Elephant of Henry III

The elephant of Henry III (c. 1245 – 14 February 1257) was an animal of the king's Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London. The elephant is thought to be one given by Egypt to Louis IX of France as a diplomatic gift during the Seventh Crusade. The animal was given to Henry III as he was travelling through France in late 1254. It was kept for a while at Wissant on the northern French coast, whilst transport was arranged to England.

The elephant arrived in England in early 1255 and a special house for it was constructed at the Lion's Tower of the Tower of London. It was the first elephant to be seen in the country since the Roman invasion of 43 AD. The animal attracted crowds of onlookers including the chronicler Matthew Paris who produced two drawings of it. The elephant survived in the Tower until 14 February 1257. It was buried in the Tower's bailey, but exhumed for unknown reasons by Henry in 1258.