A Royal Gift from the North
In 1252, King Haakon IV of Norway sent King Henry III of England an unusual diplomatic gift: a white bear, most likely a polar bear. The bear became part of the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London, already home to animals like lions from Emperor Frederick II.
Life at the Tower
The bear lived in the Tower and had a Norwegian handler. Henry III, shocked by the cost of its upkeep, passed the responsibility to the sheriffs of London. In 1253, he ordered that the bear be allowed to swim and fish in the River Thames, muzzled and chained, tethered to a rope.
A Daily Spectacle
Crowds gathered daily to watch the bear fish for sturgeon and salmon in the Thames. It became one of the city’s top attractions, second only to the elephant gifted in 1255. Traffic was halted to allow the bear safe passage to the river.
A Lasting Image
Another white bear was recorded at the Tower in 1287, likely from Svalbard. Later monarchs also kept polar bears. Thebear’s fame endured in pub names like “The White Bear” and even on 17th-century merchant tokens.
In 1252, King Haakon IV of Norway sent an extraordinary gift to King Henry III of England: a white bear, likely a polar bear.
Kept at the Tower of London, this animal soon became a sensation, drawing crowds eager to watch its daily outings to the River Thames…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/8DeBxgvnTE
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) May 16, 2025