Queen of the Kingdom of Umaill in Ireland, Grace O’Malley (c.1530 – c.1603) was a female pirate and Irish historical figure.
Blood navigation
Her Irish name Gráinne Ni Mháille, Grace O'Malley was born around 1530 in an Ireland ruled by the King of England Henry VIII but left under the control of Irish princes and lords. Grace is the daughter of Maeve Ni Mháille and Eoghan Dubhdara Ó Mháille, of the Mháille clan, established in the northwest of the country. A family of sailors, the O'Malleys control castles along the coast.
Grace took an early interest in navigation. According to legend, as a child, she would have asked her father to accompany her on a commercial trip to Spain. Her father having refused on the pretext that her long hair could get caught in the ropes of the boat, she would have cut it to force him to take her away. She probably receives a good education, speaking several languages including Latin, Spanish and French. With her father, she learns the trade but, despite her insistence, he never agrees to take her with him.
Building up a large fleet
In 1546, Grace O'Malley was married to Donal O'Flaherty (Dónal an Chogaidh Ó Flaithbheartaigh), heir and future king of Connacht. They will have three children:Owen, Margaret and Murrough. With her husband, Grace embarked on trade and navigation. Complaints report that their ships behave like pirates, forcibly imposing passage fees.
Eventually, Donal is killed in battle, and Grace earns the respect of her men and adversaries by defending Donal's castle against Irish and then English invaders, despite being outnumbered. In the early 1560s, she returned to the family lands, followed by many O'Flahertys who remained loyal to her, and recruited fighters to continue her activities. Her boats attack passing ships while, on land, she attacks several fortresses on the coast. Inheriting her father's fleet, she built a significant fortune.
Queen Elizabeth I re
In 1566, Grace O'Malley remarried Richard Burke, nicknamed "Iron Richard", from whom she quickly divorced. This union was potentially intended to recover Rockfleet Castle, a strategic position. They do, however, have a son, Theobald.
At the end of the 16th century, English power was growing in Ireland and Grace used every opportunity she found to fight against this power. In 1593, however, two of his sons and his half-brother were captured by Richard Bingham, Governor of Connacht. Grace then sails to England to meet Queen Elizabeth I re and demand their release. In front of the queen, she refuses to bow, wanting to show that she does not recognize her as her sovereign. Grace does not speak English and Elisabeth does not speak Irish, the discussion takes place in Latin; the two women reach several agreements, including the dismissal of Richard Bingham, the release of Grace's relatives and the end of his support for the Irish rebellions.
On her return to Ireland, Grace for some time directed her actions against the "enemies of England". Noting that Queen Elizabeth I re , for her part, breaks her word, Grace will again support the Irish rebels during the Nine Years' War. Grace O'Malley died around 1603 at Rockfleet Castle and remains a mythical character in Irish history.