Editing Tower of London (section)

=={{anchor|Royal Menagerie, Tower of London}}Royal Menagerie==
[[File:Elephant sculpture by Kendra Haste, Tower of London.jpg|thumb|Wire elephant sculpture at the tower by [[Kendra Haste]]]]
There is evidence that [[John, King of England|King John]] (1166–1216) first started keeping wild animals at the Tower.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kristen Deiter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nvGTAgAAQBAJ&q=tower+of+london+menagerie&pg=PA34 |title=The Tower of London in English Renaissance Drama: Icon of Opposition |date=23 February 2011 |isbn=9781135894061 |page=34| publisher=Routledge }}</ref><ref name="independent1">{{Cite news |last=Steve Connor |date=25 March 2008 |title=Royal Menagerie lions uncovered |work=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/royal-menagerie-lions-uncovered-800351.html |url-status=dead |accessdate=22 August 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924191557/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/royal-menagerie-lions-uncovered-800351.html |archivedate=24 September 2017}}</ref> Records of 1210–1212 show payments to lion keepers.<ref name="royalarmouries">{{Cite web |title=Menagerie |url=https://royalarmouries.org/power-house/institutions-of-the-tower/menagerie |accessdate=21 July 2017 |publisher=Royal Armouries}}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The Royal [[Menagerie]] is frequently referenced during the reign of [[Henry III of England|Henry III]]. Holy Roman Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] presented Henry with three [[leopard]]s, {{circa|1235}}, which were kept in the Tower.<ref name="natgeo">{{Cite web |date=11 November 2005 |title=Medieval Lion Skulls Reveal Secrets of Tower of London "Zoo" |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1103_051103_tower_lions.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051105025912/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1103_051103_tower_lions.html |url-status=dead |archivedate=5 November 2005 |website=National Geographic}}</ref> In 1252, the sheriffs<!-- are these the [[Sheriffs of the City of London]]?--> were ordered to pay fourpence a day towards the upkeep of the [[White bear of Henry III|King's polar bear]], a gift from [[Haakon IV of Norway]] in the same year; the bear attracted a great deal of attention from Londoners when it went fishing in the [[Thames]] while tied to the land by a chain.<ref name="Parnell 1993 54" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Historic Royal Palaces |title=Discover The Incredible Tales Of The Tower Of London's Royal Beasts |url=http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerofLondon/Stories/Palacehighlights/RoyalBeasts/Stories |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204153554/http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerofLondon/Stories/Palacehighlights/RoyalBeasts/Stories |archivedate=4 December 2013 |website=hrp.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=Matthew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4LBNDQAAQBAJ&q=polar+bear+tower+of+london+fished+in+the+thames&pg=PP143 |title=Henry III: The Son of Magna Carta |date=2016 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=9781445653587}}</ref> In 1254 or 1255, Henry III received [[Elephant of Henry III|an African elephant]] from [[Louis IX]] of France depicted by [[Matthew Paris]] in his {{lang|la|[[Chronica Majora]]}}. A wooden structure was built to house the elephant, measuring {{cvt|12.2|x|6.1|m}}.<ref name="royalarmouries" /><ref name="Parnell 1993 54">{{harvnb|Parnell|1993|p=54}}</ref> The animal died in 1258, possibly because it was given red wine, but also perhaps because of the cold [[climate of England]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mount |first=Toni |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WcZ5DAAAQBAJ&q=tower+of+london+african+elephant+Louis+IX&pg=PT180 |title=A Year in the Life of Medieval England |date=15 May 2016 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=9781445652405 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
In 1288, [[Edward I]] added a [[lion]] and a [[lynx]] and appointed the first official Keeper of the animals.<ref name="books.google.ca">{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Nigel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AuvepzgkYMgC&q=tower+of+london+menagerie+Edward+III+added+several+animals&pg=PA23 |title=Tower: An Epic History of the Tower of London |date=2 October 2012 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=9781250018144 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
[[Edward III]] added other types of animals, two lions, a leopard and two [[European wildcat|wildcats]]. Under subsequent kings, the number of animals grew to include additional cats of various types, [[jackal]]s, [[hyena]]s, and an old [[brown bear]], Max, gifted to [[Henry VIII]] by [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Maximilian]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=William Harrison Ainsworth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WxQlAAAAMAAJ&q=tower+of+london+menagerie&pg=PA249 |title=The Tower of London: An Historical Romance |year=1858 |page=249}}</ref> In 1436, during the time of [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]], all the lions died and the employment of Keeper William Kerby was terminated.<ref name="books.google.ca" />

