Colonel blood and the case of the crown jewels gotoday. Sabatinis narrator says this of bloods attack on maracaibo. The colonel thomas blood, enigmatic raider of the crown jewels. He so impressed king charles ii that he escaped punishment and regained his estates. Thomas blood was a reprobate a selfserving goodfornothing. Irish adventurer thomas blood, disguised as a priest, almost steals the british crown jewels on this day in 1671, a bold and daring attempt to steal the british crown jewels was narrowly thwarted, adding to a long list of bold, daring, and thwarted crimes perpetrated by one colonel thomas blood. Thomas blood is an infamous irishman known as the man who stole the crown jewels. Thomas blood then settled down during the austere rule of oliver cromwell to enjoy a gentlemanly life of moderate wealth and leisure with his growing family.
The collection includes not only the regalia used at coronations, but also crowns acquired by various monarchs, church and banqueting plate, orders, insignia, robes, a unique collection of medals and royal christening fonts. His most notorious exloit was in 1670 when he very nearly succeeded in stealing the crown jewels from the tower of london. Captain blood, disguised as a parson, attempts to steal the crown jewels. Colonel blood and the theft of the crown jewels historic uk. Thomas blood was an irishman, born in county meath in 1618, the son of a prosperous blacksmith. Pictures took a serious risk in pairing two relatively unknown performers in the lead r. This brings us to the event in 1671 for which blood is best remembered. Then in 1663 captain blood took the lead on a plot to seize the dublin castle and the they found out that he had a plot so his followers were executed. He uses both of morgans ploys to effect his escape. Hints, guides and discussions of the wiki content related to hobgoblin blood captain should be placed in the discussion topic if the topic isnt already created i.
Following this, colonel blood decided to try to steal the crown jewels in 1671. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Dec 02, 2019 the man who stole the crown jewels get the story behind how legendary rogue thomas blood bluffed his way into the tower of london and nearly made off with the british crown jewels. After thomas blood tried to steal the crown jewels from the tower of london in 1671, he was pardoned instead of executed. Thomas blood was an adventurous 17th century rogue who rose to the heights of notoriety with his daring attempt to steal the crown jewels of england from the tower of london. Thomas blood tried to steal the crown jewels from the tower of london on this day. She was the finest thief supplier we peddlers could hope for. In london, thomas blood, an irish adventurer better known as captain blood, is captured attempting to steal the crown jewels from the tower of london blood, a parliamentarian during the. Thomas blood, known as colonel blood, who tried to steal britains crown jewels during the reign of charles ii of england. My greataunt mary blood of aldershot, died mid 1990s was.
Described in an american source as a noted bravo and desperado,1 he was known for his attempt to kidnap, and later, to kill his enemy, the duke of. He failed and remains the only wouldbe thief to attempt such an audacious robbery. Blood was an irish adventurer, who already had several daring exploits to his discredit, one of which was a plot to seize dublin castle. Thomas blood tried to steal britains crown jewels in 1671. How did thomas blood try to steal the crown jewels in 1671. On may 9, 1671, selfappointed colonel thomas blood sometimes called captain blood executed the final step in a complex plan to steal the crown jewels. Colonel blood and the theft of the crown jewels english monarchs. Colonel blood counted on his irish charm and king charless fondness for bold adventurers to save him, and indeed blood was not only pardoned, but given back his confiscated irish lands.
He is most famous for almost successfully stealing the crown jewels from the tower. Thomas blood, also known as captain blood, steals the crown jewels from the tower of london. After his death his body was exhumed, as some suspected he had. He had also made attempts to kidnap and kill his enemies over his outrageous criminal career. Thomas blood 161824081680 is famous, or infamous, for attempting to steal the crown jewels, a feat for which after his capture, he was eventually pardoned and even given a pension. I think that anyone would agree that they would not want to know or have anything to do with a man known as captain blood. Blood initially visited the tower dressed as a parson and was accompanied by a.
