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Thomas Blood (1618 – 24 August 1680) was an Anglo-Irish army officer and self-styled colonel best known for his attempt to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671.[1] Described in an American source as a "noted bravo and desperado,"[2] he was also known for his attempt to kidnap and, later, to kill, his enemy James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond.

Key Information

Early life

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Sources suggest that Blood was born in County Clare, in the Kingdom of Ireland,[3] the son of a successful land-owning blacksmith of English descent, and was partly raised at Sarney, near Dunboyne, in County Meath. He was apparently a Presbyterian.[4] His family was respectable and prosperous (by the standards of the time); his father held lands in Counties Clare, Meath and Wicklow. His grandfather was a member of the Irish Parliament, and had lived at Kilnaboy Castle (also in County Clare).[5] He received his education in Lancashire, England. At the age of 20, he married Maria Holcroft, the daughter of John Holcroft of Holcroft Hall, Culcheth, Cheshire, and Golborne, Lancashire, and returned to Ireland.[6]

At the outbreak of the First English Civil War in 1642, Blood returned to England and initially took up arms with the Royalist forces loyal to Charles I. As the conflict progressed he switched sides and became a lieutenant in Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads.[5] In 1653 at the cessation of hostilities Cromwell awarded Blood land grants as payment for his service and appointed him a justice of the peace. Following the Restoration of King Charles II to the Crowns of the Three Kingdoms in 1660, Blood fled with his family to Ireland.[5][6] The confiscations and restitutions under the Act of Settlement 1662 (which sought to cancel and annul some of the grants of land and real properties allocated as reward to new holders being Cromwellians under the Act of Settlement 1652) brought Blood to financial ruin, and in return Blood sought to unite his fellow Cromwellians in Ireland to cause insurrection.[6]

Irish discontent

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As part of the expression of discontent, Blood conspired to storm Dublin Castle, usurp the government, and kidnap for ransom the 1st Duke of Ormond, who was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. On the eve of the attempt, the plot was foiled. Blood managed to evade the authorities by hiding with his countrymen in the mountains, and ultimately escaped to the United Dutch Provinces in the Low Country. A few of Blood's collaborators were captured and executed. As a result, some historians speculated that Blood swore vengeance against Ormond.[6]

While in the Dutch Republic, Blood gained the favour of Admiral de Ruyter, an opponent of the English forces in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and was implicated in the Scottish Pentland Rising of 1666 by the Scottish Presbyterian Covenanters.[6] At some point during this period, Blood became associated with the wealthy George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, who 19th-century commentators believed used Blood as a means to punish his own political and social adversaries, since his own class ranking did not allow him to meet them "in the field".[2]

In 1670, despite his status as a wanted man, Blood returned to England and is believed to have taken the name Ayloffe and practised as a doctor or an apothecary in Romford Market, east of London.[5] A second attempt, this time on the life of the Duke of Ormond, followed.

Since Ormond's return to England, he had taken up residence at Clarendon House.[7] Blood had followed Ormond's movements and noted that he frequently returned late in the evening accompanied by a small number of footmen. On the night of 6 December 1670, Blood and his accomplices attacked Ormond while the latter travelled St James's Street. Ormond was dragged from his coach, bound to one of Blood's henchmen, and taken on horseback along Piccadilly with the intention of hanging him at Tyburn. The gang pinned a paper to Ormond's chest spelling out their reasons for his capture and murder.[6][7] With one of his servants who had given chase on horseback, Ormond succeeded in freeing himself and escaped. The plot's secrecy meant that Blood was not suspected of the crime, despite a reward being offered for the capture of the attempted assassins. In the King's presence, James's son, Thomas Butler, accused the Duke of Buckingham of being behind the crime. Thomas threatened to shoot Buckingham dead in revenge, if his father, James, was murdered.[2]

Theft of the Crown Jewels

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Black-and-white sketch of Thomas Blood and two of his accomplices stealing objects from the Jewel House. The regalia cupboard is partially open, and a man lies wounded on the floor.
c. 1793 illustration of Blood and his accomplices attempting to steal the regalia
Colonel Blood Stealing the Crown Jewels (Henry Perronet Briggs, 1824)

Blood did not lie low for long, and within six months he made his notorious attempt to steal the Crown Jewels. In April or May 1671 he visited the Tower of London dressed as a parson and accompanied by a female companion pretending to be his wife. The Crown Jewels could be viewed by the payment of a fee to the custodian. While viewing the Crown Jewels, Blood's "wife" feigned a stomach complaint and begged the newly appointed Master of the Jewel House, 77-year-old Talbot Edwards, to fetch her some spirits.[5][6][7] Given the proximity of the jewel keeper's domestic quarters to the site of the commotion, Edwards' wife invited them upstairs to their apartment to recover, after which Blood and his wife thanked the Edwardses and left.[6][7]

