London History

Romans To Normans (Ad 43-1042)

London was originally known as Londinium, with its Roman foundations in AD 43. Commercially minded Aulus Plautius converted an area of marsh and farmsteads into a focal point of trade, building a bridge ...more

The Middle Ages (1042-1485)

Canute’s successors held onto England until 1042, when Æthelred’s son St. Edward the Confessor became king. London owes its status as capital to Edward, who restricted Royal Councils to meeting ...more

Tudors And Stuarts (1485-1685)

The Tudor Age is probably best known for its drama—made into many a Hollywood movie—beginning with Henry VIII and his renouncement of the Catholic Church in 1534. The formation of the Anglican Church ...more

The Enlightened City (1685-1783)

The Parliamentary overthrow of James II in 1688 was considered both a “bloodless” and “glorious” revolution. Under the new leadership of the Dutch William and Mary, London gradually supplanted ...more

From Regency To Empire (1783-1901)

There could be no mistaking the Prince of Wales (the future George IV) for his staid father. From the moment he turned 21 in 1783, the prince was known for his flamboyant opposition of his father’s ...more

The 20th Century

Although Edward VII did not succeed his mother until 1901, Victorian morality had already begun to crumble during the “naughty nineties,” when two Irish-born Londoners, taboo-breaking George Bernard ...more