Petrus Gonsalvus

Petrus Gonsalvus (Spanish: Pedro González; c. 1537, Tenerife – c. 1618, Capodimonte) was a gentleman in the court of Henry II of France.

Don Pedro González
Pedro González, painting c. 1580 (Ambras Collection)
Born	Pedro González c. 1537 Tenerife, Crown of Castile, Spanish Empire
Died	c. 1618 Capodimonte
Occupation	Courtier
Years active	1547–1618
Spouse	Catherine ​ (m. 1573)​
Children	Madeleine Enrique Françoise Antonietta Horacio Ercole

Referred to by Ulisse Aldrovandi as "the man of the woods",^[1] he was notable for his unusual hairiness, which attracted attention throughout his life (and beyond, especially as most of his children inherited his condition). This interest came both from doctors — being considered the first definitely recorded case of hypertrichosis (at least in Europe) — as well as from society at large (including high society, where he spent much time), with him acquiring such nicknames as the "wild gentleman of Tenerife" (Spanish: salvaje gentilhombre de Tenerife) and the "Canarian werewolf" (hombre lobo canario). His life at various courts in France and Italy has been well chronicled.

Biography

Gonsalvus was born around 1537 in Tenerife, shortly after the conquest of the island by Alonso Fernández de Lugo. Of Guanche heritage, he was deemed worthy of the Don honorific later in his life on account of his supposed parental descent from the menceys of Tenerife.^[2]

Gonsalvus first came to the court of Henry II, King of France in 1547 at the age of around 10, and was sent there as a gift from the court of Margaret of Parma, regent of the Netherlands.^[2] He married while there; the name of his wife remains unknown, but it is believed she was named Catherine Raffelin^[3] and that she may have been a lady-in-waiting to Catherine de' Medici. Later, he was moved into the court of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma. Of his six children, only two — Françoise and Enrico — did not have hypertrichosis.^{[citation needed]} The ones who did — such as Antonietta Gonsalvus — were also the subject of attention, including paintings.^[4] His family became an object of medical inquiry by Ulisse Aldrovandi among others. Despite living and acting as nobles, Gonsalvus and his hairy children were not considered fully human in the eyes of their contemporaries and were gifted, like their father was, to other nobles as a sort of court pet. Gonsalvus eventually settled in Italy with his wife.

He was listed among those who had attended his grandson's christening in 1617. He died in 1618 in Capodimonte. He was 81 years old.^{[citation needed]}

Chamber of Art and Curiosities, Ambras Castle

The Chamber of Art and Curiosities, Ambras Castle collection in Innsbruck, Austria has a painting of Pedro González (Petrus Gonsalvus) as well as other people who display an extreme form of hirsutism, also called Ambras syndrome or hypertrichosis in 1933 in reference to its depiction at this collection.^[5]

• 
  Petrus Gonsalvus and his wife Catherine by Joris Hoefnagel
• 
  Children of Petrus Gonsalvus by Joris Hoefnagel
• 
  Madelene Gonsalvas portrait, 1580, Ambras collection
• 
  Henry Gonsalvas, Ambras Collection
• 
  Portrait of Antonietta Gonzales by Lavinia Fontana, 1595.
• 
  Agostino Carracci. Hairy Harry, Mad Peter and Tiny Amon. 1598. Capodimonte

Legacy

1975 Devil Doubloon (Mardi Gras token) of Petrus Gonsalvus, dubbed a "wolfman".

It is believed the marriage between Petrus Gonsalvus and Lady Catherine may have partially inspired the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.^[6][7]