Over the following days Blood returned to the Tower to visit the Edwardses and presented Mrs Edwards with four pairs of white gloves as a gesture of thanks. As Blood became ingratiated with the family, an offer was made for a fictitious nephew of Blood's to marry the Edwardses' daughter, who, Blood alleged, would be eligible, by virtue of the marriage, to an income of several hundred pounds.[6][7]

On 9 May 1671, in furtherance of the deception, Blood convinced Edwards to show the jewels to him, his supposed nephew, and two of his friends while they waited for a dinner that Mrs Edwards was to put on for Blood and his companions. The jewel keeper's apartment was in Martin Tower above a basement where the jewels were kept behind a metal grille. Reports suggest that Blood's accomplices carried canes that concealed rapier blades, daggers, and pocket pistols. In entering the Jewel House, one of the men made a pretence of standing watch outside while the others joined Edwards and Blood. The door was closed and a cloak thrown over Edwards, who was struck with a mallet, knocked to the floor, bound, gagged and stabbed to subdue him.[6][7]

After removing the grille, Blood used the mallet to flatten the Imperial State Crown of Charles II[8][9] so that he could hide it beneath his clerical coat. Another conspirator, Blood's brother-in-law Hunt, filed the Sceptre with the Cross in two (as it did not fit in their bag), while the third man, Perrot, stuffed the Sovereign's Orb down his breeches. Meanwhile Edwards refused to stay subdued and fought against his bindings. Accounts vary as to whether Edwards' struggle caused sufficient disturbance to raise the alarm or whether the attempt was foiled in more fortuitous circumstances.[2]

Popular reports describe Edwards' son, Wythe, returning from military service in Flanders, happening upon the attempted theft.[6][7] At the door of the Jewel House, Wythe was met by the impromptu guard, who challenged him, before the young Edwards entered and went upstairs. The "guard" then alerted his fellow gang members. At around the same time, the elder Edwards managed to free his gag, and raised the alarm shouting, "Treason! Murder! The crown is stolen!"

As Blood and his gang fled to their horses waiting at St Catherine's Gate, they dropped the sceptre and fired on the warders who attempted to stop them, wounding one.[10] One drawbridge guard was struck with fear and failed to discharge his musket. As they ran along the Tower wharf it is said they joined the calls for alarm to confuse the guards until they were chased down by Captain Beckman, brother-in-law of the younger Edwards. Although Blood shot at him, he missed and was captured before reaching the Iron Gate. Having fallen from his cloak, the crown was found while Blood refused to give up, struggling with his captors and declaring, "It was a gallant attempt, however unsuccessful! It was for a crown!"[6][7] The globe and orb were recovered although several stones were missing and others were loose. Hunt and Perrot were also taken, but not punished.[10]

Aftermath

[edit]

Following his capture, Blood refused to answer to anyone but the King and was consequently taken to the palace in chains, where he was questioned by King Charles, Prince Rupert, and others. King Charles asked Blood, "What if I should give you your life?", and Blood replied, "I would endeavour to deserve it, Sire!"[5] To the disgust of Ormond, Blood was not only pardoned but also given land in Ireland worth £500 a year. In contrast, Edwards' family was awarded less than £300 by the King, a sum which was never paid in full, and he returned to his duties at the Tower regaling visitors with his tales of the attempted theft. He died in 1674 and his tomb is in the chapel of St Peter's Ad Vincula, at the Tower of London.

The reasons for the King's pardon are unknown. Some historians have speculated that the King feared an uprising in revenge by followers of Blood, who were thought to have taken an oath to their leader.[7] Others speculate that the King had a fondness for audacious scoundrels such as Blood, and that he was amused by the Irishman's claim that the jewels were worth only £6,000 as opposed to the £100,000 at which the Crown had valued them.[5]

There is also a suggestion that the King was flattered and amused by Blood's revelation that he had previously intended to kill him while he was bathing in the Thames but had been swayed otherwise, having found himself in "awe of majesty."[6] It has also been suggested that his actions had the connivance of the King, who was very short of money at the time.[11]

Following his pardon, Blood became a familiar figure around London and made frequent appearances at Court, where he was employed to advocate in the claims of suitors to the Crown. In John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester's History of Insipids, he wrote of Blood:

Blood, that wears treason in his face,
Villain complete in parson's gown,
How much he is at court in grace
For stealing Ormond and the crown!
Since loyalty does no man good,
Let's steal the King, and outdo Blood!

