A Donkey For Washington - Spain's Royal Gift
George Washington was more than just the Father of His Country, he was also the Father of the American Mule.
Not literally, don’t be gross.
Washington was the first one to breed mules successfully in the United States.
Spain’s Present
In December of 1785, George Washington had finally received a long awaited gift...his donkey.
Named Royal Gift, apparently because the animal was a present from the King of Spain, Washington had finally gotten his hands on the type of beast he had attempted to obtain for years.
Over the next several years, Mount Vernon transitioned from a horse-only plantation to one that was dominated by donkeys and mules.
Why Donkeys?
The first question one might ask is...why would George Washington want a donkey?
The answer? Because he wanted mules. And for those who are unaware, mules are made when a male donkey mates with a female hours.
OK, well then why would he want mules?
The answer is because mules are better pack animals. They can carry a similar load as a horse but with significantly less food and water.
Washington foresaw (accurately) that mules could be a valuable resource for the development of the United States.
Therefore, in addition to being the ‘Father of His Country’ and America’s ‘First Citizen’, Georgie could also be considered the ‘Father of the American Mule’.
The Journey of Royal Gift
Royal Gift’s story is interesting in itself.
Though Spain and the United States had worked together against Great Britain during the Revolutionary War, conversations had grown a bit tense. Still, Spain was well known for producing the best donkeys.
When King Charles III heard that Washington was looking to secure a donkey, he sent two to the United States. They took different ships and were to land at different ports.
This was important to make sure one survived (and only one did).
Royal Gift landed in Massachusetts before taking a two week trip down to Mount Vernon where he proceeded to live a life of luxury, mating with all the finest mares Virginia had to offer.
Want to read about more FOUNDERS ON THE FRONTIER?
Great! Check out these articles:
The First American Adventurer - John Ledyard
Temporary Freedom - York and the Corps of Discovery
Daniel Boone - Founding Father on the Frontier
Also, Mount Vernon’s website has a more in depth article on Royal Gift which can be read here.
Royal Gift does not have a book about his life, but George Washington has hundreds.
My favorite author, Richard Brookhiser, wrote one of these books, so I will take this opportunity to recommend it.
Pick up a copy through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).
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