Captain Morgan Pirate Ship Wreckage Found off Panama

Texas State University: 'We Found Captain Morgan's Ship'

Researchers from Texas State University are claiming a major find: the wreckage of Captain Henry Morgan's ship. Captain Morgan was a privateer, but some called him... the Pirate King. Hey, privateers don't get rums named after them: pirate kings do.

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Captain Henry Morgan

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At any rate, The 17th-century shipwreck was found off the coast of Panama. Besides the ship's wooden hull, several unopened crates were discovered. Please, please let them contain rum.

Captain Morgan actually lost five ships off the coast of Panama, including his flagship, the Satisfaction. Henry Morgan was arrested after the sacking of Panama, since his action violated a treaty between England and Spain. However, he was knighted for his troubles and returned to the Caribbean to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.

Captain Henry Morgan died in 1688 (some say from tuberculosis, some from liver failure due to drinking, funny enough). The cemetery in which Morgan was buried was itself buried at sea during the Jamaica earthquake of 1692.

We love how International Business Times' coverage uses the Captain Morgan Rum label, but it's actually relevant: Captain Morgan Rum sponsored the salvage operation.