In 1679 Blood fell into dispute with the Duke of Buckingham, his former patron, and Buckingham sued Blood for £10,000, for insulting remarks Blood had made about his character. In the proceedings that followed, Blood was convicted by the King's Bench in 1680 and granted bail, although he never paid the damages.[5]

Death

[edit]

Blood was released from prison in July 1680 but had fallen into a coma by 22 August.[12] He died on 24 August 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. It is believed that his body was exhumed by the authorities for confirmation: such was his reputation for trickery, it was suspected he had faked his death and funeral to avoid paying his debt to Buckingham. Blood's epitaph read:

Here lies the man who boldly hath run through
More villainies than England ever knew;
And ne'er 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.

Legacy

[edit]

Blood's son Holcroft Blood became a distinguished military engineer rising to the rank of Brigadier-General; he commanded the Duke of Marlborough's artillery at the Battle of Blenheim.[13]: 381  Descendants including General Bindon Blood, civil engineer William Bindon Blood, Maurice Petherick, and Brian Inglis, had distinguished careers in British and Irish society.

The Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England based indie professional wrestler Thomas Blood[14] took his name directly from the historical figure although his character is not based on him.

Depictions

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References

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Further reading

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Thomas Blood

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from Grokipedia
Thomas Blood (c. 1618 – 24 August 1680) was an Anglo-Irish officer and adventurer notorious for his republican intrigues against the Stuart monarchy following the Restoration of 1660. Born in , , Blood initially supported the Parliamentarian cause during the and benefited from land grants under Oliver Cromwell's regime. After the monarchy's return, he lost these estates and turned to conspiracy, joining plots in to seize and ransom the Duke of Ormond, the , though these efforts collapsed without significant violence. Blood's most infamous exploit occurred in May 1671, when he orchestrated an audacious scheme to steal the Crown Jewels from the . Disguised as a clergyman, he and accomplices subdued the Keeper of the , Edwards, flattened with a mallet, and attempted to escape with the regalia before being apprehended. Remarkably, rather than execution, Blood received a royal pardon from Charles II, who reportedly found the culprit's boldness entertaining, and was even granted property , fueling speculation about undisclosed royal motives or Blood's potential ties to broader intrigue. This leniency contrasted sharply with Blood's prior failed assassination attempt on Ormond in 1670, underscoring the enigmatic favoritism he elicited from the crown despite his anti-monarchical history.

Early Life

Origins and Family Background

Thomas Blood was born around 1618 in Sarney, in the parish of , , . His family background remains somewhat obscure due to limited contemporary records, though accounts consistently describe origins in a Protestant landowning household of English descent. Blood's father, also named Thomas, operated as a and ironworker, achieving prosperity through trade and landholdings in counties including Meath, Wicklow, and possibly King's County or Clare. This occupational status afforded the family middling social standing in Ireland's colonial settler community, with ties to English mercantile interests. His grandfather, Edmund Blood, represented in the pre-Cromwellian Irish Parliament, underscoring the lineage's involvement in local governance. Little is documented about Blood's mother or siblings, though genealogical traditions name her as Compton from Limerick, a detail unverified in primary historical narratives. The family's English Protestant heritage positioned them amid Ireland's confessional tensions, influencing Blood's later alignment with parliamentary causes during the 1640s upheavals.

Entry into Military and Political Service

Thomas Blood, born around 1618 in Ireland, spent portions of his early adulthood in , where he married in in 1648. With the outbreak of the in 1642, Blood aligned himself with the Parliamentary forces opposing King Charles I, marking his initial entry into on the republican side. Following the Parliamentary victory and the in , Blood returned to , where he served as a in the Parliamentary army during Cromwell's conquest of the island from 1649 to 1653. His role involved active participation in the suppression of and Confederate forces, contributing to the establishment of authority in ; for these services, he received land grants confiscated from former holders. Blood's military commitments intertwined with early political radicalism, as his support for reflected opposition to monarchical rule and alignment with the Puritan and republican ideals driving the regime. This period laid the foundation for his subsequent involvement in dissident activities, though his precise rank and commands in Ireland remain sparsely documented beyond his status.

