Carolingian Ivory: Moving the Emperor's Elephant Across Medieval Europe

In the dawn of the ninth century, the most powerful man in Europe received a gift that bordered on the impossible. Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was presented with a living, breathing Asian elephant named Abul-Abbas, sent by the legendary Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid. While the diplomatic intent was clear, the practical execution was a logistical nightmare of epic proportions. How does one ...