The Story of London: Recent Episodes
Saul
Presenting The Story of London, a podcast dedicated to telling the history of London as a single narrative tale; from it’s birth until the present day.
1546- a year which saw the full tyranny of Henry VIII bloom across London; when the city was not being forced to buy tonnes of surplus wheat from the King; when it was not celebrating the end of the War with France; and when it was not almost burning the wives of cattle barons… it was dealing with a great many things.
One of these was the closure of its legal red light district over on Bankside, an event which actually caused the spread of illegal sex trade; but it also witnessed a wild year wherein the 6th wife of Henry VIII came within an inch of being arrested for heresy, and an amazing, and bold woman called Anne Askew found herself suffering a horrendous death upon Smithfield. Welcome to the last full year of the life of Henry VIII- it alls it gory detail.
Cover features Portrait of Anne Askew by Hans Eworth (1560)
The Story finds itself in the last years of the reign of Henry VIII- and we find our metropolis a place where innocent simple teenagers are burned alive, where security clampdowns see curfews and house searches, where ships explode on the Thames, where thousands of men leave the streets to march out to war, where the economy contracts, where no one is safe, and where all of this is caused by an obese, diseased, angry, foul tempered man, playing games with people and dragging all down into insanity.
Cover includes portrait of Henry VIII by Cornelis Metsys.
An episode where we look under the surface to see what the cities merchants were doing- and run into some surprising truths; this was London at the birth of modern capitalism, and this chapter takes you though the sophisticated financial operations taking place in the city, the newly emergent international trade in credit, why Antwerp was showing the way London had to follow, and introduce a family who would dominate trade in the city over a few generations; the Gresham dynasty.
Welcome to the ground floor in the revolution that will change London forever…
Cover includes altered picture of the Mercer’s Maid, symbol of the Mercer Livery Company, Dryden Street, London
Henry VIII was a tyrant. He was a brutal, wilful, petulant king, whose desire to do whatever the hell he felt like and deal with the consequences later, had driven his country into uncharted and dangerous waters. And this is his reign made manifest upon the streets of London- a city filled with massive mock battles on the river, accidental shootings of washerwomen, new churches to prevent bodies being dragged through Whitehall Palace, confusing mass executions of both Protestants and Catholics on the same day, parades of soldiers never destined to fight, and the king going through wives faster than some residents went though a decent jacket.
And in all of this- that highest ranked of all London residents, Thomas Cromwell was to fall from power and be put to death. The sheer madness of the king made manifest in a city just trying to cope with his whims…
Cover includes altered version of the portrait of Henry VIII, done by Hans Eworth based on the original by Hans Holbein the Younger (1540-1547)
This weeks chapter examines four busy years in the story of our city- culminating in the first death by shooting in its history; along the way we explore a country descending into resentment, resignation and eventually rebellion as Henry VIII descends into tyranny. We examine the seeming madness of his actions, from the speed and ferocity with which he turned on Ann Boleyn, to the dramatic sudden marriage to Lady Jane Seymour, to suddenly being married to a German princess…
Along the way we look as the city copes with massive rebellions in the north, violent turmoil in Calais, and crucially, explore why the city itself remained peaceful- discovering that while the king increasingly gave way to his own dark passions, perhaps driven there by a near fatal accident, London’s mercers and others began to look to each other for continuity.
Cover includes detail from the portrait of Queen Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein the Younger.
We take a pause from the narrative, to examine, in detail, what the dissolution of the monasteries of London meant for the city- literally, who gained the land and the buildings, what did they do with them, and how much money was made from this?
What we see is series of deals that will influence London for the next few decades, as a plethora of new landlords and new homes erupted, and how a small bunch of people were able to make a fortune out of this.
Cover includes photograph of the blue plaque denoting the site of Grey Friars Monastery, the City of London
We return with the story as we examine the circumstances that saw a drastic change in fortunes for the cities two most powerful residents- for Thomas Cromwell? His rise in power and status, and his leaving of a physical mark upon the very fabric of the city.
For Thomas More? The opposite. The driven man, rushing headlong towards his own death, the circumstances of his life making it impossible to avoid.
And around this, a city on the edge of panic, the politics of the new Queen, and much more, as the Story of London reaches the end of the saga of ‘The Boy from Milk Street’.
Cover features the Portrait of Thomas Cromwell, attributed to Hans Holbein the Younger, c.1533, Frick copy of original.