In fact he was the notorious captain blood, who had tried to capture dublin castle from the royalists in 1663 and who had a price on his head. Captain blood and the crown jewels historical articles. Captain blood attempted to steal crown jewels the imperial state crown made in 1937 for king george vi and similar to the. Blood, a parliamentarian during the english civil war, was deprived of his estate in ireland with the restoration of the english monarchy in. The crown jewels were kept at the tower of london in a basement protected by a. Colonel thomas blood 1618 24 august 1680 was an angloirish officer and selfstyled colonel best known for his attempt to steal the crown jewels of england from the tower of london in 1671. As i reread captain blood in preparation for writing this article, i realized how much i hadnt understood the first time. Thomas blood was a notorious rogue known for his audacious attempt to steal the crown jewels of england from the tower of london. The film is based on the 1922 novel captain blood by rafael sabatini, with a screenplay by casey robinson, and concerns an enslaved doctor and his fellow prisoners who escape their cruel island imprisonment and become pirates in the west indies. In london, thomas blood, an irish adventurer better known as captain blood, is captured attempting to steal the crown jewels from the tower of london. One night, blood went to the tower with some friends and persuaded edwards to show his friends the crown jewels. In may 1671 four armed men headed by colonel thomas blood walked into the tower of london and stole some of the crown jewels. The king, the crown and the colonel the national archives.
Thomas blood and the theft of the crown jewels historia. Many years later, i did some pirate research that took me back to this novel. Thomas blood and the crown jewels weird but true facts. Captain blood steals crown jewels yes, there really was a captain blood actually a colonel and he was quite a character.
The character of captain peter blood is almost certainly based partly on colonel thomas blood, a 17th century irish rogue who nearly succeeded in stealing the crown jewels from the tower of london and did succeed in gaining the favor of charles ii, and also on captain henry morgan, who, like peter blood, was a pirate. After two failed attempts to kidnap and later kill the duke of ormonde, he staged his bid to steal the crown jewels. The crown jewels were kept at the tower of london in a basement protected by a large metal grille. The keeper of the jewels was talbot edwards who lived with his family on the floor above the basement.
Bad blood frank mcnally on the irish man who nearly. My mother instilled in me a love of reading, so when i discovered several of sabatinis titles in a bookstore, i bought captain blood. Colonel blood and the crown jewels the history press. For punishment blood earned himself a royal pardon and a royal pension. It can be freely modified and reproduced for use in the classroom only. Bad blood frank mcnally on the irish man who nearly stole. During the first english civil war, he served with the royalists loyal to king charles ii.
Jan 07, 2020 i think that anyone would agree that they would not want to know or have anything to do with a man known as captain blood. Microsoft may earn an affiliate commission if you purchase something through recommended links in. May 18, 2017 yes, there really was a captain blood actually a colonel and he was quite a character. While viewing the crown jewels, bloods wife feigned a. He is also known for his rivalry with james butler, 1st duke of ormonde. Pictures, produced by harry joe brown and gordon hollingshead with hal b. In late april some sources put it in the first days of may 1671, blood and a woman posing as his wife visited the tower of london where the crown jewels were kept, and scouted the security. Then he had a crazy plot to steal the crown jewels. May 09, 2016 on may 9, 1671, selfappointed colonel thomas blood sometimes called captain blood executed the final step in a complex plan to steal the crown jewels. Thomas blood biography childhood, life achievements.
Thomas blood, known as colonel blood, who tried to steal britains crown jewels during the reign of charles ii of england this disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title captain blood. But when a meath man called thomas blood expired in london back in 1680, no such delicacy was considered. Thomas blood was putting a plan into action that would result in the most daring robbery of all time. Captain blood is a 1924 american silent adventure film based on the novel captain blood, his odyssey by rafael sabatini. Irish born blood attempted to commit one of the most audacious crimes in british history the theft of the crown jewels of england. One of the most audacious rogues in history was colonel blood, known as the man who stole the crown jewels. Blood served in the english military during the english civil war.
Colonel thomas blood attempts to steal the crown jewels. Illustration by peter jackson blood, born in county clare, ireland, was the son of a blacksmith. The man who stole the crown jewels get the story behind how legendary rogue thomas blood bluffed his way into the tower of london and nearly made off with the british crown jewels. Colonel thomas blood attempts to steal the crown jewels youtube. Oct 04, 2017 he rose to the rank of captain his later colonelcy was selfappointed and was duly rewarded for turning his coat at the end of the wars with a gift of lands in ireland. His most notable exploit, and the one for which he is most remembered, is his sensational and nearly successful attempt to steal the crown jewels of great britain from the tower of london. Captain blood attempted to steal crown jewels the imperial state crown made in 1937 for king george vi and similar to the diamond crown made in 1838 for queen victoria. Irish adventurer thomas blood, disguised as a priest, almost steals the british crown jewels on this day in 1671, a bold and daring attempt to steal the british crown jewels was narrowly thwarted, adding to a long list of bold, daring, and. Still upset with the british monarch, blood decided to plot to steal the crown jewels. Blood was an irish adventurer, who already had several daring exploits to his discredit, one. Once believed to be my 7th great grandfather, captain blood was an uncle. Warren kerrigan as peter blood, the physicianturnedpirate in this vitagraph production. The selfstyled colonel lived during the 17th century and established his reputation as a rogue and trickster during the time when england was embroiled in a civil war.
