Picture this: It’s 1066, and London is about to get a serious makeover, courtesy of some ambitious Frenchmen with pointy helmets and a penchant for castle-building. That’s right, folks – we’re talking about the Norman Conquest, the historical equivalent of an extreme home renovation show, but for an entire country!
Our story begins with a bit of royal drama. Edward the Confessor, King of England, kicks the bucket without leaving an heir. Cue the medieval version of a group chat blowing up, as various claimants start arguing over who should wear the crown. Harold Godwinson, Edward’s brother-in-law, quickly nabs the throne. But across the English Channel, William, Duke of Normandy, is not amused. He claims Edward promised him the kingdom, and he’s not about to let a little thing like the English Channel stop him from collecting.
So, William gathers his army, crosses the Channel (no small feat in those pre-ferry days), and on October 14, 1066, faces off against Harold at the Battle of Hastings. It’s a close fight, but in the end, Harold takes an arrow to the eye (ouch!), and William emerges victorious. Talk about coming, seeing, and conquering!
Now, you might be wondering, “What’s all this got to do with London?” Well, buckle up, because William’s next stop is the big smoke itself. He marches on London, expecting the city to welcome him with open arms. Spoiler alert: they don’t.
The Londoners, showing that famous stubborn streak we know and love today, slam the gates shut and tell William to take a hike. But our Norman duke isn’t easily deterred. He sets up camp, burns a few surrounding villages (not cool, William), and plays the waiting game.
Meanwhile, inside the city, the atmosphere is tenser than a medieval bowstring. The leading citizens, realizing they’re in a bit of a pickle, decide to do the sensible thing. They invite young Edgar Ætheling, the last male member of the old Anglo-Saxon royal family, to become king. Because nothing solves a crisis like crowning a teenage boy, right?
Eventually, though, London’s resistance crumbles faster than a stale trencher. The city’s bigwigs ride out to Berkhamsted, where they meet William and offer him the crown. William, gracious in victory (and probably relieved he doesn’t have to figure out how to storm those massive Roman walls), accepts.
On Christmas Day 1066, William is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey. It’s not exactly a silent night, though. When the crowd inside shouts their approval, the Norman guards outside think it’s an attack and start setting fire to nearby houses. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like accidental arson!
Now that he’s got the crown, William sets about transforming London. His first order of business? Build a castle, of course! The Tower of London begins to rise on the eastern edge of the city, a stark symbol of Norman power. It’s part fortress, part royal residence, part prison, and all intimidating. The message is clear: the Normans are here to stay.
But it’s not all glowering from stone towers. William also issues a charter to the citizens of London, confirming their rights and privileges. It’s written in English, which is a bit ironic considering William reportedly never learned the language himself. (Imagine trying to order a pint in Norman French on a Friday night in Ye Olde Pub!)
Under Norman rule, London starts to grow and prosper. The population booms, reaching about 18,000 by 1100 AD. New markets spring up, and trade flourishes. The Normans, it turns out, are pretty good for business. They introduce new cooking techniques (goodbye, boiled everything!), new fashions (hello, pointy shoes!), and even new words. If you’ve ever beef about the English language, thank the Normans – they gave us words like “beef,” “pork,” and “mutton.”
The Normans also kick off a church-building spree. Old St. Paul’s Cathedral is expanded, and new churches pop up all over the city. If you’ve ever wondered why there are so many churches in the City of London, now you know who to blame (or thank, depending on your views on ecclesiastical architecture).
But it’s not all positive changes. William introduces the feudal system, which isn’t exactly a hit with the locals. He also orders a massive survey of his new kingdom, recorded in the Domesday Book. It’s like a medieval census, but with more doom and gloom – the name literally means “Day of Judgment.”
London, however, gets special treatment. It’s one of only two cities (the other being Winchester) that aren’t fully recorded in the Domesday Book. Why? Well, it might be because London was just too big and complex to survey properly. Or maybe William was still a bit sore about that whole “slamming the gates in his face” incident. We may never know for sure.
As the years roll by, the distinction between Norman and Anglo-Saxon gradually fades. The conquerors and the conquered intermarry, their languages blend (hello, Middle English!), and a new, uniquely English culture begins to emerge. London, always at the forefront, leads the way in this melting pot.
So, there you have it – the Norman Conquest, the event that put the “Norman” in “Anglo-Norman” and set London on the path to becoming the powerhouse we know today. From a rebellious city that dared to say “non” to William, to the heart of a new Anglo-Norman kingdom, London proved once again that it could roll with the punches – or in this case, the arrow shots.
Next time you’re wandering through the Tower of London or admiring the grandeur of Westminster Abbey, spare a thought for William and his Normans. They may have arrived as conquerors, but they ended up laying the foundations for the diverse, dynamic London we know and love today. And that, dear readers, is nothing to say “zut alors” about!
Author: Jonathan Thomas
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.