Sea lord orders severe trials (7)

I believe the answer is:

ordeals

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'severe trials' is the definition.
'ordeals' can be an answer for 'trials' (I've seen this in another clue). I am unsure of the 'severe' bit.

'sea lord orders' is the wordplay.
'orders' is an anagram indicator.
'sea'+'lord'='sealord'
'sealord' with letters rearranged gives 'ORDEALS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ordeals that I've seen before include "Tribulations" , "Difficult experiences, hard times" , "Testing experiences" , "Trying experiences" , "difficult tests" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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