Involvement in the English Civil War

Service with Parliamentary Forces

At the outset of the in 1642, Thomas Blood, having returned from , initially enlisted with the forces supporting King Charles I. As Parliamentary victories mounted, Blood defected to the opposing side, aligning with Oliver Cromwell's army. This shift occurred amid the war's progression, reflecting pragmatic adaptation to the shifting balance of power rather than ideological conviction, though contemporary accounts offer limited insight into his precise motivations. In Parliamentary service, Blood attained the rank of under Cromwell's command, participating in efforts to undermine operations. His duties reportedly included subverting enemy supply lines, during which he seized provisions and retained a share for personal gain, indicative of opportunistic conduct amid wartime exigencies. Specific engagements remain sparsely documented, with no primary records attributing him to major battles such as or Marston Moor; his role appears confined to auxiliary disruptions rather than frontline command. By the war's effective conclusion around 1651, Blood's contributions earned him elevation to , a title later scrutinized for possible self-aggrandizement in Restoration-era interrogations. Cromwell's regime rewarded Blood's loyalty post-hostilities, granting him estates confiscated from defeated Royalists and appointing him a in by 1653. These perquisites underscored his integration into the Protectorate's administrative framework, though they fueled subsequent grievances upon the 1660 Restoration, when lands were reclaimed by former owners. Blood's military tenure thus bridged combat service and proto-radical entanglements, setting the stage for later intrigues against monarchical restoration.

Post-War Radical Activities

Following the conclusion of the in 1651, Thomas Blood continued his service with Parliamentary forces in the conquest of , participating in operations under Oliver Cromwell's command. By 1653, Cromwell rewarded his loyalty by appointing him a in and granting him estates confiscated from Irish landowners, including lands at Fanstown and Kilcullerin. However, Blood grew dissatisfied with the Cromwellian land settlement, which allocated larger portions to financial adventurers who had funded the war effort rather than to soldiers like himself, limiting his gains to modest holdings valued at around £1,000 annually. This grievance, coupled with broader frustrations over the Protectorate's moderation—perceived by extremists as a dilution of the revolution's purifying aims—prompted Blood to abandon his Irish position around 1657 and return to . In , Blood aligned himself with the Fifth Monarchists, a radical Puritan that interpreted biblical as foretelling the imminent Fifth Monarchy of Christ, to be ushered in by overthrowing "Antichristian" temporal powers, including Cromwell's regime. The group, numbering several thousand adherents by the mid-1650s, rejected the Protectorate's compromises with traditional governance and advocated governance by saints under law, leading to suppressed plots like the 1655 Yorkshire rising and Thomas Venner's 1657 London insurrection, which aimed to seize the government but collapsed with over 100 arrests. Blood's connections, facilitated by recommendations to leaders, immersed him in this conspiratorial milieu of disaffected republicans and millenarians, though no primary records confirm his direct participation in specific uprisings. This association reflected Blood's evolution into a committed radical, prioritizing apocalyptic over accommodation with , amid a broader climate where Fifth Monarchist agitation pressured the government into exiling or executing key figures like in 1656 for quasi-messianic claims. Blood's activities during this phase, while covert, foreshadowed his later overt opposition to the , as the sect's ideology endured underground networks into the 1660s.

Irish Intrigues and Discontent

Settlement in Ireland and Grievances

Following the cessation of major hostilities in the English Civil War and associated campaigns, Thomas Blood, having served with Parliamentary forces, received land grants in Ireland in 1653 as payment for his military contributions; these estates were confiscated primarily from Irish Catholic landowners under the Cromwellian regime's redistribution policies. Cromwell's administration also appointed Blood a justice of the peace in Ireland, integrating him into the local governance structure of the Commonwealth's Protestant settler community. The grants aligned with the Act for the Settlement of Ireland (1652), which systematically transferred vast tracts—estimated at over 11 million acres—from defeated Confederates and Royalists to English soldiers and adventurers, aiming to secure and fund the conquest's costs through land rather than taxation. Upon the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, Blood's Irish properties were revoked and largely restored to pre-Commonwealth owners or reassigned to royal loyalists, stripping him of both income and status; this affected thousands of similar grantees, but Blood personally regarded it as a betrayal of parliamentary entitlements. These reversals engendered profound resentment in Blood toward the Stuart monarchy, whom he blamed for nullifying Cromwellian rewards without compensation; he articulated this as an existential wrong, later citing it to justify vengeful actions against figures like the Duke of Ormond, who as enforced the restitutions under the Acts of Settlement and Explanation (1662 and 1665). Blood's complaints echoed broader Fifth Monarchist and republican discontent, viewing the land seizures as causal to economic ruin and political exclusion for former parliamentarians.

