The Tower of London
Mysteries, murder and power
Tower of London
William the Conqueror as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry
After his victory at the Battle of Hasting, in 1066, King William the Conqueror of England and Duke of Normandy ordered the construction of a vast network of fortifications. As a result, 36 new castles were built, including the Tower of London. Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, was made responsible for its construction. It is worth noting, that Normans used timber, not stone, to build their castles.
Gundulf
A Norman settlement
The first expansion of the castle occurred during the reign of king Richard I (1189-1199). However, Richard was busy fighting Saladin in Levant during the Third Crusade, so William Longchamp, king's Lord Chancellor, handled the task.
King Richard I
In the 13th century, king Henry III (1216-1272) and king Edward I (1272-1307) extended the castle, creating as it stands today. One of the most notorious story about the Tower is the story of the princes. In 1483, king Edward IV died and was succeeded by his son, Edward V.
Edward IV
Edward V
However, because he was only 13 years old, the prince was too young to rule. Therefore, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and uncle of Edward V was declared Lord Protector and ordered that Edward and Richard, his younger brother, to be confined in the Tower of London. In the summer of 1483, our little princes vanished and they were never seen again. In consequence, Lord Richard was crowned as King Richard III of England, thus supporting the theory that he killed them both.
Richard III
Edward and Richard
From the 16th century onwards, the Tower's role as a royal residence declined and it was used as a jail for political prisoners or as a deposit for guns and ammunition. Today, it is the home of The Crown Jewels of England.
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