Monday October 7, 2024, 12:09
Legend has it that six of these animals must always live in the fort to prevent the royalty from falling.
The ravens, within the British monarchy, are linked to a prophecy heard by King Charles II, the great-great-grandfather of King Charles III.
Now, another of the famous birds of the English monarchy has died, with its head trapped in its cage before being attacked by other birds.
Thus, this is the third crow to die in the last three years at the famous Tower of London.
The evil prophecy behind the ravens at the Tower of London
Legend has it that King Charles II heard a story that said that if one day the crows abandoned a tower located on the banks of the Thames, it would collapse and take the kingdom of England with it.
Since that day, members of the Yeomen Warders, the body of guards in charge of guarding this medieval castle, took charge of these birds and ensure that at least six of them remain in the place, as dictated by the rules promulgated by the deceased king long ago.
Each of the birds is assigned a name. The last to die was Gripp.
The other “victims” were named Erin and Rex, who died in August 2022 and September 2024, respectively. These birds are quickly replaced, so that the total number is always six animals. At the moment, the crows guarding the place are Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar and Branwen.
Who is the guardian of the crows
Since March, Michael “Barney” Chandler, 57, commander of the Royal Marines, has been leading the charge as “master of the crows,” a role he takes very seriously. Dressed in a black and red uniform, famous for its round, flat-brimmed hat, he leads a team of four men charged with feeding, caring for and monitoring the birds.
The former Royal Navy commander had no particular interest in birds before arriving at the Tower of London 14 years ago. “What attracted me at first was the legend, I think. And then working with them, it became second nature. “I fell in love with crows,” said Chandler, who noted that these small beings he protects have “extreme intelligence.”
For man, each crow has a unique personality, which can be discovered by visitors on each tourist walk through the place. “They are very homebodies, so even if they are free during the day they do not go out,” explained the specialist. The most rebellious of all these beings would be Branwen, who has been refusing to sleep with his companions for years, but who does not abandon his place either.
One of the measures taken by the crow guards is to cut several feathers from one wing so that they cannot fly too high and thus escape. In the Tower they can survive 20 years, compared to between 10 and 15 years in the wild. The oldest crow lived for 44 years. /The 100
