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Who, if anyone, is the nursery rhyme 'Old King Cole' based on?

Question #152030. Asked by elvislennon.
Last updated Mar 28 2025.
Originally posted Mar 28 2025 6:17 PM.

patrickk star
Answer has 4 votes
Currently Best Answer
patrickk star
18 year member
29 replies

Answer has 4 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Old King Cole is a British nursery rhyme first attested in 1709 in William King's "Useful Transactions in Philosophy". There are numerous theories about Cole's identity, however it is thought that he can no longer be reliably identified as a historical figure given lack of strong evidence and the time that has passed since the rhyme was attested.

Theories range from 4th century Welsh king Coel Hen, to 12th century cloth merchants, to various historical figures more contemporaneous to the first attestation of the rhyme.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_King_Cole

Mar 28 2025, 9:26 PM
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