This week we examine the tale of Elizabeth Barton- holy woman, prophetess, political demagogue and the figure who openly defied Henry VIII over his desire to marry Anne Boleyn. But her story is one which drops us into a world of religious fervour, popular discontent, and public humiliation, as her extraordinary tale reveals the unspoken opposition and helplessness to what the king was doing…
Cover contains a detail from ‘Portrait of a Lady’ by Rogier van der Weyden, c.1460, often erroneously said to be a portrait of Elizabeth Barton.
The complex and convoluted tale of Henry VIII’s break with Rome continues as the myriad passions of the King run headlong into his own doubt, a sudden need for international travel, the issues caused by him consummating his relationship with Anne Boleyn and more.
Meanwhile Westminster was being completely rebuilt, lepers were being cast out onto the streets, and murderous cooks are being boiled alive- welcome to London at the start of the Reformation!
Cover features detail from ‘Portrait of Henry VIII’, c 1520’ by unknown artist.
Surprisingly, the forces that drove the most dramatic changes in England, were born, cultivated and found expression within London. The Story reaches a moment of grand political crisis- Chancellors fall, parliament flexes its muscles, the capricious King makes up arguments as he goes along, and London carries on, providing intellectual and emotional fuel for it all. And while this happens, Thomas More, the judge from Milk Street, ascends the highest position in all the land, while still presiding over cases of London criminality, and being the face of the kings sudden desire to start killing heretics… welcome to the open salvos of the Reformation.
Cover includes a detail of the portrait of Sir Thomas More, by Hans Holbein the Younger (1527),
A episode that explores one thing above all else- the rather soap opera type melodrama of Henry VIII seeking to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon; but while this story dominates domestic and to a degree international politics over these years there is more than just that happening… London has to cope with drought and food shortages, a brutal outbreak of Sweating Sickness, and a growing campaign of religious dissent within the city. A fraught two years indeed…
Cover includes sketch by Hans Holbein the Younger, recently identified by one team as possibly being that of Anne Boleyn; this claim is contested by many.
The mid-1520’s was an era where London was witnessing events both strange and tumultuous; Thomas More was leading armed raids into the homes of German merchants; the war with the Holy Roman Empire against France, suddenly became a war with France against the Holt Roman Empire; where Christmas pageants saw the careers of senior lawyers left in ruins and where a rich young northerner got into trouble for falling in love with an English girl with French style.
This was a few years where the cities life was following a simple trajectory, carrying on as it always did, with new livery halls, and wild bonfires and celebrations and jousts at good news… but behind the mask of the era, something terrible was coming.
Cover includes detail from portrait of Martin Luther, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, c.1525
The early part of the 1520’s was filled with many tales; royal bestsellers provoking a flame war in print; royal visits that saw new bridges built over the Fleet River; scandalous and brutal murders involving beautiful young noble women. Around them all, London continues, coping with mild mass hysteria, Mayors who refuse to take their posts, and a plague outbreak that causes the city to go so quiet with fear, that December it was known as ‘The Still Christmas’.
Cover art features portrait of Charles V, copy by Ruben’s from an original by Titian.
The story re-focuses itself on the city over the next few years; quiet ones in the chronicle of the place, and yet ideal to look over London and its sense of place. By the end of this decade it was to undergo massive changes, so now is a perfect time to remind ourselves of how it looked and felt; from the rise of the booksellers of St Paul’s Churchyard, to the blatant militancy of the Guilds towards foreigners regardless of the Kings fury at the rioters in last chapter; from the curious case of the murder of a tailor whose death started a debate that was to have huge implications in the years to come, to how its houses were built- this is an episode about its sounds, its smells, its people and more.
The city was poised between two ideas of itself- the mythic Troynovant, ancient, unchanging, defined by its traditions; and the imaginary Amaurotum, its dark mirror as reflected in Thomas More’s bestseller, Utopia. And of the event in distant Germany which was to herald in the new age…
Cover features photograph of The London Wall.
On April 30th, 1517 a meeting between an Italian diplomat and the King of England takes place in Richmond Palace. This starts a sequence of events that sees London that night suddenly plunged into a cauldron of violence- a mob of young men rampage from one end of the city to another. And yet… no one is killed. The damage is slight. The riot is over as quickly as it began.
