Random Historical Figures With Animal Sidekicks (13 items)

• 

  (#11) Elvis Presley

  • Dec. at 42 (1935-1977)

  Elvis was pretty much king of the world for a while, so he could get his hands on basically anything he wanted. Lots of people just sent things to the famous crooner, including a kangaroo that Elvis was sent as a prank. Being Elvis, he was convinced that he could train the kangaroo, but he gave up after receiving one too many hard kicks. In the end, he donated his marsupial buddy to the Memphis Zoo. 
• 

  (#13) Calvin Coolidge

  • Dec. at 61 (1872-1933)

  William Johnson Hippopotamus, AKA "Billy," was President Calvin Coolidge's pet pygmy hippo. Captured in Liberia and given to Coolidge as a gift in 1927, Billy alternated his time between his home in the National Zoo in Washington, DC, and trips around the country, like the one he took to the 1939 New York World's Fair. By the time he died in 1955, Billy had sired 23 calves, 13 of which survived. You can thank Billy for the pygmy hippos you see in American zoos now, too; he's the common ancestor of most pygmy hippos born in the US. 
• 

  (#1) Tycho Brahe

  • Dec. at 55 (1546-1601)

  Sources will differ as to whether the famed Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe, owned a moose or an elk; although, a moose seems more likely. All sources agree, however, that Brahe got that large mammal astoundingly drunk on a regular basis, whatever species it was. Brahe respected his pet moose so much that he sometimes sent it to visit various nobility as an envoy of sorts. It was on one such diplomatic mission that the moose met its tragic end, getting far too drunk late into the night and then falling down a set of castle stairs to its death.
• 

  (#12) George Gordon Byron

  • Dec. at 36 (1788-1824)

  Lord Byron’s pet bear is a direct result of his spiteful desire to exploit a loophole. When Byron went away to college, he was dismayed to learn that he could not keep a dog on campus. He checked the rules, which didn't say anything about other large mammals, so he showed up with a pet bear, which became his roommate. Apparently, the bear was well behaved, so nobody really did anything about it, and Byron got away with his ursine rebellion. The bear later got to retire to Byron’s ancestral home, where it shared the grounds with a friendly wolf. How delightful!
• 

  (#5) Ramesses II

  • Dec. at 90 (1302 BC-1212 BC)

  Most historical pets are companions in the sense that they spent a lot of time with their owner. Not so for a lion owned by Egypt’s Ramesses II, however; this tough pet accompanied his pharaoh master into battle on several occasions. The lion, whose name roughly translates to “Slayer of Foes,” was fiercely aggressive and loyal only to Ramesses, making him a deadly element in war. Slayer of Foes was not the only lion used in battles by the Egyptians, but he was the most famous and saw his most notable action against the Hittites.
• 

  (#3) Napoleon Bonaparte

  • Dec. at 52 (1769-1821)

  Napoleon Bonaparte is one of history’s most mocked figures, so it’s surprising that more noise isn’t made about the fact that he was often made to eat his meals with an orangutan. The ape – named Rose – belonged to his wife, Josephine, and was one of her most treasured companions. Josephine liked to dress Rose in fancy chemises, and Rose loved to eat turnips. Sadly, when the Bonapartes had to move to another part of the country, Rose caught an intestinal inflammation and died. Josephine ensured she received a proper funeral.

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking