According to legend, ravens came to the fortress attracted by the smell of the corpses of the Kingdom's enemies, killed near the White Tower in 1554. The practice of keeping birds in captivity to protect the Kingdom probably dates back to King Charles II, who was on the throne from 1660. According to legend, the royal astronomer John Flamsteed complained to the ruler that birds were disturbing him in his observations. He tried to get the king to kill them and almost succeeded. However, when the king received information that if the birds left the tower, the empire would collapse, the king changed his mind and decided that at least six ravens should permanently live in the Tower.