Produced and distributed by the vitagraph company of america, the film is directed by david smith, brother of vitagraph founder albert e. Blood was called both captain and colonel at the time. An earlier 1924 silent film version of captain blood starred j. The crown jewels are the ceremonial treasures which have been acquired by english kings and queens, mostly since 1660. None of you bloods related to captain blood, the irish landlord who was charged with the task of testing the security surrounding the british crown jewels. For several weeks, thomas blood, disguised as a parson, had been getting regularly acquainted with talbot edwards, the 77yearold keeper of the crown jewels, in order to win his confidence. Despite the obvious risks, blood resurfaced in 1671 and began plotting his masterpiecethe theft of the crown jewels. After his attempt at stealing the crown jewels, blood even acted as a spy for sir joseph williamson, an important politician in charles ii. When we opened shop many a year ago, she was the first one to donate her plunder for us to sell. The tower of london holds the crown jewels and lots of history some good, some not so much but all interesting. The inglorious tale of thomas blood and the crown jewels on april 22, 2015 september 14, 2015 by bookworm history in bh blog leave a comment in researching the history behind rafael sabatinis swashbuckling captain blood click here to check out that episode i came across a.
Irish adventurer captain blood steals crown jewels history. After his attempt at stealing the crown jewels, blood even acted as a spy for sir joseph williamson, an important politician in charles ii s government, and he often attended court. For several weeks, thomas blood, disguised as a parson, had been getting regularly acquainted with talbot edwards, the 77yearold keeper of the crown jewels, in. He visited the tower dressed as a priest a few times before the robbery and developed a friendship with the keeper of the jewels, talbot edwards. Blood, already a famous adventurer given the moniker captain blood, was an irish noble whose land had been taken from him. After his attempt at stealing the crown jewels, blood even acted as a spy for sir joseph williamson. Way back in the 1600s, an irish adventurer whose name was thomas blood was caught trying to steal the crown jewels from the tower of london in england. Colonel thomas blood was an irish absentee landlord, bogus medical practioner and thief. The crown jewels are the second collection of jewellery associated to the crown.
The affairis to be considered as captain bloods buccaneering masterpiece. The time the crown jewels were stolen mental floss. It has long been customary, on both sides of the irish sea, not to speak ill of the dead. Aug 01, 2018 after thomas blood tried to steal the crown jewels from the tower of london in 1671, he was pardoned instead of executed.
One day in 1671 blood, disguised as a parson went to see the crown jewels and became friendly with edwards. Thomas bloodenigmatic raider of the crown jewels circa71. With the keeper of the jewel house left for dead, the gang made off with the crown and the orb, leaving the partly filed sceptre behind on the floor. His name was thomas blood, an irish adventurer more commonly known as colonel blood or captain blood, although hell likely be remembered in history as the crown jewel thief. He rose to the rank of captain his later colonelcy was selfappointed and was duly rewarded for turning his coat at the end of the wars with a gift of lands in ireland.
Blood, a parliamentarian during the english civil war, was deprived of his estate in ireland with the restoration of the english monarchy in 1660. He came from a good family, his grandfather who lived in kilnaboy castle was a member of. Here are my thoughts for this famous pirate classic. As they ran along the tower wharf, they were chased down by captain beckman, the brotherinlaw of the younger edwards and head of the days watch. Britains original royal regalia had been melted down and sold off in 1649. There has been one near successful attempt to steal the crown jewels, this took place in 1671 and was masterminded by colonel blood. The story of thomas blood and the crown jewels almost beggars belief. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title captain blood. Oct 19, 2012 this brings us to the event in 1671 for which blood is best remembered. Following the execution of charles i in 1649, cromwells parliament melted most of the first collection down to make coins and sold the rest. May 09, 2018 thomas blood, also known as captain blood, steals the crown jewels from the tower of london. At various times blood who called himself either captain or colonel was an adventurer, a rebel, a master of disguise, a conman and a spy but, by all. Captain blood is a 1935 american blackandwhite swashbuckling pirate film from first national pictures and warner bros.