London's History
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The history of London
London, the capital of Great Britain, is one of the biggest metropolises in the world today. But this hasn’t always been the case. In the long run, it had to fight a hard struggle before it became what it is nowadays.
This report tells the story of an insignificant military town that changed into an internationally acknowledged city over the centuries.
1. Roman London:
The first roots of settlement go back to Roman times.
In AD 43 the Roman commander Aulus Plautius landed with his troops in Kent. On his way to Colchester, Britain’s most important town in those days, he had to traverse the river Thames. In order to cross the river, Aulus built a wooden bridge. Surprisingly this Roman bridge was only a few yards east from where London bridge is located today.
Soon an infrastructure of commerce and trade was established in the town that had been built by military forces to defend the bridge. This attracted a lot of settlers and the town began to grow. People got used to calling it Londinium, a name rooted in the Celtic language and based on a previous farmstead that had once been located here.
But the military control over the bridge was not the only reason for the settlement since the area was also well-drained, low-lying and geographically suitable for brick making. As a similar comparison can be made pertaining to the Thames’s banks being suitable for berthing ships.
Unfortunately peace didn’t stay long, already in AD 60, a hostile native tribe burnt the whole town to the grounds to show the Romans their disgust about the new Roman ruler. Nevertheless, the town was rebuilt and even expanded soon afterwards. It also became the residence of the Roman governor as well as the economical and financial centre in Britain, because it was the most convenient place to travel to other cities on the island and even to reach the continent.
By AD 200, social institutions like bath houses and theatres adapted the life in London completely to the Roman culture.
And to make sure that there wouldn’t be any attacks again, the Roman military set up a wall around the city. Today, this wall can still be seen as it delimits the inner city of London.
2. Dark Age London:
After a period of successful growth in London, a short period of decay, lawlessness and disor- der followed, called the Dark Ages. Legends like the one of King Arthur are rooted in that period since we still have little knowledge on this era. But some facts have been recorded by history anyway.
After the Romans had drawn back their soldiers to fight against the German tribes on the continent, Londinium became very insecure and most people moved away, leaving their houses in ruins. Although many had complained about the Roman policies being to harsh, a lot of people considered them to be necessary to guarantee basic rights then.
Therefore some residuary people, who didn’t want to move, gathered together and founded a town called “Caer-Lundein” which became the capital of a small kingdom.
In this way, London’s commerce experienced a brief revival by trading with people from the east Mediterranean.
Despite the political loss of bearings, architecture, art and schola rship progressed as well.
3. Anglo-Saxon London:
But London’s location had too many advantages to be ignored as a centre of commerce and would not decline. After the arrival of Christianity in Great Britain, St Paul’s Cathedral was built in AD 604 and the town began to see economic growth again. By the 9th century the prosperous city attracted the attention of the Danish king who burnt it to the ground. So Lon- don was completely destroyed for a second time, but this wouldn’t last long. In the time that followed, several kings from different nationalities (English, Danish and Norman) ruled the city.
The Danish king Cnut (Canute) even succeeded in uniting the Danes with the Anglo-Saxons so that Danish merchants who expanded the trade with foreign nations could come to London.
After Cnut’s death, Edward the Confessor, who had been raised up in Normandy, became king of London. As his name already indicates, he was a very religious man and therefore he was responsible for having Westminster Abbey built. Due to his childhood in Normandy, he was able to bring his religious beliefs to London as well as French influences and trade.
4. Medieval London:
Finally in the 11th century, London managed a major breakthrough as it became the capital of Great Britain and it was also given the rights to self-govern.
Under William the Conqueror, who had been crowed king of England in 1066 after winning the Battle of Hastings, the city became the outstanding commercial centre of the time. Mer- chants from everywhere came to work in London. They soon organized themselves in so called “guilds” for each profession and they passed laws which controlled the commerce and trade within the city. To hold on to that market boom, the Magna Charta guaranteed them the protection of liberty, so that London was securing freedom and even rights for its citizens.
At that time, London’s political structure and policies represented the most progressive form of government in Europe.
The urban planning changed as well into a modern one because the Londoner inhabitants began to build stone houses to protect themselves against the regular fires and the plague (which broke out 16 times between 1348 and 1665).
