Monkey people

In the second half of the 16th century, thr Gonsalvus or Gonzalez family was renowned across Europe as " monkey people ", kept at the French and Italian court as oddities, covered in hair from head to toes , the earliest known example of hypertrichosis universalis or Ambras syndrome.

In around 1588 a new child arrived into the family, a girl named Antonia or Tognina.

She was born in the royal chateau of Fontainebleau.

She was raised and dressed as a noble woman but still considered to be a possession of the royal family. The Gonsalvuses were classified as animals or slaves, lacking soul.

Her father, Peter, was born in Tenerife. Nothing is known about his parentage, whether he came from a hirsute family. At ten he was sent by the venetian ambassador to the court of Henry II in France and as he was unable to speak a language, he was kept in cage and feed raw meat. After a examination, doctors decided he was harmless and was kept by the King as a pet.

He proved himself intelligent, mastered a few languages and became a favorite of Catherine de Medici, who arranged a marriage with a non hairy woman, the daughter of his servant. She bore him seven children, four covered in hair and three took after their mother. Antonia had the same fate . She was enjoyed and enabled by the wealthy, kept as a pet, exhibited like a trophy.

Source ~ Amy License, the 16th century in 100 women.