The dogs lived mostly in the palaces of kings, and the breed was nick-named: a dog of kings.
From the XV century on, the Toy spaniels became very popular in all the royal courts in Europe, as in Poland, Sweden, but reaching the highest popularity in France. This breed remained unchanged the courts favored dog for centuries to come.
Henry II, Henry III, Louis XIV, and XV; Marie Antoinette, Madame Pompadour-, they all loved and adored these tiny Spaniels.
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| King Henry III, 1570, by Jean de Court |
French King Henry III.
There where apparently Toy Spaniels everywhere, around King Henry III.
His favored pets, 3 Spaniels, even slept on his bed, and he took them to the State Council, in a basket, hanging from his chest.
Henry III often traveled to Lyon, the town, where the Spaniels where bred, and purchased another Spaniel pet for an incredible amount of money (in 1576, 100.000 crowns must have been something).
One of his favored pets was named: Lilin
On 1st August 1589, Henry III met with his army in Saint -Cloud, to prepare an attack on Paris.
A monk, named Jacques Clement was granted to appear in front of Henry III to deliver important documents to the king.
Lilin, his favored Spaniel, he took along, showed a strong hostility toward the monk, and had to be left back in the lobby.
The monk, asking for privacy, to give the king a important, secret message, along with the documents, was now alone with the king; and as he whispered in his ear, he plunged a knife the kings abdomen.
Clement tried to flee, but Lilin, the Spaniel, along with her other companions back in the lobby, raised an alarm, and the monk was killed on the spot.
King HenryIII could only say: "If I only had listened to Lilin".
King Henry III died the following morning.
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| A Lady Wearing a White and Gold-Embroidered Dress Santi di Tito Italian painter ( 1536 - 1602 ) |