Originally an officer in the Spanish Royal Navy, Salazar sailed the seas for many years, hunting and killing pirates, and earning himself the nickname "el Matador del Mar", (which means "the Butcher of the Sea"). He was killed during a battle with the crew of "Wicked Wench", commanded by a young Jack Sparrow. Sparrow tricked Salazar into sailing into the Devil's Triangle, where his ship sank and Salazar was killed. However, through the dark powers of the Triangle, Salazar and his crew were resurrected as the undead.