Elizabethan Fact of the Day: Sir Francis Drake and the Potato

Sir Francis Drake by Marcus Gheeraerts,1591. Drake is shown wearing the Drake Jewel, given to him by Queen Elizabeth I in 1586. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

 

The Drake Jewel, awarded to Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I in 1586. The Drake Jewel currently resides in the collection of the Victoria an Albert Museum. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons courtesy Aiwok.

The white potato first arrived in England in 1586, when it was brought over from the America's by Sir Francis Drake. Drake also brought back Guinea Pigs, which Queen Elizabeth I and her courtiers kept as pets. 

For more on Queen Elizabeth and her Guinea Pigs, click HERE.

Elizabethan Fact of the Day: Elizabeth and her Guinea Pigs

UPDATE: In further proof, National Geographic cites new evidence that may support the claim that Guinea Pigs were bred as "curiosity pets" in the Elizabethan Age. Read the article HERE.

A detail from a 1615 painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder, depicting two multicolored Guinea Pigs doing what they do best: nibbling veggies! Image courtesy of lierne via Flickr.

I am always delighted to discover anything new pertaining to Elizabeth I. Recently I came across an authority on Guinea Pigs, who wrote a chapter in her book on their history. She  has found evidence to validate something I have long suspected, based on other contemporary clues from the late 16th century: Queen Elizabeth I had Guinea Pigs! This information comes courtesy Virginia Parker Guidry's book Guinea Pigs: Practical Advice for caring for your Guinea Pig.

I myself have long been a lover of Guinea Pigs, whom are more accurately called Cavy's-I think they are the most underrated "pocket-pet" on the market today, and any time I get the opportunity to sing their praises, like they "sing" for me every morning, I will do so!

GP's are not your typical rodent-they are plucky, verbal (with a series of elaborate trills, squeaks and purrs to alert you of their various needs), cuddly, affectionate, and extremely smart! And every piggy that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing or owning has had their own distinct personality.


One of my piggles, Annabelle, whom I call "Annabelly" due to her tendency to lie on her side or back and push out her big belly so that I can rub it-she loves it, and I will sometimes do it for a half an hour, or until she falls asleep! 


I am about to begin click-training with my most recent pair of piggles, Avery and Annabelle. My heart melts for my "A-Team" on a daily basis, so I am not surprised that even the most authoritative of sovereigns succumbed to their charms! I like to think that Queen Elizabeth benefited from a nice cuddle-session with a trilling Guinea Pig after the end of a long day deliberating with her Privy Council. I doubt, however, that she ever had to clean a pig cage herself! ;)



The Ermine Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, by William Segar. Elizabeth is depicted with an ermine on her sleeve (a member of the weasel family, along with ferrets, a domesticated form of polecat used for hunting), representing her royal birth. Unfortunately, there is no Guinea Pig Portrait!