Historical records indicate that a semi-circular structure or [[barbican]] was built by Edward I in 1277; this area was later named the Lion Tower, to the immediate west of the Middle Tower. Records from 1335 indicate the purchase of a lock and key for the lions and leopards, also suggesting they were located near the western entrance of the Tower. By the 1500s that area was called the Menagerie.<ref name="royalarmouries" /> Between 1604 and 1606 the Menagerie was extensively refurbished and an exercise yard was created in the moat area beside the Lion Tower. An overhead platform was added for viewing of the lions by the royals, during [[lion baiting]], for example in the time of [[James VI and I|James I]]. Reports from 1657 include mention of six lions, increasing to 11 by 1708, in addition to other types of cats, [[eagle]]s, [[owl]]s and a jackal.<ref name="royalarmouries" />
[[File:Skull of a Barbary Lion (25297910567).jpg|thumb|Skull of a [[Barbary lion]] that was kept at Tower of London, [[Natural History Museum, London|Natural History Museum]]]]
By the 18th century, the menagerie was open to the public; admission cost three half-pence or a cat or dog to be fed to the lions. By the end of the century, that had increased to 9 pence.<ref name="royalarmouries" /><ref>{{harvnb|Blunt|1976|p=17}}</ref> A particularly famous inhabitant was [[Old Martin]], a large [[grizzly bear]] given to [[George III]] by the [[Hudson's Bay Company]] in 1811.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tower of London: Discover The Wild Beasts That Once Roamed The Royal Menagerie |url=http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit-us/top-things-to-see-and-do/royal-beasts/the-royal-menagerie/the-beasts-within/#gs.pK8nWJ0 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325025611/http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit-us/top-things-to-see-and-do/royal-beasts/the-royal-menagerie/the-beasts-within/#gs.pK8nWJ0 |archivedate=25 March 2017 |accessdate=24 March 2017 |publisher=Historic Royal Palaces}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=18 October 1999 |title=Tower's old grizzly back on show |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/oct/18/maevkennedy}}</ref> An 1800 inventory also listed a [[tiger]], leopards, a hyena, a large [[baboon]], various types of [[monkey]]s, [[wolves]], and "other animals".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kisling |first=Vernon N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulbMBQAAQBAJ&q=tower+of+london+menagerie+opened+as+a+zoo+public+shillings&pg=PA51 |title=Zoo and Aquarium History: Ancient Animal Collections To Zoological Gardens |date=18 September 2000 |isbn=9781420039245 |page=51|publisher=CRC Press }}</ref> By 1822, however, the collection included only a grizzly bear, an elephant, and some birds. Additional animals were then introduced.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Edward Turner |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p1RjAAAAcAAJ&q=tower+of+london+menagerie&pg=PR15 |title=The Tower Menagerie: Comprising the Natural History of the Animals Contained ... |year=1829 |page=15 |accessdate=21 July 2017}}</ref> In 1828, there were over 280 representing at least 60 species as the new keeper Alfred Copps was actively acquiring animals.<ref>{{Cite book |title=African History at the Tower of London |publisher=Tower Hamlets African and Caribbean Mental Health Organisation |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9551368-7-0 |location=Tower Hamlets |page=16}}</ref>

After the death of [[George IV]] in 1830, a decision was made to close down the Menagerie on the orders of the [[Duke of Wellington]].<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |date=24 October 2005 |title=Big cats prowled London's tower |work=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4371908.stm}}</ref> In 1831, most of the stock was moved to the [[London Zoo]] which had opened in 1828.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Michael Allaby |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KtKZ12YN9qcC&q=tower+of+london+menagerie+opened+as+a+zoo&pg=PT68 |title=Animals: From Mythology to Zoology |year=2010 |isbn=9780816061013 |page=68| publisher=Infobase }}</ref> This decision was made after an incident, although sources vary as to the specifics: either a lion was accused of biting a soldier,<ref name="Parnell 94">{{harvnb|Parnell|1993|p=94}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Parnell |first=Geoffrey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lIJnAAAAMAAJ&q=geoffrey+parnell+tower+of+London+Menagerie+1835 |title=Book of the Tower of London |date=2 December 1993 |publisher=B. T. Batsford |isbn=9780713468649 |ref=none |via=Google Books}}</ref> or Ensign Seymour had been bitten by a monkey.<ref name="royalarmouries" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=18 October 1999 |title=Tower's old grizzly back on show |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/oct/18/maevkennedy}}</ref> The last of the animals left in 1835, relocated to [[Regent's Park]]. The Menagerie buildings were removed in 1852 but the Keeper of the Royal Menagerie was entitled to use the Lion Tower as a house for life. Consequently, even though the animals had long since left the building, the tower was not demolished until the death of Copps, the last keeper, in 1853.<ref name="Parnell 94" />

In 1999, physical evidence of lion cages was found, one being {{cvt|2|x|3|metres}} in size, very small for a lion that can grow to be {{cvt|2.5|m|}} long.<ref name=natgeo/> In 2008, the skulls of two male [[Barbary lion]]s (now extinct in the wild) from northwest Africa were found in the moat area of the Tower. Radiocarbon tests dated them from 1280 to 1385 and 1420–1480.<ref name="independent1" /> In 2011, an exhibition was hosted at the Tower with fine wire sculptures by [[Kendra Haste]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Royal Beasts at Tower of London |url=http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/royal-beasts-at-tower-of-london-article-10531.html |publisher=View London |accessdate=14 April 2011}}</ref>