But what comes after that, starting the following dawn, is one of the more horrific events in London’s history; something so traumatic, it is felt a generation later and impacts upon the city for decades. Presenting part 2 of the tale of the Evil May Day Riot.
Cover contains detail of ‘The Taking of Christ’ by Caravaggio, 1602
May. 1517. London is rocked by a riot directed towards the foreigners living within its walls, an orgy of violence forever known as the ‘Evil May Day’. But just how bad were these riots? Were they as savage as the authorities made them out to be… or is the memory of them influenced by the response of a capricious and vengeful king?
The Story of London examines the background and events of this event to try and work out why the city found itself plunged into a sea of violence that summer, most of it done by men in uniform. This chapter we explore the context- the background of events in Europe, England and London that fed into the riots themselves…
Cover contains detail of ‘The Taking of Christ’ by Caravaggio, 1602
Henry VIII began his new reign with a desire to earn glory in war- and plunged the nation headlong into an unexpected and large scale war with France, all seemingly driven by his fiery passion to show his prowess in battle. But around him, much was happening. To the north, the rules of naval conflict were changing forever, to the south, his Father-In-Law was showing how untrustworthy he was; across Europe the fortunes of nations rose and fell dependant upon politics, and here in London? We see a city continuing old traditions of faith, leading protests against the war, and witnessing a fire that was to change the Palace of Westminster forever.
Cover shows a detail of portrait of Henry VIII as a young man, c. 1515-1520; Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire.
Continuing the fascinating tale of the early lives of two of London’s most infamous residents of the time- Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell. Picking up with More a trainee barrister in Lincolns Inn, with a growing academic reputation, and Cromwell being a soldier in a French army invading Italy, we follow the two men as they ride the waves of passion of the age, and complete their journeys to bring them to the centre of their story… the city of London.
Cover features ‘Portrait of a man in a red cap’ by Titian (c.1510)
We take a pause in our narrative to go back a few years to look at the childhoods, and backgrounds of two men from London- both called Thomas, both growing up in and around London (even if their experiences were very different) and both would go onto have huge impacts into the story of the city and the politics of Henry VIII.
This then is the story of Thomas More, and Thomas Cromwell, whose stories were to illuminate life in the city; its passions, its shadows, the smallness of it all, and also how experiencing it could shape a young mans life. This then is the tale of the two Toms…
Cover shows ‘A laughing boy’, by Guido Mazzoni, c.1498.
The opening years of the reign of Henry VIII were quite paradoxical; for a king who would become known as a radical, a man who changed the nation so completely as he did, the first years of his reign represented something else- a return to more traditional ways of doing things. This week we examine why London would have felt that especially so, while also covering the first major policy decision of the young kings long reign- why he suddenly decided to marry Catherine of Aragon, when by all accounts he was under no obligation to do so.
Cover includes detail from ‘Portrait of Lady Margaret Beaufort’
Henry VII was dying… but as the first Tudor monarch slowly drifted towards death, in London the city was stilled gripped by the terrible regime of his loyal lapdog, Edmund Dudley. As the kings health began to decline, the arrests continued, the terror remained, but around him, various figures, from the desperate Catherine of Aragon, to the kings elderly but wise mother, began to sense the growing anger towards the regime, and made careful moves to make sure the correct scapegoats were prepared.
This week we follow the incredible transformation of young prince Henry, the intricate politics of the court, London surviving oppression and epidemic, and the final retribution inflicted upon those chosen to take the fall for the late King’s folly’s.
Cover shows the terracotta portrait bust of Henry VII by Pietro Torrigiano.
In the second part of ‘The Spanish Gambit’ we start to draw together the diverse threads of this story- Henry VII’s changing foreign policy ambitions, the ambitions of the Hapsburgs, the desperation of Catherine of Aragon, the Pope’s fury at the Alum smuggling network, the power of the Italians in the capital and above all… Edmund Dudley’s onslaught against London itself. With elections being nullified, innocent men and women being locked up for no good reason, with a cohort of some of the seediest criminals now seemingly dominating everyone from the mayor down, the city was plunged into an era of darkness it had not seen for hundreds of years. The Spanish Gambit had dark implications for London…
Cover art includes detail from “Portrait of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor”
Towards the end of his reign, Henry VII really came into his own; he stood as a giant on the European stage, a player in THE most dynamic and profound change in European politics in decades, poised to strike down his enemies and ensure his dynasty was cemented into the high seat of European politics… but how did he do it?
