Unless they can find some specific reference to the Barbary lions in period documents, I don’t see how they could know anything at all about how they got there.

I think about that stuff too, Shea, like how poachers would be hung for catching a rabbit in the Royal Forests. It’s amazing to think about that kind of callous wealth and control contrasted with regular people’s lives.

it seems to me not much can be gleaned about the pattern of the traffic from knowing about the mere existence of the lions in the middle ages

Well, the specific origin of any animal remains found might give a hint about trade routes and/or trade agreements. Not much to go on, for sure, but a hint at where to start looking maybe.

Interesting story, though. The whole idea of a “Royal Menagerie” is kinda fascinating when you consider the entire social structure of the time period…were citizens starving but the lions fed? That kinda thing always comes to my mind