THE QUEEN & THE PIRATE QUEEN

See Also: PIRACY

Grace O Malley was born into the aristocracy of Ireland's western coast. There, sailing was usually the most effective means of travelling long distances. She proved to be an able and charismatic individual who assumed a position of leadership within her society. It was a violent world of killings and counter-killings, kidnaps and ransoms. Through her background and the force of her personality, she became the most feared sea captain in the region.

The government in Dublin tried to bring Grace to heel in 1574 by besieging her home fortress. The attempt failed. Subsequently, an accord was reached. A couple of years later, Sir Henry Sidney the Lord Deputy of Ireland visited Galway. He asked that he and his entourage might be given a maritime tour of Galway Bay. Grace was willing to comply with this request. However, she made sure that before the group disembarked its members paid her for her trouble.

While many of the actions of Grace and her followers were piracy, her basic inclination was towards co-operating with the Dublin government and its representatives. She and Sir Nicholas Malby, the Governor of Connaught, were able to strike a broad accord with one another. However, in the late 1570s she was imprisoned for a period. During her absence, her husband allowed himself to be drawn into a conspiracy against the authorities. Following her release, the pirate queen ensured that her spouse restored his standing with them.

Malby died in 1584. He was succeeded in his office by Sir Richard Bingham. Initially, the soldier was of the opinion that, by agreeing to accept the position, he had made a bad mistake. However, with time, he came to the view that the gubernatorial place presented him with a range of opportunities for making a fortune. The advancement of his material interests ran counter to those of the local lites. He and Grace were soon at odds with one another.

Grace s son Theobald and her brother Domhnall were taken prisoner by Bingham in 1593. She responded to this development by sailing to England. She disembarked at Greenwich Palace where she sought redress from Queen Elizabeth. The monarch heard her petition and set in place an investigation that examined the governor's actions. The sea captain then returned to Ireland. The inquiry progressed at a very slow rate. Therefore, two years later the pirate queen made a second voyage to London. What then ensued satisfied her. Subsequently, revolts were to occur in the western kingdom. During these, she and her family were to always side with the Dublin authorities.

Location: Greenwich Palace, SE10 9NF

Severndroog Castle

In 1756 Sir William James defeated the Malabar pirate Tulagee Angria at Severndroog off the coast of Goa. James's wife commemorated the victory by commissioning the construction of a Gothic building (1784) on Shooter's Hill.

Location: Castle Wood, Shooter's Hill, SE18 3RT

Website: www.severndroogcastle.org.uk

David Backhouse 2024