During our circumnavigation, Christi used to write histories for all the countries we visited. Given that legacy, we felt it was appropriate to publish Keith’s school assignment on Henry Morgan, as Morgan altered the course of history for both Panama and Jamaica.

Sir Henry Morgan was a Welsh privateer who fought for the English against the Spanish during the 1660s and 1670s. He is remembered as one of the greatest privateers in the world, along with being one of the worst enemies to the Spanish since Sir Francis Drake. 

Nobody knows Morgan’s exact date of birth, but people theorize that he was born around 1635 in Monmouth County, Wales. He had two uncles who were both prominent in the English military. Morgan decided early in his life to follow his uncles’ footsteps. He served under General Venables and Admiral Penn in 1654 when they took Jamaica from the Spanish. 

After leaving the official military, Morgan took on the life of a privateer, who were mercenaries who were allowed to attack an/or raid enemies in exchange for the majority of the loot they took. Morgan was one of many privateers who had a “license” to raid the Spanish, given that England and Spain were at war. 

Morgan was a fearless leader and a clever tactician. He became the leader of the Brethren of the Coast, a group of privateers.