London is a city with a rich history, much of which can be traced through the many interesting and gruesome tales of the Tower of London. Originally just one tower, over the years it expanded into a powerful fortress that also housed a royal palace, a chapel, an armory and even London’s first zoo.
In 1066, when Edward the Confessor died without an heir, William, Duke of Normandy, claimed that he had been promised the throne. He invaded and defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings (hence the name William the Conqueror). London’s leaders eventually turned the city over to him without a fight. Knowing firsthand how easy it was to take London, he immediately set to building defenses for the city. The White Tower, the oldest part of the Tower of London, was built by him at this time.
Skip ahead to 1483, and the very suspicious circumstances surrounding the crowning of King Richard III. When Edward IV died, his 12-year-old son was to become king. Since he was so young, his uncle Richard became Protector of the Realm. While preparations were being made for the coronation, the boy and his younger brother were taken to the tower to stay in the royal quarters. However, the two young princes “mysteriously disappeared” and Richard was crowned king instead. In 1670, the skeletons belonging to two boys of about 10 and 12 were discovered near what is now referred to as the Bloody Tower.
A history of London is not complete without mentioning Henry VIII. There have been ten executions on the Tower Green at the Tower of London, and he was responsible for four of them—two of which were his wives. His daughters Mary and Elizabeth each had someone executed here as well. The prison cells in the Tower of London were always full to bursting under the Tudors’ bloody reign. You can see the 400-year-old graffiti left by these prisoners in the Beauchamp Tower.
There are plenty of other neat things to see at the Tower of London. For instance, you can stop in and see the Crown Jewels in the Jewel House. Nearly the entire collection had to be replaced after the original Crown Jewels were destroyed, melted down or sold following the end of the civil war in 1651. At that time, the monarchy was dissolved and Charles I was executed for treason. Ten years later, his son, Charles II, found himself in the awkward position of preparing for a coronation without a crown. He quickly collected a new set of Crown Jewels, some of which are still used by the monarchy and are on display today. Highlights of the collection include the crown used for the coronation ceremony, the crown worn by the Queen when she addresses Parliament each year, and the Great Star of Africa – a 530.2 carat diamond added to the scepter in 1910.
As you walk around the Tower of London, keep an eye out for the tower’s six resident ravens. Legend has it that if they ever leave the tower, the kingdom will fall. Not surprisingly, Charles II was the first to insist the ravens be protected. There are actually seven ravens at the tower; they keep a spare for when a raven goes AWOL or has to be fired.
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