History of London

London has a rich and interesting recorded history going back about 2,000 years covering numerous highs and lows, resulting in the citys place today as one of the worlds leading financial, cultural and entertainment centres.

Roman London

The first significant settlement in the area was established by the Romans in AD43, and was named Londinium. This initial settlement was short-lived, with the Iceni and Queen Boudica taking the city before a prolonged period of fighting and the believed Roman slaughter of 80,000 Britons, resulted in the Romans re-establishing control. London went through an unsteady period until the Roman Empire began to decline and by the 5th century London was effectively abandoned.

Saxon and Norman London

After the Romans left, London was occupied by Anglo-Saxons, although attacks from the Vikings were common. Under the reign of King Alfred, London began to become an important commercial centre, although not the capital. After victory at the battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy) was crowned King of England in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day. It was under William that the Tower of London was built, and under William II that Westminster became the centre of government, ultimately resulting in London replacing Winchester as the capital of England in the 12th century.

Medieval London

Medieval London had a myriad of narrow and winding streets with wooden buildings and poor sanitation, meaning fire and disease were a constant danger. Between the Black Death in the 14th century and the Great Plague in 1666, London had 16 outbreaks of plague. In 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England, and styled himself as the King of Great Britain, although the nations didnt legally merge until 1707. James I had strong anti-Catholic views, making him unpopular and resulting in an assassination attempt, the so-called Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Another significant event in Londons history was the Great Fire of 1666, which raged for three days, wiping out most of the medieval city and this event is often attributed to marking the end of plague as the fire killed the disease, which had been spreading via the rat population.

Growth and prosperity

London enjoyed a period of great growth and prosperity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and for around 100 years was the largest city in the world. The development of the railway from London made it increasingly accessible, and London began to expand into neighbouring settlements. The expansion and pull of people to the capital showed no signs of slowing, especially as the worlds first underground railway system, the London Underground, was opened with much fanfare in 1863. Although the system is much maligned today, total passenger journeys are close to a staggering 1 billion a year.

Modern London

German bombing in WWII destroyed a large number of Londons buildings and the resulting rebuilding over the years has seen a range of architectural styles emerge across the city. The years following WWII saw large-scale immigration, especially from Commonwealth countries, transforming London into to one of the most culturally and racially diverse cities in the world and giving the city so much of its character today. London today is one of the worlds leading financial and cultural centres, and in 2005 was awarded the 2012 Olympics, which will make London the only city to have hosted the games three times.