Petrus Gonsalvus

Pedro González, painting c. 1580 (Ambras Collection)

Petrus Gonsalvus (Spanish: Pedro González; c. 1537, Tenerife – c. 1618, Capodimonte), referred to by Ulisse Aldrovandi as "the man of the woods",[1] was a gentleman in the court of Henry II of France. He was noted for having hypertrichosis, which led to him being known as the "wild gentleman of Tenerife" (salvaje gentilhombre de Tenerife) and the "Canarian werewolf" (hombre lobo canario). His life at various courts in Italy and France has been well chronicled.

  1. ^ Armand Marie Leroi, Mutants: on genetic variety and the human body (Penguin Books, Jan 25, 2005), also known as "the savage gentleman from Tenerife, Spain" 273.