The Irish Pirate Queen - Gráinne O'Mhaol
Grace O'Malley also known as Gráinne Ní Mhaol was a 16th Century pirate known for defending the Irish lands and coastlines from the British and challenged the British occupation in Ireland.
Legend has it that she got her name "Maol" - which is the Irish word for bald or cropped hair - because when she was young and her father told her the seafaring business wasn't for girls because a girls hair would get caught in the ropes, Gráinne cut off her hair.
After inheriting her fathers business, she later commanded 20 ships and hundreds of men in raids against rival clans and merchant ships. As a threat to the Tudor conquest of Ireland she actually once met face to face with Queen Elizabeth I of England. Fighting over independence and Irish lands made these two Queens enemies, but also both powerful political and military leaders of men.
Gráinne risked imprisonment and execution by meeting with Queen Elizabeth to petition for the freedom of her brother and her son and to restore some independence. It's written that Gráinne did not bow to Queen Elizabeth and rejected the title of Countess, saying that a title cannot be conferred from one equal to another. She's also said to have offended the Queen after using a handkerchief to blow her nose and throwing it in the fire. She was told it was disrespectful to throw such a gift away and Gráinne confidently defended the Irish way of throwing a used handkerchief away.
By the end of their encounter Queen Elizabeth ordered that all charges on the O'Malley clan be dropped and restored much of her lands and influence.
Sources:
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/grace-o-malley-16th-century-pirate-queen-ireland-001773
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Elizabeth-I-Grace-OMallley-Irish-Pirate-Queen
Try living with 3 redheaded pirates. . . i married a red headed pirate and we have 2 red head pirate girls. . :)
Cool videos @beanz ! See ya at the poker tables! :)
When they start getting freckles, they are stealing souls...
You lucky dawg you ;)
Sounds adventurous
I like pirates, they are rebellious and adventurous formidable foe of the rich merchant capitalists.
But I love the VO.TU pirate Queen even more. Her voice sends shockwaves among the thousands in the steemit ocean on minds and soul.
wow now I know how this picture came about, actually be wanting to ask you
Glad you decided to post it and the storyline looks like a piece removed from a fiction movie sounds too unreal wow just imagine the boldness she must have packed alongside while meeting the Queen
Few years ago I tried to create the original statue of female character based on Irish heroes or legend and I found this lady. I abandoned this project back then, my skills were not ready yet. Thanks for reminding me about it, I have few female sculptures I was working on and they requre finishing touches, maybe I could convert one of them to her. She would be in sitting pose.
Very interesting video, I like this history.
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Best regards for you @beanz
Thanks
Dang, What a woman!!
i always support a good story of Piracy )
She was so brave! To stand up to the Queen of England - never bowing and defending her culture - fantastic! How have I never heard of Grace O'Malley, Pirate Queen, before?
Because the Irish didn't go around colonising civilisations? LOL
Also, Irish Kings and Queens were usually tribal - like self proclaimed or through support of your people -
not the kind of dynasty you have in the UK.
Gorgeous article, I was very interested. I never heard it before. I have always liked people who defend the independence of their country.
Good luck to you and good.
Super story, love the story of great women who don't follow the stereotype of female docility and humility. I'm a bit of a feminist and such examples inspire me. Who said that the case of women only the Kingdom in the kitchen? No and no again. Each has the right to choose whom to be.