There’s a long, bizarre history of unique people who have been exploited for the entertainment of others. But the story of the "Queen's dwarf," Jeffrey Hudson, might be the most extraordinary and sad tale of all.
1. He Came From Nothing
Born in the early 1600s in England, Jeffrey Hudson lived with his parents and three siblings. Though his father worked for the famous Duke of Buckingham as the trainer of his baiting bulls, the family was still poor. Little did they know, they'd soon have another problem on their hands. As Hudson grew, his family began to notice something shockingly different about him.
James Stow, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
2. He Didn’t Grow Up
As a child, Hudson became something of a mystery. He stopped growing quite early, reaching only 18 inches in height. Interestingly enough, neither his parents nor siblings shared the same condition, which probably explains why some people came up with some truly bizarre explanations for Hudson's tiny size.
Daniël Mijtens, Wikimedia Commons
3. She Made A Mistake
Many onlookers came up with their own explanations for Hudson’s stunted development. One lasting theory placed blame on his mother, claiming she choked on a pickle during her pregnancy. I have no idea what the connection is there, but we’ll give it a pass, all things considered. The real explanation is much less complicated.
Unknown Author, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
4. He Was Born At The Wrong Time
If doctors assessed Hudson's condition today, they’d likely diagnose him with a pituitary gland disorder. Considering the fact that he didn't show any other traits associated with dwarfism, he’d even have options to help him grow normally. But back then, doctors didn’t have any of that information. Perhaps that explains the shocking decision his parents made.
5. They Gave Him Up
At about seven years old, Jeffrey Hudson’s parents agreed to give him up to the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham. It’s not completely clear just how this transaction took place, but reportedly, Hudson was marketed as a “rarity of nature," which impressed the duke and duchess enough to take him in.
But just how rare was he at this time? Not quite as rare as you may think.
After Gerard van Honthorst, Wikimedia Commons
6. He Was Just Right
Interestingly enough, Hudson’s dwarfism didn’t make him that special in 17th-century England. While people didn’t necessarily know the cause of the condition, several little people lived among the English at this time. However, Hudson was extremely proportional, which made him quite special. This would become his ticket out of poverty.
G. Cruikshank, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
7. They Used Him
Hudson’s time with the duke and duchess is mostly shrouded in mystery. It seems that, at the time, wealthy people could simply collect unusual people like they might jewelry or rare art. Either way, he likely experienced a more comfortable life with them... that is, until they found just the right way to put his size to good use.
Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt, Wikimedia Commons
8. They Had Royal Company
After just a few months of living with the duke and duchess, Hudson’s real shining moment came. It all started with a royal visit. His new caretakers threw an elaborate dinner to honor the English royals, King Charles I, and his new wife, Queen Henrietta Maria. And where did Hudson fit in, you might ask? The last place you’d expect.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
9. They Hid Him In A Pie
His new owners ordered their cooks to create a huge pie. Then they arranged to have them tuck Hudson into the pie, presenting a dessert that appeared totally innocuous (on the outside, that is). I can’t say how he felt about being hidden away in a pie, but it doesn’t sound too pleasant. He did, however, make quite the entrance.
Royal Collection, Wikimedia Commons
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10. He Was A Big Surprise
To much fanfare and celebration, the servants brought out the huge pie and presented it to the queen. Imagine her surprise when it started to move! Hudson emerged from the pie fully dressed in armor, and paraded up and down the table with a flag. And how did the teenage queen respond to this unprecedented surprise?
Workshop of Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
11. He Was A "Gift" For The Queen
Now, personally, I’d be horrified if someone jumped out of my sweet treat—but, it seems the queen felt totally delighted. Hudson entertained everyone in attendance. Even better than that, though, the duke and duchess offered him up as a "gift" to the queen. She took him back with her to the castle, and thus began Hudson’s life in the royal courts—for a while, anyway.
