Henry Morgan

Lore & Background

Morgan was probably a member of a group of raiders led by Sir Christopher Myngs in the late 1650s during the Anglo-Spanish War. He became a close friend of Sir Thomas Modyford, the Governor of Jamaica; as diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of England and Spain worsened in 1667, Modyford gave Morgan a letter of marque to attack and seize Spanish vessels. Morgan subsequently led raids on Puerto del Príncipe (now Camagüey in modern Cuba) and Porto Bello (now Portobelo in modern Panamá). In 1668, he sailed to Maracaibo, Venezuela, and Gibraltar, on Lake Maracaibo; he plundered both cities before destroying a Spanish squadron during his escape. In 1671, Morgan and his men attacked Panama City, landing on the Caribbean coast and crossing the isthmus and its jungles before attacking the city, located on the Pacific coast. This took place after the signing of a peace treaty. To appease the Spanish, Morgan was arrested and summoned to London in 1672; despite this, he was received favourably in England and soon regained the favour of the government and King Charles II. Morgan was appointed a Knight Bachelor in November 1674 and returned to the Colony of Jamaica shortly afterwards to serve as the territory's lieutenant governor. He served on the Assembly of Jamaica until 1683; on three occasions, he acted as governor in the absence of the post-holder. His reputation was later affected by a memoir by Alexandre Exquemelin, a former Flemish shipmate of Morgan, which accused him of torture and other offences, including during the raid on Panama City. Morgan won a libel suit against the book's English publishers, but Exquemelin's account influenced later portrayals of him.

In Their Own Story

In 1667, Modyford issued Morgan a letter of marque 'to draw together the English privateers and take prisoners of the Spanish nation, whereby he might inform of the intention of that enemy to attack Jamaica, of which I have frequent and strong advice'. Morgan assembled 10 ships and 500 men, later joined by 2 more ships and 200 men from Tortuga. His initial plan was to attack Havana, but on discovering it was heavily defended, he changed the target to Puerto del Príncipe, 50 miles inland. According to Alexandre Exquemelin, who sailed with Morgan, the treasure obtained was less than hoped for: 'It caused a general resentment and grief, to see such a small booty'. After dividing the spoils, Morgan announced a plan to attack Porto Bello, the third largest and strongest city on the Spanish Main. In 1668, he sailed to Maracaibo and Gibraltar on Lake Maracaibo, plundered both cities, then destroyed a Spanish squadron during his escape. In 1671, he attacked Panama City, crossing the isthmus and its jungles. After the signing of a peace treaty, Morgan was arrested and summoned to London in 1672, but was received favourably in England and soon regained the favour of the government and King Charles II.

Reader's Guide

Henry Morgan's career shows how privateers operated with government backing. A privateer was granted a letter of marque which gave him a licence to attack and seize vessels, normally of a specified country, or with conditions attached. A portion of all spoils obtained by the privateers was given to the sovereign or the issuing ambassador. Morgan's letter of marque gave him permission to attack Spanish ships at sea; there was no permission for attacks on land. Any plunder obtained from the attacks would be split between the government and the owners of the ships rented by the privateers. If the privateers stepped outside their official remit and raided a city, any resultant plunder would be retained by the privateers. Rogoziński observes that 'attacks on cities were illegal piracy – but extremely profitable', although Zahedieh records that if Morgan was able to provide evidence of a potential Spanish attack, the attacks on cities were justifiable under the terms of his commission. After the action at Puerto del Príncipe, one English privateer quarrelled with a French shipmate and stabbed him in the back, killing him. Before a riot could begin, Morgan arrested the English sailor and promised the French sailors that the man would be hanged on his return to Port Royal. Morgan kept his word and the sailor was hanged.

Did You Know?

• Morgan purchased three large sugar plantations in Jamaica with prize money and plunder from his raids.
• He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in November 1674.
• Morgan won a libel suit against the English publishers of Alexandre Exquemelin's memoir, which accused him of torture.
• He acted as governor of Jamaica on three occasions in the absence of the post-holder.
• Morgan married his cousin Mary Morgan, daughter of the island's Deputy Governor, in Port Royal in early 1666.