Plots Against Royal Authority

In 1663, Thomas Blood orchestrated a conspiracy among disaffected former Cromwellians in Ireland to seize , the seat of royal administration, and capture James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, the . The plan, initially set for May 9–10 but advanced to May 5, involved Blood's associates disguising themselves as petitioners seeking redress and laborers repairing the castle gates to create a diversion, enabling an armed rush to overpower the guards and secure the fortress. This audacious scheme aimed to disrupt royalist control and potentially proclaim a republican restoration in Ireland, leveraging Blood's networks among Presbyterians and other parliamentary veterans aggrieved by land forfeitures under the Restoration settlement. The plot was betrayed by an informer named Philip Alden, leading to its swift exposure before execution. Blood's brother-in-law, involved as a conspirator, was imprisoned and later executed in December 1663, while other accomplices faced arrest and trial. Blood himself evaded capture, fleeing to the , where a bounty was placed on his head and his Irish estates confiscated by royal decree. This failure marked Blood's shift from overt military intrigue to more clandestine operations, underscoring the precarious position of republican holdouts amid intensified royal suppression in Ireland following Charles II's 1660 accession.

Audacious Schemes in England

Kidnapping Attempt on the Duke of Ormond

On the night of 6 1670, Thomas Blood and several accomplices ambushed James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond, as his coach traveled along in . The attackers dragged Ormond from his carriage, bound him, and mounted him on a horse with the intent to transport him to for public hanging, possibly as revenge for Blood's prior grievances against Ormond stemming from land confiscations and political suppression in Ireland during the Restoration. The plot unraveled when passersby intervened, allowing Ormond's servants and coachman to raise an alarm and pursue the abductors. Blood and his gang released Ormond and fled, evading immediate capture despite a manhunt. This was Blood's second known attempt on Ormond's life, following an earlier failed in 1663 to seize and ransom the duke. Contemporary suspicions pointed to George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, as a potential patron of the scheme, given his rivalry with Ormond at court; Ormond's son publicly accused Villiers of hiring , though no conclusive evidence emerged to substantiate the claim. The incident highlighted Blood's audacity and lingering Fifth Monarchist sympathies, but it yielded no ransom or execution, instead prompting Blood to pivot toward other high-risk ventures.

The Crown Jewels Theft

In the months leading up to May 1671, Thomas Blood cultivated a relationship with Talbot Edwards, the Keeper of the Crown Jewels housed in the of the , by posing as a clergyman accompanied by a supposed wife, Jenny Blaine, who feigned illness to gain Edwards' sympathy and trust. This allowed Blood repeated access to view the jewels, which had been newly refashioned by King Charles II after the originals were largely melted down during the . On 9 May 1671, Blood arrived at the Tower around 7 a.m. with three accomplices: his son (disguised as Tom Hunt), Robert Perrot, and another associate. The group overpowered Edwards by binding and gagging him after he showed them the jewels; Blood struck Edwards with a , while accomplices restrained him. Blood then used the to flatten to fit it into a leather bag, Perrot stuffed the Sovereign's Orb into his , and Hunt attempted to saw the Sceptre with the Cross in half using a file. As the group fled toward waiting horses outside the Tower, Edwards regained consciousness and raised the alarm by shouting "! !" His son, returning home, pursued the thieves, leading to a confrontation where shots were fired but missed. Guards captured Blood and Perrot near the Iron Gate after a struggle, while Hunt was apprehended after falling from his horse nearby; two others escaped. The recovered jewels sustained damage, including dents to from the mallet and partial sawing of the , prompting enhanced security measures such as armed guards for future storage. Contemporary accounts, including a handwritten from the day of the event, confirm the involvement of five men total, with three entering the .

