Henry Morgan is one of the most famous English pirates. He has dozens of captured ships, several cities and a rather interesting political career at the end of his life. He was born in Wales. His father tilled the land, but Henry himself did not have any interest in agriculture, so one day he decided to go as a cabin boy on a ship bound for the island of Barbados.
early years
Henry Morgan was born in Lanramni (now a suburb of Kardyf) in about 1635. His father, Robert Morgan, was a wealthy landowner.
According to one of the legends that make up the entire biography of the legendary pirate, Henry Morgan was kidnapped in Bristol and sold as a slave in Barbados, then fled from there to Jamaica. However, Henry Morgan himself disputed the fact of being a slave in court. Later, historians found documents in the archives according to which his uncle Edward Morgan was the lieutenant governor of Jamaica.
It is generally accepted that Henry Morgan appeared in Jamaica in 1658, but there are no records of him before 1665. At that time, the British military contingent in the West Indies was limited, moreover, a career in the army and the royal navy did not have much prospects in terms of financial stability. Young Henry was also not attracted to work as a dockman, so he decided to become a privateer. In 1665 he took part in a pirate expedition to Spanish possessions, which lasted twenty-two months. After his return, Morgan received an offer from the governor to seize Havana. Instead, he launched an attack on the island of Pinas, the first successful independent action by a pirate.
Pirate career
In 1668, he and the French sacked the western coast of Haiti. The profit turned out to be much less than what was expected and a quarrel broke out between the British and French. To extinguish the discontent of the team, Henry Morgan decided on a desperate act and captured the well-fortified Spanish city of Partabela. The British pirates spent two weeks plundering and murdering. The capture of Partabela greatly helped to increase the authority of Henry Morgan among other privateers. In order not to displease the Jamaican governor, who was pretending to the crown that he was holding back piracy activities, Morgan said that he had saved eleven Englishmen who were under arrest in Partabela.
In 1669, Henry Morgan went to Lake Maracaibo, where he burned the fortresses already abandoned by the Spanish soldiers, but ended up trapped as the Spanish fleet blocked the access to the sea. But Morgan was able to deceive the Spaniards and escaped with his squadron to the sea, besides, he also received a ransom for the hostages.
In order not to come into conflict with the royal authorities, after returning from Maracaibo, Henry Morgan temporarily refused to continue his career as a privateer. He purchased land in Jamaica and decided to arrange his personal life by marrying Mary, daughter of Edward Morgan. In 1670, a peace treaty was signed between Spain and England, so his decision looked quite natural.
Peaceful life lasted only a year. Already in August 1670, the governor turned to Henry Morgan with a request to ensure the safety of British sailors, who were allegedly attacked by Spanish warships. But Morgan decided to organize a large-scale expedition, the purpose of which would be to capture Panama, a staging post for the transport of silver from Peru to Spain. Many pirates who, in a short time of peace, found themselves in debt to moneylenders, enthusiastically supported this idea. In 1671 the expedition reached its destination. Panama was not well fortified, so the pirates were able to easily capture and plunder the city.
After returning from Panama to Jamaica, Henry Morgan received the Governor's commendation. However, his raid violated the peace treaty. In the summer of 1671The newly appointed governor by the royal authorities has arrested his predecessor. In 1672, Henry Morgan was also taken to England and put in the Tower. According to the laws of that time, in prison he was forced to pay out of his own pocket for food and security, but he was allowed to move freely around London and make useful contacts.
Last years and death
In 1674, with the threat of a French invasion looming over Jamaica, King Charles II Stuart released the famous pirate. Henry Morgan was knighted, for his contribution to the development of new lands and in the rank of lieutenant governor sent him to Jamaica. After that, Morgan served three more times as Governor of Jamaica. At the end of his life he suffered from numerous illnesses. He died of cirrhosis of the liver on August 25, 1688 at the Lawrencefield estate in Jamaica.
