On TIL someone claimed that Henry III of England received both a polar bear from Norway and an Elephant from France as gifts. Is there any evidence for this claim? If so, were large animals as gifts customary?

by Aicx
the_8th_henry

Yes. The Tower of London actually had a large menagerie for much of its history. Gifts of rare and exotic animals were somewhat common gifts between monarchs as a means to show their wealth and far-ranging power.

Today, the only real remnant of the Tower's menagerie is the raven enclosure.

Source: Tower: An Epic History of the Tower of London by Nigel Jones