some Spaniards there and to draw some from information about a possible attack of the Jamaica. Morgan then gathers 10 ships and 500 men. It unloads with Puerto Principe (Camaguey) and plunders the city. It makes in the same way with the city strengthened and very protected from Puerto Bello (Panama). The flibustier Alexandre Olivier Oexmelin tells that the men of Morgan made captive of the monks Jesuits and made use about it of human shields to capture the first fortress (Morgan having read the accounts of the writer later was furious evoked lies). The governor of Panama, surprised by this invasion, tries without success to push back the attackers. Morgan will finally agree to leave in exchange a heavy ransom. These exploits left largely the framework of the mission and had been accompanied by an excess by cruelty. However, the governor of Jamaica closed the eyes and covered the whole of the acts of Morgan. With London, Admiralty publicly stated to be unaware of all the facts, whereas Morgan and its men had returned to Royal Port to celebrate their victories there.

Modyford very quickly sends Morgan in forwarding against the Spaniards: it will plunder the cuban coasts. In January 1669, an accidental explosion destroys the flagship of the fleet: Morgan and its officers escape from little from death. In March 1669, they plunder Maracaibo (Venezuela) as a preliminary, prevented arrival of Morgan and thus emptied its richnesses. The pirates then will spend a few weeks to Gibraltar (Venezuela) on the lake Maracaibo: they torture the inhabitants in order to obtain their hidden richnesses from them. Of return to Maracaibo, Morgan finds 3 ships for the the Caribbean. They captures them and plunders their treasures and requires a heavy ransom before leaving. By an astute stratagem, Morgan simulates an unloading and an attack, the governor then turns the guns in direction of the shore and the fleet can leave without fearing to be made draw in the back. Of return in Jamaica, Morgan is reprimand, but always covered by the governor.

The tone goes up between the two nations and Morgan is again sent on mission, this time as a commander-in-chief of all the warships of Jamaica: it can tackle all the possessions (ships and colonies) Spanish, the spoils being its only remuneration, as it is often the case for the corsairs. Morgan plunders Cuba and leaves in forwarding in direction Panama. It captures again the island of Santa Catalina the December 15th 1670. The December 27th it takes possession of the castle of Chagres, killing 300 soldiers. With 1.400 men, it goes up the Chagres river and arrives at the doors of Panama the January 18th 1671. It gains the battle, whereas the defenders are more numerous than its troops, and captures the city. The spoils would rise with more than 100.000 pounds sterling. The fame of this brilliance exploit will be tarnished by the usual cruelty of Morgan and its men.

End of its life

The international policy was complex at the time, and Morgan, although it has acts with the authorization and the support of the government, will be imprisoned and taken along in England in 1672. Its chance turns again and, in 1674, it is made knight by Charles II before turning over in Jamaica the following year to take the post of lieutenant governor there. It will remain in Jamaica until its death. It was buried with the cemetery of Palisadoes, close to Royal Port, but a seism accompanied by a tidal wave destroyed it in 1692. Palisadoes is now an island and the old cemetery disappeared.

Morgan died without children, leaving all his fortune to Mary, his wife.

Morgan is immortalisée by a rum mark, Captain Morgan' S Spiced Rum, is produced with Puerto Rico, and not in Jamaica, ironically.

See too

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