Royal Pardon and Subsequent Career

Interrogation and Unexpected Clemency

Following his capture on 9 May 1671 during the attempted theft of the Crown Jewels from the Martin Tower in the Tower of London, Thomas Blood and his son Edmund were imprisoned and subjected to initial questioning by Tower officials. Blood refused to provide answers to interrogators, insisting that he would speak only to King Charles II himself, a stance that delayed formal proceedings while petitions from Blood's family highlighted his deteriorating health in confinement. Charles II arranged a private audience with Blood at Whitehall Palace, attended by Prince Rupert and the , where the King directly interrogated the prisoner on his motives and the plot's details. Blood remained defiant, boldly asserting that the Crown Jewels were worth only £6,000 rather than their appraised £100,000, claiming the Crown rightfully belonged to the , and responding to the hypothetical offer of his life with a pledge to "endeavour to deserve it" if granted. These unrepentant declarations reportedly amused the King, who was known for his tolerance of audacious rogues, though Blood's prior involvement in regicidal plots and the attempted of the Duke of Ormond fueled demands for severe punishment from Ormond and others. On 1 August 1671, Charles II issued a comprehensive pardon absolving Blood and his son of "all treasons, murders, felonies, assaults and batteries," accompanied by a royal pension of £500 per year and the restoration of forfeited Irish lands yielding equivalent income. The decision provoked outrage, particularly from Ormond, who viewed it as an affront given Blood's enmity toward him. The rationale for this leniency is not explicitly documented in primary records, such as Lord Arlington's state papers recording the pardon; contemporary diarist implied possible undisclosed services to the Crown, while later historians speculate it stemmed from the King's intrigue with Blood's brazenness, apprehension of unrest among Blood's radical Protestant associates, or Blood's utility as an informant on Fifth Monarchist or other dissident networks. No evidence confirms Blood's claims influenced security reforms, such as the jewels' relocation under armed guard, though the episode prompted immediate enhancements.

Espionage and Land Grants

Following his in late 1671 for all prior treasons, felonies, and assaults, Colonel Thomas Blood received a royal grant of property in Ireland from Charles II, yielding an annual income of £500 for life. This estate restoration partially compensated for lands Blood had forfeited after the monarchy restoration, when his earlier Cromwell-era holdings in counties Meath and Limerick were confiscated. Blood subsequently operated as a crown informant and secret agent, leveraging his networks among dissidents to monitor republican and Catholic restoration plots against Charles II. He spied for Sir Joseph Williamson, eavesdropping on conversations at venues like coffee house near the Royal Exchange to gather intelligence on court intrigues and potential rebellions. As a freelance operative and occasional , Blood also undertook tasks for rival courtiers seeking to discredit opponents, though his loyalties remained opportunistic and tied to personal gain rather than ideological commitment. This role capitalized on Blood's prior radical associations, transforming his reputation from outright rebel to tolerated intriguer under royal protection.

Death and Immediate Aftermath

Final Years and Demise

In the years following his 1671 escapade, Blood engaged in for Sir Joseph Williamson, a key figure in Charles II's administration, providing intelligence on political dissenters. By 1679, however, he faced financial strain, leading to a from George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, over an unpaid loan from their earlier association. Blood's health declined in 1680, culminating in a lethargic state that ended his life on 24 August at his residence in , Westminster (now ), aged approximately 62. He was attended by a clergyman during his final illness but received no public medical details beyond the general report of lethargy. Burial occurred privately on 27 August 1680 in the New Chapel burial ground, Westminster, though some accounts place it in St. Margaret's churchyard. Suspicions of feigned death—fueled by Blood's history of audacious deceptions—prompted authorities to exhume his body shortly after, confirming his demise and quelling rumors. This event underscored persistent distrust toward Blood, even in death, amid unresolved debts like the one to , which went unpaid.

Family Succession and Burial

Thomas Blood succumbed to illness on 24 August 1680 at his residence in , Westminster, following a two-week decline. He was interred three days later, on 27 August, in the New Chapel burial ground at Tothill Fields, Westminster—an extension cemetery for St. Margaret's Church, now the site of Gardens adjacent to . In a postscript, authorities later exhumed the grave amid suspicions of imposture; the body was confirmed as Blood's by an conspicuously enlarged . Blood's immediate family comprised his wife, Mary Holcroft, whom he wed circa 1650, and several children, including sons Thomas (a who predeceased him), Edmund (died 1679), William (died circa 1688), Charles, and Holcroft, alongside daughters Mary and Elizabeth. With multiple sons deceased prior to or shortly after his passing, no detailed records specify the precise devolution of Blood's modest Westminster holdings or Irish land grants, though surviving kin maintained ties to military and adventuring pursuits. Prominent among heirs was son Holcroft Blood, who, having fled home at age twelve to serve as a and later in the , transitioned post-1688 to English . He advanced under the Duke of Marlborough, culminating as principal artillery commander during the , and died honored in 1707. This trajectory marked a shift from the father's conspiratorial exploits to institutionalized service, reflecting broader Restoration-era opportunities for Protestant adventurers of middling origin.