The Tower of London was built to be a royal place, but it should later become famous as a prison, since the Palace of Westminster replaced it as the prime royal residence. In 1176 the first stone bridge over the Thames was built which should remain the only one until 1739. The Catholics built many new churches as well, a hint at the great influence of the church in Me- dieval times.
5. Tudor London:
After that long period of complete predominance of the Catholic church, the Reformation brought some new ideas to London. According to the predestination taught by the Calvinists, every amusement and pleasure was treated with contempt because they wasted only workers time.
Henry the VIII’s break with the Catholic church in 1534 also set a milestone for the time.
From then onwards, London was not only the capital of Great Britain, but also head of church since the king, who was given power over clerical affairs, lived there. Of course, the residence of the archbishop of the Anglican Church, Canterbury, could also increase its importance then.
On the whole, religion and combats over the right way to receive salvation dominated that century. That was why a lot of Catholic monasteries in London were pulled down or converted into other institutions of the Anglican Church. Today, only the names of the areas remind us of their initial use (for example, Whitefriars and Blackfriars)
6. Stuart London:
In the first half of the next century the Protectorate and Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell still banished all kinds of amusement, since the rulers of the country belonged to a group of extreme Puritans.
(Commonwealth: name of the English republic between 1649-1660. It was extended to Scotland and Ireland through the Protectorate’s Constitution of 1653)
The restoration of monarchy in 1660 brought finally some innovations when entertainment became fashionable again. This was also a time of extensive house building, started after the Great Fire of 1666, which, for a third time, had completely destroyed the city again. This ex- plains the reason why it is very difficult to find buildings that date to an earlier century.
New churches, which still can be seen today, were also raised up by the famous architect Christopher Wren.
Unfortunately the misfortune of the Stuart era didn’t end in the Great Fire, the century was also overshadowed by the worst outbreak of the plague since the Middle Ages and the huge tolls in loss of life (an estimated 70 000 to 100 000 people died altogether) caused panic among the Londoners.
7. Georgian London:
But as soon as the plague had disappeared, London began to prosper again. The revival of the Palladian style led to new house building and a clear progress in architecture and art. The British Museum and Buckingham Place are the most famous buildings erected in that century.
A second bridge, Westminster Bridge, helped to carry the extended traffic across the Thames.
So-called “coffee houses” for business, amusement, social and political activities opened up as well. These allowed people to gather in large groups to discuss politics, news, events and trade.
The most famous one, New Jonathan’s, later became the London Stock Exchange because the merchants always went there to conduct their business. It wasn’t only commerce and trade that profited from the better economic situation, but also the social life as entertainment in pleasure gardens became very common as a new form of amusement.
As each period sees its ups and downs, this century also contained a cala mity after the first half of it had passed by so well.
After the English War in 1780 and the demise of extreme Protestantism, new riots, that terri- fied the authorities, came up again because the king had granted basic rights to the Catholic population of London in the Catholic Relief Act. The invention of the printing press and newspapers even helped to distribute the reformers’ ideas.
But before these revolts cause major damage, the government fortunately managed to suppress them by using strong means.
8. Victorian London:
In times of Queen Victoria, the Industrial Revolution took place and the city quic kly turned into an area of contrasts: The golden age of steam, like this century is often called, brought technological progress (trains, underground railways and the steam engine) on the on hand, but on the other, these inventions brought environmental problems like air pollution and noise as well. But not only nature had to pay its tribute, too many workers without a job and overpopulation caused by the mass immigration of peasants from the countryside led to grave social problems and poverty in London. Many Irish fled to the capital in 1848 in the hope that they could evade the Potato famine in Ireland this way.
In contrast to the working class (often called proletariat), there were the rich ones who earned a lot of money and lived in huge villas in the city.
They brought money to the city to build the National Gallery as well as Big Ben, the most famous clock tower of Europe. It’s interesting to note that the name Big Ben is based on an error since it only refers to the big bells themselves and not to the large clock outside, as most people think.
Additionally John Nash, George IV’s favourite architect, designed a lot of wide avenues like Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus.
At the end of this century of development and industrialization , London was flourishing and home to over 6 million people.
9. 20th century London:
In the 20th century, the century of wars, London experienced its last destructions. The First World War was devastating to London, as many people died and the recently built theatres, department stores (Harrod’s, opened in 1905) and luxury hotels like the Ritz were mostly destroyed by Zeppelin bombs.
