Many times we have thought that living together with humans and their pets is something relatively recent, nothing could be further from the truth. In this article, we will travel from ancient Egypt to the 20th century to review some of the most curious pets throughout history. Perhaps it will change your opinion about the ideal pet for a perfect coexistence at home.
First, we go back almost to ancient Egypt, where Pharaoh Ramses II had a lion named "Invincible" as a pet, a pet that also accompanied him in all his battles, as he was convinced that its presence would bring good luck to his army. As you know, Egyptians were also staunch fans of cats, dogs, and monkeys, and it was common for pharaohs to live with them.
If we continue through history, we find another popular and unusual large pet: the Asian elephant that Charlemagne received as a gift in 798, an elephant that also stayed at court and received the same care as the noblest personalities. It was a beautiful albino elephant that Charlemagne, of course, always loved and admired.
We continue with more XXL-sized animals, exchanging elephants for giraffes, and now we talk about the endearing relationship of Lorenzo de Medici with his. It was a gift from the Sultan of Egypt and was housed in the stables of the family villa in Florence. Unfortunately, the animal died shortly after arriving at its new home after suffering an accident in the stables. This event shocked the entire family, who had developed a deep affection for Lorenzo's giraffe.
We talk about elephants again, although we move forward to the time of Louis XIV, who was also a big fan of elephants and lived with one in the Palace of Versailles for about 15 years. This elephant was a gift from the King of Portugal and arrived at the palace in 1668. Can you imagine a majestic elephant strolling through the palace gardens? It must have been an incredible sight.
It would be a crime to forget one of the most famous birds in history, the starling that Mozart lived with for many years and that deeply delighted the artist when it sang or imitated curious sounds. Mozart loved his pet so much that when the bird died, he composed an epitaph for it and organized a funeral in its honor to share the sadness he felt at the loss of his companion.
Finally, we must not forget another influential personality who also shared an unconditional love for birds, Winston Churchill, who lived with a beautiful macaw named "Charly." These animals find it especially easy to learn words and form sentences, and "Charly" was certainly a chatterbox. However, what was most striking about the animal was that he used to swear loudly and had learned to respond and retort to guests with rude comments about Hitler and the Nazis.
History of Pets in Spain
After taking a tour around the world, learning about the most famous pets in history, it's time to do the same in Spain. Which pets left their mark here?
We begin after the discovery of America, when pet monkeys became very fashionable in our country. They became so popular that they even became common among the Royal Courts, so much so that one of the most common stories when referring to strange pets is related to Catherine of Aragon, who had a monkey she adored and with whom she was often seen.
If the popularity of pet monkeys caught your attention, you will not remain indifferent to the exotic companion animal that Empress Josephine used to boast about. She also had an interest in exotic pets and enjoyed the company of an orangutan that practically lived with her daily, ate at the table, and was trained to show good manners to guests. In addition, the furry family also included kangaroos, ostriches, zebras, antelopes, gazelles, black swans, among other exotic companions.
Continuing with the appeal of strength and bravery, we must refer to Ivan the Terrible. Ivan had several bears in his castle, companion animals that he not only used to play with but also to punish his prisoners and entertain the court.
But without a doubt, it is the next animal that takes the prize in the dangerous pet classification: the fierce alligator of Marquis Lafayette, a gift he received during his trip to the United States in 1825. The Marquis made his trip accompanied by his new pet, and one of the most curious anecdotes is that when the Marquis visited the White House, he did not separate from his "little one" at any time, even hosting it in the bathtub of his room.
And so ends our review of the most important pets throughout history. Don't forget to share your experiences and stories on Aristopet's social media.