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KING HENRY III’ s MENAGERIE
THE TOWER OF LONDON | LONDON | ENGLAND
The Royal Menagerie was founded by King John in the early 1200’s and it soon became home to more than 60 species of animal.
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The Tower menagerie began because of medieval monarchs exchanging rare and strange animals as royal gifts.
This began a long tradition of kings and queens keeping exotic animals as symbols of power and for the entertainment and curiosity of the court.
From the 1200’s to 1835, the Tower housed a menagerie of exotic wild animals, neverbefore seen in London, including lions and a polar bear...
WORDS: FAITH MILLWARD
IMAGES: COURTESY OF THE HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES
