Thomas Blood

Thomas Blood (1618 - August 24, 1680) was an English Colonel who is best known for stealing the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671

Following the English Civil War Blood received grants of land in return for his services during the war. In 1660, however, the English monarchy was restored and Blood lost his land. He responded to this by conspiring to capture James Butler, Duke of Ormond and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. However, Blood and his co-conspirators were discovered and most were captured. Blood himself managed to escape and travelled to the Netherlands. In 1670 Blood again attempted to capture Butler, but again failed.

In 1671 Blood made his famous move to steal the Crown Jewels. He befriended the Keeper Talbot Edwards while disguised as a parson and on May 9, 1671 convinced him to show the jewels to his friends, who then knocked Edwards to the floor bound and gagged him. Edwards however managed to sound the alarm and as they were making their gettaway with the jewels they were captured.

Blood was imprisoned, but was permitted to meet with the King, Charles II. For reasons not fully known, the King then pardoned Blood, returned the original land grants, and granted Blood a pension of five hundred pounds per year.