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A mystical poodle, a prince and the English Civil War
Prince Rupert of the Rhine was the nephew of King Charles I of England, through his mother, the King’s sister, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the daughter of King James I of England and Scotland, and wife to Frederick V of the Palatinate, briefly King of Bohemia. The Palatinates were well connected royally, related to the King of England and the Prince of Orange, but lacked financial standing. Frederick and Elizabeth had 13 children, so while the eldest son would inherit the family fortunates, and daughters could make advantageous marriages, younger sons had to find their own ways. Prince Rupert, being a younger son, did just that.
Rupert began his military career aged 14, joining Dutch forces against the Spanish Hapsburgs in the Netherlands. While imprisoned during the Thirty Years War, the Earl of Arundel heard of Rupert’s confinement and sent him a give to cheer his spirits. The Earl sent Rupert two rare hunting poodles, one white and one black. The black poodle died early on, but the white poodle became legendary. Called “Boy”, in all likelihood he was female.