Daniël Mijtens, Wikimedia Commons
12. He Joined The Collection
In some ways, Hudson became just another little trinket to the queen. Reportedly, she'd already amassed quite the array of rarities in her court. Her collection included a few other little people, a monkey, and a porter who stood over seven feet tall. Before long, though, Hudson found himself busy doing much more than collecting dust on the shelf.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
13. He Had A Tall Best Friend
During his time at the court, Hudson formed a deep bond with one of the other novelty pieces of the queen’s collection, the seven-foot-tall Welsh man, William Evans. Evans and Hudson formed such a close bond, that Evans sometimes walked the streets with him in his pocket. This even led to a fun little act which starred both of them.
Unknown Author, CC BY 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons
14. They Hammed It Up
In their act, Evans mimed making a sandwich by pulling both a loaf of bread and Hudson himself from his pocket. I’m not sure how Hudson felt about being compared to a slice of ham, but considering their friendship, perhaps they both actually enjoyed it. Or maybe Hudson enjoyed enough of the other perks to make it all worth it.
Unknown Author, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
15. He Played His Part
The more time he spent at court, Hudson seemed to learn to use his differences to his advantage. He leaned into his charm and wit, and played it up when needed. Notably, a famous court architect placed him in special shows using music, performance, and design to entertain the royals. He got much more than a starring moment, though.
After Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
16. He Lived It Up
As a member of the queen’s court, Hudson experienced the very best of everything. He received an academic education and training in proper manners. He went hunting and enjoyed good food. The queen even gave him his own servant! Along with all that, Hudson found himself partaking in one very prestigious royal tradition.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
17. They Catered To Him
Hudson received the honor of joining the royals and their courts on horseback rides. While the queen and her ladies rode sidesaddle, Hudson got a special saddle made just for him. They even decked it out with velvet and silk. He’d made quite a leap from the countryside, but maybe something else meant much more to him than all the royal goodies.
18. She Kept Him Close
The queen became very fond of Hudson and took him along with her on several trips. She even went so far as to get him dressed in the same fabrics she ordered her own children to be dressed in. But eventually, all good things come to an end. Interestingly enough, the ultimate conclusion of his charmed life came at the hands of his royal connections.
Ann Longmore-Etheridge, Wikimedia Commons
19. They Sent Him Away
Hudson’s first royal misfortune came along early in his time at the court. At about age ten, he joined a group from the court headed to France. The group intended to secure a midwife for the then-pregnant queen, and they sent him along to entertain the French court. They got to France just fine—but on their return trip, a horror show ensued.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
20. Pirates Captured Him
On their way back to England, pirates commandeered their ship. It’s not hard to imagine this being truly frightening for a ten-year-old. Luckily for him, the pirates simply raided the ship, took what they wanted, and let them continue to England. Intriguingly, though, this brush with danger didn’t stop Hudson from taking other risky expeditions…
Jacob Gerritsz Loef, Wikimedia Commons
21. He Did It Again
In 1637, Hudson joined another group headed across the English Channel. Around 18 years old by this time, he went chasing some dangerous entertainment in the Netherlands, where the Dutch overtook the Spanish in the siege of Breda. He left this trip unscathed as well. But things back in England soon got even more dangerous than life on the ship.
Diego Velázquez, Wikimedia Commons
22. They Ran Away
In 1642, war broke out in England between those who supported the king and those ready to end his reign. The queen took off to the Netherlands, taking Hudson and some other members of her court with her. She successfully managed to raise some funds to help support the king, but on the return trip, things took a chilling turn.
Paulus Lesire, Wikimedia Commons
23. They Weren’t Safe
While headed back to England, the queen and her entourage stopped for the night in Yorkshire. Early the following morning, they woke up to the frightening sound of cannonballs from the king’s enemies. You might expect all one and a half feet of Hudson to stay close to the queen for his own safety, but he did exactly the opposite.