What follows is the opening part of a story involving corrupt popes, holy cartels, dodgy Italians living in London, dubious Spaniards, an eager but devout heir to the throne, and one of the most lucrative smuggling operations of the era, all of which has Henry VII right in the heart of it. Welcome to the first part… of The Spanish Gambit.
Cover features portrait of Pope Julius II by Raphael.
In the dying years of the reign of Henry VII, some big changes happened, which London witnessed and had to cope with. This weeks chapter covers quite a lot- what happened to Catherine of Aragon when she was staying in London after her first husband died? How the city witnessed the growing power (and occasional ineptitude) of Henry VII’s spy networks? Why Catherine of Aragon and Prince Henry ended up getting engaged down on Fleet Street? What caused the King to briefly shut down the sex trade in the city? And how a London based lawyer, living near the London Stone, unleashed a new wave of terror in the name of the King?
Cover contains a detail of a picture of Henry VII, Edmund Dudley and Richard Epsom.
The five years at the start of the 16th century are often overlooked, but contain elements in the city’s story that cannot be ignored- new rituals that last to this very day, new buildings and palaces that still stand, an epoch defining shift in the politics of London, and two royal deaths… an period defined by a river of light on a dark February afternoon.
Welcome as the story completes the tale of a small man we first met seven chapters ago, and how unexpectedly the very future of the Tudor dynasty was briefly in the balance…
Cover includes a detail from the portrait of Elizabeth of York, in the Royal Collection.
We return to the Story of London was a telling of the marriage celebrations of Catherine of Aragon and Arthur, Prince of Wales. The most glorious, elaborate, and expensive ever held during the reign of King Henry VII… and the most majestic celebration London had ever seen. An episode filled with pageantry, pomp, ornate theatrical street shows, wild jousts, and a man made mountain on wheels! Welcome to the explosion of the Volcano of love…
Cover features an adjusted portrait of Catherine of Aragon by Michiel Sittow.
The Story of London takes a brief break from the usual narrative, to examine the sudden spate of cross-dressing women who appeared in the records of the early Tudor London courts. Who were these women who dressed as men? Why did they do this? What insights does it give us into the mindset (and the sex lives) of London and Londoners?
A fascinating slice of Tudor London’s life…
Cover art includes a section of ‘Portrait of a boy’ by Piero di Cosimo, painted sometime in the 1490’s.
In 1497 a veritable army of about 15,000 men from Cornwall turned up in south London, intent on bringing violence to the City. What follows is a grand tale of the queen deliberately remaining in the city, the Aldermen arming themselves to the teeth, and the campaign that followed.
Along with this we examine three years where the King’s health took a sudden turn, the career of Perkin Warbeck came to a bloody end, trade CONTINUED to be a complicated mess for London’s merchants, and much more. From decaying public landmarks, to royal palaces burning to the ground, to the ritual of bloody executions, welcome to London here at the final years of the 15th Century.
The events and odd circumstances regarding the strange royal pretender to the throne of England, Perkin Warbeck, are often overlooked, and dismissed, rightfully, as a minor footnote in the grand saga of the Tudor dynasty. However at the time, it reveals a regime in crisis- a crisis that was to force London to have a front row seat, and which started many themes that are going to repeat themselves in the cities story to come… the rise of the use of spies, Tudor entanglement in Ireland, complicated trade situations and above all, the Tudors using their family for political purposes, all really begin now in these few years, as London continued to annoy King Henry VII.
Cover shows detail of ‘Saint Sebastian’ by Lorenzo Costa, c.1490’s
In 1493 a young german found himself involved in what was a seemingly minor affair, caused by an incident with a young woman, and a slight sexual scandal. But this incident played out as London was seething with anti-German sentiment and anger; people were being laid off, wages were being cut, fortunes were suddenly being lost and because of the actions of a small bunch of powerful and great men 9and also the actions of a young con-man pretending to be the Duke of York), London was to find itself dealing with violent riots, armed men on the streets and an international incident on Thames Street!
