Along the history there have not been many pirate women . In Supercurioso we talk about Anne Bonny, the exciting life of a Pirate of the Caribbean and of Jeanne de Clisson, the pirate woman who avenged her husband . On this occasion we want to approach the figure of Grace O'Malley, pirate, clan leader O'Malley and queen of Umaill . It was known in the sixteenth century as Pirate Queen, "The Pirate Queen", and honored the O'Malley family motto: "Powerful by land and sea", "Powerful by land and by sea" . Join us to meet her.
Grace O'Malley, "the pirate queen"
Grace O'Malley born in Ireland at County Mayo in 1530 and died in 1603. She was the daughter of Eoghan Dubhdara O'Mháille, head of the O'Mhille clan, which was based in Clew Bay. The area under his government was called "Umall" and was protected by several coastal castles. It also had an extensive fleet of boats and taxed the fishermen who worked there. Grace was also known as "Gráinne Mhaol" nickname she received as a child after an event that already demonstrated the decision and character that would have to reach adulthood. Grace's father was leaving for Spain on a commercial expedition and the girl wanted to go with him. The mother told him to dissuade her that she could not embark, since her long hair would become entangled in the ropes of the ship. Grace, to convince her father, cut almost all her hair. "Gráinne Mhaol" means "bald" or "very short hair". Grace received a good education and even spoke Latin.
At age 16 he got married and had 3 children. The third of which defrauded her by betraying the family by joining her enemy. Upon the death of her half-brother, Grace was inherited from her father's estate and settled in the family castle. He widowed and remarried a man whom he dismissed at the end of the first year, following the laws of the time, and stayed with his castle. From his second marriage he had another son.
Grace learned with her father to run the businesses of international trade and navigation. The stories and legends that are told in Ireland about Grace O'Malley are numerous. Assaulted castles, defended their property, persecuted enemies in front of his men and she became a feared pirate . Their ships controlled the access of other ships to the nearby ports and demanded the payment of a tax or the delivery of a part of the merchandise. When they were approached, if they resisted they were fought with violence, ending in many occasions the skirmish with the death of some men. Once the attack is finished, the ships of Grace O'Malley disappeared with their booty hiding in some cove or bay in the area.
Grace also got involved in political issues and fought against English domination. However, when two of his sons and his half brother were captured by English forces he climbed onto one of his boats and he went to England in order to meet with Isabel I and get the freedom of his family. The queen agreed to receive it and among them they spoke in Latin since Grace O'Malley did not speak almost English and the Queen did not speak Gaelic. They finally agreed to release the prisoners in exchange for Grace recognizing Isabel as sovereign and not attacking more English ships. Both fulfilled their promises and Grace O'Malley continued to pirate, but only against the enemies of England.
Did you know the figure of the pirate Grace O'Malley ? If you want to meet other amazing women in history, we invite you to read: "Onna bugeisha", the select and courageous group of samurai women