Thomas Blood
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Thomas Blood (1618 - August 24, 1680) was an Irish born Colonel who is best known for attempting to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671.
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[edit] Early life
Blood was born in County Clare in Ireland. Like many Irishmen he was educated in England. He saw service under Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and returned to Ireland at Cromwell's request, receiving land grants as payment for his service.
When the monarchy was restored in 1660, these grants were cancelled, and he lost most of his income. He conspired to kidnap James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The plan was foiled, but Blood managed to evade the authorities and escape to the Netherlands. He tried to abduct Butler again, in 1670, but this also failed.
[edit] Theft and aftermath
In 1671, Blood made his infamous attempt to steal the Crown Jewels. Over several weeks he befriended the Jewel Keeper, Talbot Edwards. On May 9, 1671, having earned the trust of Edwards, he convinced him to show the jewels to two of his friends, who then hit Edwards on the head with a mallet and knocked him to the floor, where he was bound, gagged and stabbed. Blood used the mallet to flatten out St. Edward's Crown so that he could hide it beneath his clerical coat. Another conspirator filed the Sceptre with the Cross in two while the third man stuffed the Sovereign's Orb down his trousers. Edwards' son, who had been in the army in Flanders, chose that moment to visit his father for the first time in many years. When they spotted him approaching the Martin Tower where the jewels were kept the gang fled. Edwards sounded the alarm, and Blood and his co-conspirators were captured while trying to escape with the jewels. Blood never even managed to get outside the curtain walls of the Tower.
King Charles II met with Blood after the latter's trial. Before and during the trial Blood had refused to answer questions, saying "I'll answer to none but the King himself". At the meeting, the King asked Blood "What if I should give you your life?" and Blood humbly replied, "I would endeavour to deserve it, Sire!". For reasons not fully known, the King pardoned Blood, returned the original land grants, which generated income of five hundred pounds per annum. He also granted a general pardon for any crimes which Blood may have committed since the Restoration eleven years before.
Although Charles II was known as "the Merry Monarch", he is unlikely to have released Blood merely as a reward for his derring-do. Historians have noted the Royal money troubles, and have speculated that Blood was acting under orders. The jewels, most of which were made for Charles II, may have been destined to be broken up and sold on the continent and the proceeds used to refill the royal treasury.
Another theory is that the attempts on Ormonde were instigated by the Duke of Buckingham. Ormonde and Buckingham were feuding, so perhaps Blood's pardon was a warning that Buckingham, as the King's favourite and chief minister, was immune.
[edit] Death
Blood died on August 24, 1680 at his home in Bowling Alley, Westminster. His body was buried in the churchyard of St. Margaret's Church (now Christchurch Gardens) near St. James's Park, although it was alleged his body was exhumed by the authorities for confirmation – such was Blood's reputation for trickery, it was suspected he may have faked his own death and funeral in order to avoid paying heavy damages in a lawsuit. Blood's epitaph read:
- Here lies the man who boldy hath run through
- More villanies than England ever knew;
- And ne're to any friend he had was true.
- Here let him then by all unpitied lie,
- And let's rejoice his time was come to die.
[edit] Trivia
- The board game Outrage! is based on Blood's attempt to steal the Crown Jewels.
- A fictionalized version of Blood is a prominent character in George MacDonald Fraser's novel The Pyrates.
[edit] References
- David C. Hanrahan : Colonel Blood : The Man who Stole the Crown Jewels. – Gloucester, England : Sutton Publishing, 2004. – ISBN 0-7509-3327-5
