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Morgan, Sir Henry
Morgan, Sir Henry (c.1635–88), Welsh privateer whose early life was obscure until he emerged as the leader of a band of buccaneers at Jamaica in 1662. In 1671 he captured Porto Bello and Panama, after leading a band of buccaneers, which included Bartholomew Sharp, in the first land crossing of the Isthmus of Panama in force. From Morgan's point of view he was acting legitimately, as he had been given a commission to act as a privateer by the governor of Jamaica. However, as the commission antedated the 1670 peace treaty with Spain, the governor's action was illegal and, in an attempt to placate the Spaniards, both he and Morgan were arrested, and returned to England. But neither was punished and, with war against Spain threatening once more, Morgan was knighted by King Charles II and sent out to Jamaica as deputy governor. In this capacity he proved a scourge to the buccaneers and an embarrassment to successive governors of the island. He died a rich landowner at Lawrencefield, Jamaica.
Morgan's character has been traduced ever since the publication of The Bucaniers of America, though Morgan won a libel action against its printers. The book, first printed in Dutch in 1678, was written by a French surgeon, John Esquemeling (c.1660–1700), who served with the buccaneers from 1666 to 1674. It was then translated into many languages, but the English version, which first appeared in 1684, was taken from the Spanish version, which accounts for the libellous account of Morgan. He was, in fact, a fine leader of men, no more cruel or rapacious than others, and a good tactician. Bibliography Earle, P. , The Sack of Panama (1981). |
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"Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-MorganSirHenry.html "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-MorganSirHenry.html |
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Sir Henry Morgan
Sir Henry Morgan 1635?–1688, Welsh buccaneer. In his youth he went to the West Indies, eventually joining the buccaneers there. On the death (1667) of Edward Mansfield , Morgan took his place as commander of the buccaneers. He operated as a privateer, and was commissioned in his activities by the British authorities. His exploits included the capture of Puerto Príncipe (Camagüey, Cuba) and the sack of Puerto Bello (1668), the capture of Maracaibo (1669), the ravaging of the Cuban and American coasts (1670), and the famously daring capture of Panama (1671). His operations were always marked by brutality and debauchery, but were sometimes executed with skill against great odds. Ordered arrested by Charles II and sent (1672) as a prisoner to England on complaints of piracy, he was never imprisoned or punished, but instead soon became a hero, was knighted (1673), and named lieutenant governor of Jamaica, where he spent the rest of his life and was acting governor (1680–82).
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"Sir Henry Morgan." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Sir Henry Morgan." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Morgan-S.html "Sir Henry Morgan." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Morgan-S.html |
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Morgan, Sir Henry
Morgan, Sir Henry (c.1635–88). Morgan was a buccaneer and adventurer in the Spanish main. He came from Glamorgan and was a nephew of Colonel Edward Morgan, lieutenant-governor of Jamaica, who was killed in 1665. The Caribbean was a scene of permanent warfare between the English and Spaniards. Morgan joined an expedition in 1666 led by a buccaneer, Edward Mansfield: when he was killed in action, Morgan was ‘chosen’ to lead the raiders. They captured Porto Bello, slaughtered the Spanish garrison, and ransacked the town—on the pretext that the Spaniards were preparing an invasion of Jamaica. Next Morgan plundered parts of Cuba, including the town of Maracaybo, and was appointed naval commander in the area, to be paid in plunder. He proceeded to capture Panama despite a pitched battle by its defenders. His atrocities caused his recall to England, but he gained favour with Charles II, was made lieutenant-governor of Jamaica in 1674, and knighted. He spent the rest of his life there as a stern defender of law and order. Ferocious and fearless, Morgan was a brilliant guerrilla leader and a scourge to the Spaniards.
J. A. Cannon |
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JOHN CANNON. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-MorganSirHenry.html JOHN CANNON. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-MorganSirHenry.html |
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Morgan, Sir Henry
Morgan, Sir Henry (c.1635–88),British buccaneer, came to the West Indies as a youth and later led his forces in raids on many Spanish towns, which he unmercifully plundered and outraged. In 1671 he captured Panama from its far more numerous Spanish defenders, for which he was rewarded by being knighted (1674) and made lieutenant‐governor of Jamaica. Exquemelin, who served under Morgan, wrote of him in The Bucaniers of America … (1681); English translation, 1684). He figures often in literature, e.g. The Buccaneer by Maxwell Anderson and Laurence Stallings, and Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck.
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James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-MorganSirHenry.html James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Morgan, Sir Henry." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-MorganSirHenry.html |
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Morgan, Sir Henry
Morgan, Sir Henry (c. 1635–88). Morgan was a buccaneer and adventurer in the Spanish main. Morgan joined an expedition in 1666 led by a buccaneer, Edward Mansfield: when he was killed in action, Morgan was ‘chosen’ to lead the raiders. They captured Porto Bello, slaughtered the Spanish garrison, and ransacked the town. Next he proceeded to capture Panama despite a pitched battle by its defenders. He gained favour with Charles II, was made lieutenant‐governor of Jamaica in 1674, and knighted. He spent the rest of his life there as a stern defender of law and order.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Morgan, Sir Henry." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Morgan, Sir Henry." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-MorganSirHenry.html JOHN CANNON. "Morgan, Sir Henry." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-MorganSirHenry.html |
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Morgan, Sir Henry
Morgan, Sir Henry (c.1635–88) Welsh BUCCANEER, the scourge of Spanish settlements and shipping in the Caribbean between the 1660s and 1680s. Although he had semi-official employment as a privateer, he was little more than a pirate. Among his exploits were the capture and ransom of Porto Bello (1668), the sacking of Maracaibo (1669), and the taking of Chagres and Panama (1670–71). Although knighted and appointed lieutenant-governor of Jamaica in 1674, he continued to encourage piracy and lawlessness. He was disgraced in 1683 but restored just before his death.
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"Morgan, Sir Henry." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Morgan, Sir Henry." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-MorganSirHenry.html "Morgan, Sir Henry." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-MorganSirHenry.html |
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Morgan, Sir Henry
Morgan, Sir Henry (1635–88) Welsh adventurer in the Caribbean. He led a band of buccaneers against Spanish colonies and ships, capturing and looting Panama (1671). In 1672, he was sent back to England on a charge of piracy, but was greeted as a hero and returned to the West Indies with a knighthood as lieutenant governor of Jamaica.
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"Morgan, Sir Henry." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Morgan, Sir Henry." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-MorganSirHenry.html "Morgan, Sir Henry." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-MorganSirHenry.html |
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