During the siege of Buda, Hungary in 1686 Captain Byerley of the Sixth Dragon Guards under King William III of Orange took a horse as booty from the Turks. At the battle of the Boyne, in the Williamite Wars, Ireland in 1690 Byerley, now Colonel and his charger served again.
The Byerly Turk (so named in the General Studbook) first stands at the stud Middridge Grange, County Durham and later at Byerley's Goldsborough Hall, Knaresborough both in Yorkshire, England. There were few well-bred mares to mate for him. He was used as a sire at least until 1701.
London: Macmillan London Ltd.
<http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/ByerleyTurk.html>
2000-11-13