Today in History

May 9, 1671

The Theft of the Crown Jewels

On May 9, 1671, a parson visited the Tower of London. 77 year old Talbot Edwards, the keeper of the jewels, was very fond of this parson, and hoped that his niece would someday marry the parson's nephew. However, the parson did not have a nephew, nor was he a parson. He was in fact Thomas Blood, a captain in Oliver Cromwell's military. On his May 9th visit, he brought "friends" with him and asked the elderly Edwards if he could be given a private showing of the famous crown jewels. Edwards showed Blood and his henchmen the jewels, upon which the thieves covered the keeper with a blanket and struck him with a mallet. They flattened King Edward's crown with the same mallet and cut the Scepter with the Cross in half so it would more easily fit under their coats.

As they left the room and made their way to the courtyard, an alarm was raised. They ran for the gate, but were captured. Brought before Charles I, they were mysteriously pardoned and Blood was even granted a small parcel of land in Ireland. History has never provided a clear reason for the pardon and the grant of land.

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