Join us as we discover how a small incident involving a rich German merchant, a young female servant and her employer illustrates the growing conflict between King Henry VII and the City of London…
Cover includes a detail of ‘Portrait of a Man’ by Andrea Solari (c1490)
The story returns for a brief moment outside the normal timeline to ask ourselves some crucial questions- here, at the start of the Tudor age, what was the prevailing mindset of the Londoners of the period? How did they conceptualise themselves and a world that was brutal compared to our own conditions? How did they fundamentally differ from people living today? An important set of questions because it will hopefully help explain everything that is to come.
A deep dive into attitudes towards health, diet, grief, alcohol, risk assessment and faith.
Cover shows a detail of ‘Venus and Mars’ by Sandro Botticelli, c.1485
Welcome to the Age of the Tudors… and we begin with an busy episode filled with Henry VII’s immediate impact upon the city, a epidemic killing thousands and two Mayors, a marriage of a Mercer that reveals hidden insights into life in London, the formation of the Beefeaters, and why the merchants of The City and the new King, found themselves getting off on the wrong foot… all of this and more to be found in this weeks Chapter.
Cover contains a detail of “A Young Man,” painted ca. 1490 by Andrea Solario.
Covering the reign of Henry VII, all the way to the death of his granddaughter, Elizabeth I, the 6th Book of the Story of London is an immense dive into the life of the city- its people, its events and its ever changing face. W wild and detailed account of life in London, where some of the residents were to embed themselves into our very national consciousness, and where the children of poor residents were to rise to the highest levels of society. A wild and fascinating journey lies ahead… welcome then to Book 6 of The Story of London- Glorianna!
Cover features the ‘Whitehall Mural’ by van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger, 1667
And this is it… a bumper Chapter as we focus on the event that was to change the history of London irrevocably; how the hell a complete non-entity like Henry Tudor was able to suddenly and dramatically take the throne of England; and along the way, have London witness an amazing local woman with impressive powers of reinvention; arguably the most awkward statement ever made by a king in the cities history, and the prototype of all future pushy showbiz mothers… Book 5 of The Story of London, concludes with the final twist in the Wars of the Roses.
The Wars of the Roses began their final spasm, and in this chapter we explore how Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Lord Protector of England, sitting in the mansion of a rich London Grocer near Bishopsgate, would, over a series of a few weeks, turn into Richard III, King of England.
But more than the traditional narrative, it is an exploration of London in those weeks- what did they hear, what did they see, and above all, how did they respond. From mobs pouring into Westminster Abbey, to a significant moment of silence in the Guildhall, from crowds listening in stunned silence around St Paul’s Cross, to cheering the coronation, London witnessed and partook in all events. How loyal were they to this man? Were they indeed, as Shakespeare later called them, his ‘duteous citizens’?
Cover contains a detail of The Princes in the Tower by John Everett Millais (1878).
A bumper episode that sees London suffering a fresh outbreak of the plague, Banks collapsing, cheeky church robbers, the sordid details of Edward IV’s lovers (including his London born mistress), and the sudden and dramatic shift in politics… the King dies, a coup is pulled off and then a counter coup, all done seemingly with the consent of London. But as Richard, Duke of Gloucester emerges as the main power in England, sat in a Grocers resplendent mansion over by Bishopsgate, he finds himself contemplating if he is about to commit the sins of father once again…
Cover art ‘A Man and his Grandson’, ca. 1490 (Domenico Ghirlandaio) (1449-1494) Musée du Louvre, Paris
The events of the Wars of the Roses caused many changes in England, but the impact upon the economic and political landscape of London, is often overlooked. This episode, we take a short break from the nobles, the King, the intrigues of the Houses of York and Lancaster, to just look at what was happening in London and on its streets at the time… and also how forces beyond anyones control, changes in population, in wealth distribution, in social mobility, and wider forces of economic changes across Europe, saw that the most political powerful of all the Guilds of London to date, the Grocers Company, stumbled, and then fell from the dominant position they had once held. This then examines why we feel we are passing out of the medieval world and into something new- a new world being born before our very eyes.
The Roses of the Roses SEEMED to be over; and King Edward IV began to consolidate his rule over the land. What follows are 9 years where London begins to try and regain its equilibrium while Grocers and mercers fall out over who stands where in St Paul’s, where we examine the much overlooked ‘other’ duties of the cities Sargent-at-Arms; where suddenly the Hundred Years War seems to be starting again, and where the young and energetic Edward IV seems to turn from a eager young warlord, into a fat, vicious and dangerous spider… bringing order even at the cost of his close family.
