Konkurs realioznawczy - Ravens of the Tower of London

The Tower of London is famous for its ravens, also known as ‘The Guardians of the Tower’. It is not known when the birds first came to the fortress on the banks of the River Thames, but their presence there is surrounded by legend, and it is believed that the kingdom and the Tower of London will fall if the birds ever leave the fortress. 

Even though the origins of the legend are not known, the prophecy is taken very seriously, and seven ravens are kept at the Tower of London at all times – there is always one spare bird, just in case!

Ravens have probably inhabited the Tower of London for centuries. Many prisoners were executed there, and the ravens were attracted to the dead bodies. It was said that at the execution of Anne Boleyn who was Henry VIII’s second wife, the ravens of the Tower sat silent and were looking at the strange scene. The birds behaved much worse during the execution of Lady Jane Gray and they pecked the eyes from the queen’s severed head.

According to legend, the official court astronomer of King Charles II complained that the birds constantly interfered with his work from the White Tower by flying past his telescope and making it harder for him to observe the sky.

Thus, the monarch ordered that the birds should be removed from the fortress. However, before they were banished, King Charles II was warned by a witch that if the ravens ever left the Tower, the monarchy would crumble, and England would fall. On second thoughts, the monarch decided to let the birds stay at the fortress and decreed that the Tower would always be the home to six ravens., Unfortunately, the decision did not help him much, as he was beheaded at the end of England’s Civil War, in 1685.

However the story originated, the tradition is still very much alive, and the ravens at the Tower enjoy a very comfortable life. They are looked after by a full-time keeper called the Raven Master and their diet consists of fresh fruit, cheese, meat, and biscuits soaked in blood.

Ravens are known to be very intelligent, and they were often kept as pets in Victorian times, in the late 19th century. Interestingly, they may have become popular thanks to Edgar Allan Poe who wrote many famous ghost stories where the black birds were often featured. Nowadays, it is believed that the tradition of having ravens at the Tower started with these pets, and the legend was born later. Whether the future of the kingdom really depends on them or not, ravens of the Tower are one of the most popular tourist attractions in London!