As a result of the war, the time that followed was characterized by unemployment and pov- erty.
Then, just before the second world war broke out, a lot of Jews immigrated to London, searching for shelter against Hitler’s persecution. Most of them settled down in the West End and helped to set up a proper economy again.
From 1938 on, London was partly evacuated and many people moved to the countryside since they feared German attacks.
In 1940, the Germans actually assaulted London, flattened most of the buildings and killed more than 30 000 people. Over 1/3 of the area was completely destroyed and many monu- ments devastated. Fortunately some buildings like St Paul’s Cathedral only experienced minor damage.
When the war was finally over, a heavy immigration wave washed over London when people from the former colonies of the British Empire came to settle down in London, the ones from Hong Kong in Soho, the Caribbean people in Notting Hill, Indians in Southall and Cypriots in Finsbury.
The immoderate immigration stopped a few decades later as well as the extensive house building. The last big project, the Millennium Dome, opened on January 1st, 2000.
Today, London is again a prosperous city with more than 7 million inhabitants. Although the urban district is always changing, London will remain the same beautiful city as it has been for many years. Without mischievous destruction, the city will finally be able to develop a history that can be seen on a walk through the city and that doesn’t depend on pictures in books, because I think the most interesting thing about the history of cities is to see how old and new live together.
But London doesn’t suffer from this lack of viewable past at all. Every day, lots of tourists come to visit this wonderful, modern capital. Many of them even return again, attracted by London’s friendly atmosphere. As Roger Moore once said: “Go where we may, rest where we will, eternal London haunts us still.”
So u r ces
text
http://www.londonside.com/index2.htm
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/5636/history.html http://www.britainexpress.com/London/history-of-london.htm http://www.lineone.net/encyclopedia/history/c--dark_ages-d.html
photos
http://goeurope.about.com/library/zvuk/blg-uk_london_index.htm?once=true& http://www.geocities.com/kenzington1/london.html
http://www.birchhayconsulting.com/pictures.htm http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/home.htm
Frequently asked questions
What is "London's History" about?
The text provides a historical overview of London, from its Roman origins to the 20th century, detailing its growth, periods of decline and revival, and significant events that shaped the city.
When did the first settlements in London occur?
The first settlements date back to Roman times, around AD 43 when Roman commander Aulus Plautius built a bridge across the Thames.
What was Londinium?
Londinium was the Roman name for London, derived from a Celtic term, and it grew as a commercial and trade center around the Roman bridge.
What happened to London during the Dark Ages?
After the Romans withdrew, London experienced a period of decay and lawlessness, known as the Dark Ages, with many people leaving the city.
How did Anglo-Saxon London emerge?
After the arrival of Christianity, St Paul's Cathedral was built in AD 604, leading to economic growth, although the city was later destroyed by the Danish king. Several kings ruled the city.
What was the significance of Medieval London?
London became the capital of Great Britain in the 11th century and was given the rights to self-govern. Guilds formed to control commerce, and the Magna Charta guaranteed liberties. Stone houses were built to protect against fires and the plague.
What changes occurred in Tudor London?
The Reformation brought new ideas, and Henry the VIII's break with the Catholic church made London not only the capital but also the head of the church. Monasteries were converted to Anglican institutions.
How did Stuart London evolve?
The Protectorate and Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell initially banned entertainment, but the restoration of monarchy in 1660 brought innovations. The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed much of the city. The century was also marked by a devastating plague outbreak.
What characterized Georgian London?
London prospered again, seeing a revival of the Palladian style and the construction of new buildings like the British Museum and Buckingham Place. Coffee houses became important social and political hubs.
What were the key features of Victorian London?
The Industrial Revolution brought technological progress, but also environmental and social problems like air pollution, poverty, and overpopulation. The National Gallery and Big Ben were built. John Nash designed wide avenues.
What was the impact on London in the 20th century?
London experienced destruction during both World Wars. The First World War led to destruction by Zeppelin bombs and later, unemployment and poverty. Post WWII, there were large waves of immigration from former British colonies.
What is London like today?
London is again a prosperous city with more than 7 million inhabitants and a popular tourist destination, blending old and new.
- Citation du texte
- Jenny Wagner (Auteur), 2001, London`s History, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/105255