In 1471 London as a city came under a three pronged attack- well armed and well trained soldiers assailed London Bridge, Bishopsgate in the West End and Aldgate in the East End, while artillery showed shells from Southwark into London itself… one of the most overlooked moments of the cities history, coming as it did only a few weeks after a massive battle just north of the city in Barnet. The Story of London details one of the more exciting moments in its history with a detailed account of those mad few weeks.
We have reached 1469, and arguably the three most intense, most insane, years of the Wars of the Roses- the wild, forever unstable Kingdom was rocked as regimes rose and fell with alarming speed; two kings; two invasions from Europe; three separate governments, seemingly constant insurrections and rebellions… London found itself trying to cope with a failing nation around it. And upon its streets and within its civic buildings, drama and melodrama was played out, as the carnage began, with slow and terrible certainty, to draw itself closer to the capital.
Young, charismatic, intelligent, and highly popular in London, Edward IV seemed to have it all. For our city, his reign promised much, a new start, a new dawn even, of a king inclined to their sensibilities and with a long and prosperous reign before him. And yet, while the city became host to marvellous royal pageants and tournaments, it was still seeing show trials and executions, and the miasma of Civil War hung over everything. In truth, Edward IV was doomed, a young man who would never be able to solve the crisis the kingdom was in, and the decade, and this chapter, explores what went wrong…
After a weeks break due to ill health, the Story returns with an episode that unashamedly takes a short break from the grand narrative of the Wars of the Roses, to look at the politics and changing fortunes of London’s Grocers, Mercers, Wool Staplers and Merchant Adventurers in the aftermath of the city siding with the Yorkist faction. How did the city cope with the huge recession the civil wars had caused, and how did it recover… welcome then to Yorkist London.
The saga of London during the Wars of the Roses continues in this fast paced chapter, which covers one of the dramatic few months this nation has ever seen; the city had mostly sided with the Yorkists in the aftermath of the Siege of the Tower of London, but now they had to choose to whom they would swear allegiance to- and they did so in a most dramatic manner. While London as a community took one of the biggest gambles in the history of the City, events elsewhere rocked the nation as the size and scale of the fighting escalated into something this nation had never seen before…
1460… that one time, in London, the Tower of London started firing cannon and napalm into the nearby houses. Seriously. A chapter that explores the extraordinary moment when the Earl of Warwick took London, his father was placed in command of the city, and a small bunch of royalist nobles and a dodgy grocers fled into the Tower, and began a brutal stand off. The siege was an incredibly vicious moment, as the Wars of the Roses suddenly became all too real to the residents. Welcome to a bumper chapter exploring this amazing year in the tale of our city.
The Wars of the Roses are warming up, and London is trying NOT to pick a side… but the Queen is unleashing a smart campaign upon the city, turning Livery Companies upon one another, and political scandle rocks the community. This chapter is an examination into the full reasons why London ended up picking the side it did, as we immerse ourselves in the complicated world of the late 1450’s- dodgy Italians in London, dodgy Londoners in Southampton, a NEW war starting up in the north and medieval pirates making the city of London swoon… welcome to the chaos.
The tale of London in the Wars of the Roses continues as we examine the aftermath of the Battle of St Albans and the fall of the second protectorate of York; Italian merchants sleeping with married English women (allegedly), the King trying to make everyone hug it out, violent law students, prison riots, and a new wave of pirates- all form the backdrop to one of the most extraordinary moments in the cities history; the amazing story of how, over one later winter and early spring, a mayor tried to keep hundreds, if not thousands, of heavily armed soldiers staying in London, from kicking the hell out of one another!
And so we begin the tale of London in the Wars of the Roses, setting the scene, and dropping us straight into the city- as the Duke of York and the Duke of Somerset’s five year rivalry moves towards its bloody end on the streets of St. Albans, in London, the city was to see young Mercers attacking the homes of Italians, the Grocers company politically shift dramatically when one side is winning, to quickly following the other side, before just as quickly having to reverse course… and as disparate factions begin to come together due to circumstances in the rest of the country, a savage political protest takes place on Fleet Street… let the games begin!
The never ending war with France was entering its death throes, but in England? A bunch of rather venal and useless men were about to plunge the nation into a political crisis so great that it would distract all from it… and in London? A small cabal of Grocers were to find themselves up to their necks in what was going on. Four chaotic and traumatic years as inept nobility, a catatonic king, a new born prince and the Duke of York riding into London in four most triumphant processions (which may or may not have actually been that impressive), all combine in this bumper chapter.