24. He Wanted To Stay And Fight
Reportedly, Hudson leaped from his bed ready to defend the queen and court. He brandished his weapons, more than ready to jump in. Perhaps quite luckily for him, his adversaries never left the ships they shot their cannons from, sparing him from joining the actual conflict. The next time it happened, though, he didn’t get quite so lucky.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
25. He Had A Second Chance
As they continued their journey home, they took another stop in York. This time, they expected to be safe, as the king’s supporters ruled in that area. However, the queen and her court found themselves under siege once again. And once again, Hudson got up ready to defend his queen. But this time, his enemies didn’t stay at a distance.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
26. He Did His Thing
Now in his early twenties, many reports seem to indicate that Hudson took this opportunity to prove his value. Still, the details are a bit hazy there. It’s not 100% clear whether or not he literally engaged in any hand-to-hand confrontation. But details or no details, he clearly did something, considering what the queen did next.
Hastings Gilford, Wikimedia Commons
27. She Honored Him
Sometime after these confrontations, the queen bestowed the title “Captain of Horse” on Hudson. He seemed to take the title seriously, holding onto it later in life and going by the title “Captain Jeffrey Hudson”. Even so, the queen ended up fleeing to France with her court while the unrest continued. That’s when things really went downhill.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
28. He Felt Brand New
Hudson started to become extremely dissatisfied with his status as a member of the queen’s court. He didn’t want anyone to see him as merely the queen’s pet anymore. He wanted to be respected as an adult—a captain, no less. Honestly, that’s not hard to understand. But what is hard to understand is how he let that become his undoing.
Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen, Wikimedia Commons
29. He Got Angry
In 1644, Hudson found himself in deep trouble when he got into a heated confrontation with Charles Croft. Croft, the brother of an English baron, William Croft, probably brushed shoulders with Hudson fairly often. But on one fateful day, he said or did something that went a little too far. Hudson challenged him to a duel.
30. He Challenged Him To A Duel
There’s no record of what Croft actually did to offend Hudson. Either way, it seems Hudson felt ready to go out defending his honor. At the time, a duel meant that both parties showed up ready to either make up, or end each other's lives on the spot. In this case, Hudson and Croft showed up with opposite intentions.
Marcus Stone, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
31. He Did The Deed
Croft showed up to the event with what equates to a toy water gun. He clearly didn’t take Hudson or the duel seriously. Hudson, on the other hand, took it all too seriously, ultimately ending Croft’s life with one shot. Duels wouldn’t surprise anyone in England at the time—but in France, the tide of his actions turned against him swiftly.
James C. Kulhanek, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
32. He Faced A Death Sentence
France outlawed dueling centuries before this took place. Thus, their authorities convicted Hudson, with the intention of ending his life for his indiscretion. Even worse, the English royals considered Croft a man of important stature. By all accounts, things didn’t look good for him. Luckily, someone cared about him enough to put themself on the line.
Unknown Author, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
33. She Still Cared
Even despite his transgression, the queen still cared very dearly for Hudson. She took it upon herself to plead on his behalf, begging the French authorities to spare his life. Considering the fact that she came from France to start with, they took her advocacy to heart. She saved his mortal life, but life as he knew it came to an end.
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Wikimedia Commons
34. They Kicked Him Out
Rather than punishing him with death, the authorities removed Hudson, sending him back to England. This effectively ended his days as a prized possession of the court. Perhaps at that point, he thought he could still look to some type of successful future. Tragically, though, things very swiftly moved from bad to much, much worse.
Pieter Mulier the Elder, Wikimedia Commons
35. He Didn’t Make It
Now kicked out of the court and seemingly disgraced in the eyes of his royals, Hudson boarded a ship and headed back home. But while en route to England, pirates once again captured the ship Hudson traveled on. But this time, they didn’t just let the crew and passengers off with a raid and a warning. This time, Hudson found himself in his worst predicament yet.
Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons
36. They Took Him
This time, Ottoman pirates intercepted his ship. Already notorious for their brutality, they took Hudson and several other English people captive. They brought them back to North Africa with the intention of keeping them there for the rest of their natural lives. It spelled the start of an experience that completely opposed Hudson’s life amongst the royals.
Pier Francesco Mola, Wikimedia Commons
37. He Disappeared
Though the details of his experience didn’t come to light until much later, Hudson spent the next 25 years in captivity. Later on, he elaborated on these years of cruel labor and extreme misery, including enduring all types of mistreatment. Amazingly, though, this didn’t spell the end of his story. In fact, it supposedly gave him something he never dreamed he’d have.
