| Aka Sham. Tunis, French, England (became 29) Few horses have as much legend associated with them as does the Godolpin Arabian, but little evidence can corroborate the stories of him being found pulling a water cart in the streets of Paris, or being used as a teaser, or the dramatic stallion battle with Hobgoblin over the lovely, but fickle, mare Roxana The facts regarding his origin are few. He was imported from France in 1729 by Mr. Edward Coke, a gentleman with personal connections in France, especially with the Duke of Lorraine. The Duke of Lorraine, later Emperor Francis I of Germany, also figures in the history of the Belgrade Turk. Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, brother-in-law of Edward Coke, purchased the Belgrade Turk from the Duke and brought him to England. It can be presumed that Coke acquired the Godolphin Arabian via the French court, possibly from the Duke himself The stallion was probably one of several presented as tribute to the King of France by the Bey of Tunis. While in France he was |
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