Diplomatic gifts were, and still are, a means through which to solidify bonds between different countries and express goodwill. Animals have long been particularly popular gifts, as they are often exotic to the receiving party and act as living, breathing reminders of the positive relationship between two peoples, even if this is to the detriment […]
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The Royal Menagerie in the Tower of London In the early thirteenth century, London saw the emergence of a job that had hitherto been unnecessary in the thriving, medieval city. In the year 1210, King John I (r. 1199–1216) came into the possession of some lions, necessitating a permanent wage to be put aside for […]
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As the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and king of both Sicily and Germany, Frederick II (1194–1250) was one of the most powerful figures of the High Middle Ages. He was a patron of the arts, a statesman, architect, scholar, poet and composer, as well as a speaker of Latin, Sicilian, German, French, Greek and […]
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In 1895, cat-lover and self-asserted feline linguist Marvin R. Clark gifted the world with the powerhouse that is Pussy and Her Language. While the name might raise a few eyebrows today, Clark’s motivations were altruistic and motivated by his love of the species. With this work, he promoted the idea that cats could indeed communicate, […]
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