38. He Grew
By Hudson’s own claims, he somehow physically grew during those 25 years of enslavement. He said he doubled his size, putting him at almost four feet. There aren't any reports to confirm that fact, or his insistence that the horrible things he experienced made him grow. But luckily for him, he eventually gained his freedom...
39. They Saved Him
Hudson’s salvation finally came in the 1660s. On one of several expeditions by the English to rescue their captives, they rescued him and returned him to his home country. Now older and likely much more feeble, you might expect him to try to return to the court. However, he found a very different court than the one he'd left decades prior.
Lieve Verschuier, Wikimedia Commons
40. He Didn’t Fit In
While the pirates kept him locked down in North Africa, the dynamics of the royals changed completely. A new king, Charles II, ruled over the monarchy. Even worse than that, the queen seemingly passed right around the time Hudson got back. But considering what he did next, perhaps he didn’t even want to go back to court.
John Michael Wright, Wikimedia Commons
41. He Slowed Down
Now in his older age, Hudson found himself met with unique opportunities. He became acquainted with historian James Wright. Wright spent time with Hudson, doing his best to put the chaotic details of his life in writing. With that done, however, Hudson seemingly realized he needed to do something more audacious to take care of himself.
42. He Went Back
Around 1676, Hudson reportedly decided to head back to London, where he'd spent the first half of his life in the lap of luxury. While it's not explicitly stated, he probably went there with hopes of getting some type of compensation from the court he'd served for so long. But unfortunately for him, he went at exactly the wrong time.
Wenceslaus Hollar, Wikimedia Commons
43. He Got Caught (Again)
At just this time, London experienced serious religious and political unrest. Conspiracy theories claiming the Catholics wanted to end the king’s life spread through the place like wildfire. As a result, authorities started targeting these church communities in an attempt to protect the king. Guess what religion Hudson staunchly ascribed to?
Godfrey Kneller, Wikimedia Commons
44. They Put Him Away
Upon his arrival in London, authorities locked Hudson up, charging him for being “Roman Catholick." He couldn’t catch a break. It didn’t take another couple of decades for him to get his freedom this time. But at his age, it turned out he didn’t have any years to waste.
Francis Barlow, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
45. He Lost Everything
After about four years, authorities finally released Hudson back into society. There’s very little record of the final years of his life. But by that time, he’d likely be in his 60s and possibly dealing with any number of health issues. Before he passed, however, he seemingly got one more reminder of his glory days.
Arthur Rackham, Wikimedia Commons
46. He Got What He Wanted
The last known written record of anything related to Hudson comes in the form of a payment. Sometime in 1681, King Charles II sent him some type of compensation. It’s not clear whether this equated to the pension Hudson went to London for in the first place, but he did get something for all his trouble. Even so, in the end, it didn’t seem like enough.
John Michael Wright, Wikimedia Commons
47. They Forgot Him
Despite his many years of service to the queen’s court, and his valiant efforts during the unrest in the kingdom, Hudson passed like a common pauper. There’s no record of where he died, or how, or even where he is buried. All things considered, it certainly seems like he deserved more. But luckily for him, his legacy prevailed in different ways.
48. They Made Him Art
During his time in the queen’s court, artists of many types used Hudson as inspiration. The court painter created a well-known portrait featuring the queen, Hudson, and her pet monkey. Writers also created poems and stories starring him, though they often poked fun at his size. However, other ways of remembering him are much less reverent.
Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons
49. They Drink To Him
Reportedly, several pubs in England still pay homage to Hudson under the name “The Dwarf and Giant”. They supposedly pay homage to Hudson and his tall best friend from the queen's court. While amusing, though, I can’t help but think he might have preferred an actual honor during his lifetime. But even now, he’s not totally forgotten.
50. He Wasn’t Forgotten
In the early 2020s, a pair of pants he wore while entertaining the court went to auction. A collector wanted this little real-life piece of the past so much that they bid almost 10,000 pounds. In the end, Hudson did see his final years in squalor, but at least his rollercoaster of a life remains one of history's most fascinating stories.
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