Name William Rainsborough | ||
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Born 11 June 1587 St Mary's Whitechapel London, England Resting place St John's Church, Wapping, London England Occupation Member of Parliament, Sea Mariner, Businessman Died 1642, St Katharine's by the Tower | ||
Captain William Rainsborough (11 June 1587 – 16 Feb 1642) was an English Captain and Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy, English ambassador to Morocco and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1642.
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Naval expeditions
On the orders of Charles I of England, Rainsborough led a successful naval expedition against the Barbary corsairs of Salé in North West Morocco in June 1637. His exploits were hailed in a court masque designed by Inigo Jones For his services to end white slavery Rainsborough was offered a hereditary knighthood, which he declined, and was presented with a Gold Chain and Medal by Charles I. Captain Rainsborough's Emblem was a Saracen's head crest. The Saracen Head as interpreted as 'the head of the foreigner'; the foreigner being the much-feared pirates of the north African coast. Usually referred to as Turks, these marauders were in the white slavery business. This emblem represented Captain Rainsborough's success at ending White Slavery against the Barbary pirates in Morocco in 1637.
MP for Aldeburgh Suffolk 1640
In April 1640, Rainsborough was elected Member of Parliament for Aldeburgh in the county of Suffolk in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected for Aldeburgh in November 1640 for the Long Parliament and held the seat until his death in 1642.
Death 1642
Rainsborough died in 1642 and was buried at St Katharine's by the Tower on 16 February 1642.
Father of Thomas Rainsborough
Rainsborough married Judith Horton, daughter of Renold and Joane Horton. Their sons Thomas Rainsborough and William Rainsborowe, two influential figures in the English Civil War, fought for the Roundheads.