Boye (dog)
The dog Boye (died 2 July 1644 at the battle of Marston Moor), also Boy, was a celebrated and iconic white hunting poodle belonging to Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the 17th century. Puritan or Roundhead propagandists alleged that the dog was "endowed" with magical powers.
Origins
Boye was first given to Prince Rupert when he was imprisoned in the fortress of Linz during the Thirty Years War. The Earl of Arundel, an Englishman who had grown concerned about Rupert's plight, gave him the animal to keep him company during his confinement. The dog was a rare breed of white hunting poodle; Boye was sufficiently impressive and famous across Europe that the Ottoman Sultan of the day, Murad IV, requested that his ambassador attempt to find him a similar animal. Boye accompanied Rupert during his travels until 1644.
Propaganda and magical powers
Boye accompanied his master from 1642 to 1644 during the English Civil War. Rupert was the iconic Royalist cavalier of the conflict and was frequently the subject of Parliamentarian propaganda. Boye, who often accompanied Rupert into battle, featured heavily in this, and was widely suspected of being a witch's familiar. There were numerous accounts of Boye's abilities; some suggested that he was the Devil in disguise.