Historical Legacy

Assessments of Character and Motives

Historians have characterized Thomas Blood as an audacious and incorrigible adventurer, marked by exceptional boldness in executing high-risk schemes and a persuasive ability to recruit accomplices for his plots. His self-styled title of "," despite limited verifiable achievements, reflects a tendency toward self-inflation and , as he navigated shifting allegiances from Parliamentarian support during the to post-Restoration intrigues. Contemporaries viewed him as a "noted bravo and desperado," a rogue whose resourcefulness in disguises and networks enabled repeated evasions of justice. Blood's motives appear rooted in personal grievances and financial ambition rather than consistent ideological commitment. The 1663 plot to seize and kidnap James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond, stemmed from resentment over land confiscations and the restoration of royalist estates in Ireland, which deprived Blood of property granted under the ; the scheme aimed at and temporary usurpation of local to address Irish Protestant discontent. A later 1670 attempt on Ormond involved hanging the duke from a bowstring, suggesting vengeful intent tied to perceived slights against Blood's honor and family losses during Ormond's tenure as . The 1671 Crown Jewels theft, by contrast, lacked clear political articulation, with evidence pointing to opportunistic profit-seeking amid Blood's financial straits after prior failures; upon capture, he defiantly declared, "It was a gallant attempt, however unsuccessful! It was for ," a statement interpreted by some as ironic bravado rather than republican zeal. While early schemes aligned with radical underground opposition to the Restoration regime, later actions, including possible espionage for Charles II, indicate pragmatic adaptability over unwavering loyalty, driven by a thirst for and restoration of lost status.

Interpretations of Charles II's Leniency

The precise motivations for King Charles II's pardon of Thomas Blood after his capture during the Crown Jewels theft on May 9, 1671, elude definitive historical consensus, with contemporary records offering scant detail beyond the king's private interrogation of . Blood, who insisted on addressing only the monarch directly, met Charles II in the , after which he received not merely clemency but a £500 annual and restoration of Irish estates valued at equivalent yield, privileges that outraged figures like the Duke of Ormond, Blood's prior target. A common interpretation attributes the leniency to II's amusement at Blood's unrepentant effrontery, exemplified by the colonel's retort during questioning that the jewels—appraised at £100,000—were worth merely £6,000, a quip aligning with the king's taste for irreverent courtiers amid the Restoration's ethos. This view portrays as capriciously indulgent toward bold rogues, consistent with his documented forgiveness of other audacious offenders, though skeptics note the gravity of regnal theft—punishable by hanging, drawing, and quartering—undermines such levity as sole cause. Alternative analyses posit pragmatic royal calculus, including apprehension of retaliation from Blood's network of radical Protestant associates, whose fanaticism had fueled prior republican intrigues and might ignite broader disorder in an era of simmering factionalism post-1660. Blood's evasion of until the king's involvement, coupled with undisclosed exchanges in their audience, fuels speculation of leveraged intelligence—perhaps on Fifth Monarchist remnants or Irish dissent—rendering execution counterproductive for stability. Fringe conjectures, such as in a scheme to melt jewels for royal profit amid fiscal strains, lack primary evidentiary support and appear implausible given the alarm raised during the heist and subsequent recovery of damaged . Collectively, these readings underscore Charles II's governance as blending personal whim with calculated , yet the pardon's opacity reflects the era's opaque dynamics over transparent justice.

Cultural Representations

In Literature and Drama

Thomas Blood's brazen attempt to steal the Crown Jewels from the in 1671 has served as the central plot for comedic and historical dramas, portraying him as a cunning rogue or audacious anti-hero. The 2023 play The Crown Jewels, written by , dramatizes the heist as a blending heist thriller elements with humor, emphasizing Blood's recruitment of accomplices and the chaotic execution of the plot. Premiering at London's on 3 August 2023 with in the title role, the production toured venues including in , where it received mixed reviews for its energetic but uneven pacing. A shorter historical drama, Colonel Blood and the Great Crown Jewels Robbery by Roger Hurn, unfolds the 1671 events in one act, focusing on Blood's infiltration of the Jewel House, assault on keeper Talbot Edwards, and evasion tactics, presented through dialogue that highlights the era's political intrigue and Blood's opportunistic character. Published for amateur and educational theatre by Lazy Bee Scripts, the script underscores the historical veracity of Blood's self-styled "colonel" rank and prior involvements in regicidal plots. In , Blood appears as a in novels that expand his biography into tales of , rebellion, and survival. Robert Smythe's The Audacious Crimes of Blood (2018) chronicles Blood's full arc from Irish Parliamentarian service in the 1640s to the jewels and subsequent royal favor, framing him as a multifaceted spy whose loyalties shifted amid Restoration England's turbulence. Similarly, D. Lawrence-Young's Blood: Soldier, Robber and (year not specified in sources, but recent publication) weaves Blood's military exploits, including the 1663 Worcester House Plot against Charles II, with romantic subplots and the 1671 robbery, portraying him as a charismatic navigating love, war, and betrayal. Angus Donald's Blood's Game (2018), the first in a series centered on Blood's son Holcroft, integrates Thomas Blood's jewels scheme as a pivotal event, depicting the father as a battle-hardened opportunist who mentors his heir in deception and gunnery amid 1670s intrigues. These works often romanticize Blood's pardon by Charles II as evidence of his irrepressible daring, though they ground his motives in verifiable historical grievances like land confiscations in Ireland. The exploits of Thomas Blood have been dramatized in the 1934 British film Colonel Blood, directed and written by W. P. Lipscomb, which portrays his attempt to steal the Crown Jewels and his subsequent pardon by Charles II, with Frank Cellier in the lead role as Blood and Allan Jeayes as the king. The film presents Blood as an Irish patriot whose audacious scheme unfolds in 1670, emphasizing his charisma and cunning in negotiating clemency. In theatre, Blood features prominently in Simon Nye's comedic play The Crown Jewels, which premiered in 2023 under Sean Foley's direction, starring as Blood in a fictionalized account of his 1671 heist plot against the Tower of London's . The production toured venues including in , where actors like and Joe Thomas depicted Blood's band of conspirators in a blending historical events with exaggerated mishaps. Historical fiction novels have also incorporated Blood's character, such as D. Lawrence-Young's Colonel Blood: Soldier, Robber and Trickster, which weaves his jewel theft into a of royal intrigue, romantic entanglements, and military escapades during the Restoration era. These works typically highlight Blood's rogue persona and the improbability of his survival, drawing on primary accounts while amplifying dramatic elements for .

References

  1. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/historical-journal/article/colonel-thomas-blood-and-the-restoration-political-scene/9E969BAA7FC15C63402C1CAF67249928
  2. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/44980/44980-h/44980-h.htm
  3. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Theft-of-the-Crown-Jewels/
  4. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/the-king-the-crown-the-colonel/
  5. https://headstuff.org/culture/history/terrible-people-from-history/thomas-blood-rebel-adventurer-and-thief/
  6. https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/people/blood.htm
  7. https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/education/thomas-blood.pdf
  8. https://www.libraryireland.com/biography/ThomasBlood.php
  9. https://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/a-bloody-scoundrel/
  10. https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/thomas-blood-0011456
  11. https://www.historiamag.com/thomas-blood/
  12. https://www.exclassics.com/newgate/ng33.htm
  13. https://www.dolmetsch.com/thomasblood.htm
  14. https://thehistorypress.co.uk/article/thomas-venner-and-the-fifth-monarchists/
  15. https://oldcurrencyexchange.com/2017/12/21/col-thomas-blood-the-theft-of-the-crown-jewels-9th-may-1671/
  16. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-9/captain-blood-steals-crown-jewels
  17. https://thehistorypress.co.uk/article/colonel-blood-and-the-crown-jewels/
  18. https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-thomas-bloods-attempt-to-steal-crown-jewels/
  19. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1953/colonel-blood--the-theft-of-the-crown-jewels/
  20. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/significant-events/attempt-to-steal-the-crown-jewels/
  21. https://www.andrewlownie.co.uk/authors/robert-hutchinson/books/the-audacious-crimes-of-colonel-blood-the-spy-who-stole-the-crown-jewels-and-became-the-kings-secret-agent
  22. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/thomas-blood/
  23. https://www.onlondon.co.uk/vic-keegans-lost-london-128-the-remains-of-colonel-blood/
  24. http://www.thepeerage.com/p28168.htm
  25. https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/article/colonel-blood-and-the-crown-jewels/
  26. https://newcriterion.com/article/the-thomas-blood-affair/
  27. https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-audacious-crimes-of-colonel-blood/
  28. https://historiamag.com/thomas-blood/
  29. https://stephenliddell.co.uk/2021/02/22/colonel-blood-the-man-who-stole-the-crown-jewels-and-lived-to-tell-the-tale/
  30. https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/theatre/1797393/The-Crown-Jewels-Colonel-Thomas-Blood-review
  31. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/the-crown-jewels-al-murray-mel-giedroyc/
  32. https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/cheshire/23805700.theatre-review-crown-jewels-lowry-salford/
  33. https://cranthorpemillner.com/product/d-lawrence-young-colonel-blood/
  34. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40123457-blood-s-game
  35. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023901/
  36. https://letterboxd.com/film/colonel-blood/
  37. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/884526-colonel-blood
  38. https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/al-murray-and-carrie-hope-fletcher-to-star-in-the-crown-jewels
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