July 1450- and Jack Cade’s rebellion falls upon London. What follows this chapter is a guide to the bloody carnage and mayhem unleashed by this grandiose rebel upon. The city and how the city fought back. Leading up to one of the most dramatic incidents in London’s myriad history… a genuine multi-hour rolling battle on London Bridge that involved heavy weapons from the Tower of London, as the city tried to drive off thousands of this mans supporters. A wild, hectic few weeks in the life of London.
We approach 1450 and are introduced to the opening salvos of the rebellion of Jack Cade… but on the way examine the situation in London and the South-East in the years leading up to his rebellion; London faced a new coin shortage (not to be mistaken for the previous half-dozen or so), but this one was producing unexpected side effects; while many went under, some thrived; and London began to see a light at the end of a tunnel… but it was a distant light. As 1450 dawned rebellion and violence and murder seemed everywhere and then, suddenly, an army appeared in the south…
The story reaches the background to the rebellion of Jack Cade and we begin this cycle with the events taking place across England in the years leading up to that violent rebellion, starting with a perfect day… the coronation of England’s new 15 year old Queen. But as London rejoiced in the pomp and circumstances, powerful men were beginning a series of missteps that was going to bring the city, and the country, to the edge of crisis…
We slow down the break neck pace of the Story of London, to take the time to stop and look at how, in practical terms, London WORKED as a city; how all the disparate parts of it, the mayors, the Aldermen, the mass of poor, managed to coexist and function. In a chapter that draws upon the awesome work of historian Barbara Hanawalt, we explore how the city functioned as a living space… while setting up for a crazy few years ahead and dealing with a huge, high profile fire!
The Story this week focuses upon several things- fighting between lawyers and butchers over by the Fleet River; the massive attack upon Calais by the French; the political intrigues between the Duke of Gloucester and Cardinal Beaufort as the 100 Years War dragged itself to its inevitable conclusion… but mostly we focus upon the greatest political scandal of the 1440’s; the downfall of the Duchess of Gloucester. But more than that… we go beyond the public acts of contrition undertaken by this woman, to focus on the story of an overlooked figure; a woman who lived on the outskirts of the city, and whose story illuminates dark aspects of London life- this is the story of the Witch of Eye.
The 1430’s was a dark decade for London, as the most brutal weather to ever hit London landed in a series of freezing winters, that drove up prices and froze the river in a way not seen before and never since. This was the backdrop to a decade which saw London’s economy utterly collapse, and the War with France take a dramatic turn for the worse. From lavish processions through the city, to self-destructive politics, to the decline of London’s merchants under the onslaught of foreign traders, this chapter sees the city trying to cope with part of London Bridge itself collapsing into the river…
The Story returns with an unusual chapter- how a royal wedding, a Eastern European reform movement, an adulterous noble, and a violent teenage girl, conspire, to not only produce a sudden crusade being called by the most powerful man in south London… but also how that crusade ended up being instrumental in causing a sudden royal coronation. A wild tale of London’s history…
A bumper chapter where the Story of London follows the tale of the city as it deals with the aftermath of the death of Henry V; a tale of the city’s economy starting to be reborn; why it came within an inch of seeing a pitch battle on London bridge between residents north of the river and those from Southwalk; whose side it picked in the growing partisan politics of the new regency; and above all, we look at the legacy of Dick Whittington, the three-and-one-half times mayor of the city, whose legacy transformed the city and remains to this day.
A special episode as we leave the city for a few years and look to the ever-so-important war with France raging across on the Continent. Picking up after Henry V’s victory at Agincourt, we look at why the next few years of this war were entirely different from any other part of it so far, look at the situation in France that allowed Henry do so bloody well, follow the King as he rampages across the nation, seemingly invincible… and look at why his sudden death was not the complete disaster it could have been. A chapter where we look to the external forces that were going to influence events in London for decades to come.
We return to the story with a chapter that unashamedly bases itself deep in the heart of daily life; a few years filled with accidents on the Thames; massive stock takes of wine; crimes big and small and much more. From burning heretics to banning people trying to avoid public office; from punishing housewives for overcharging chickens, to a failed attempt to reform debt obligations, this is London filled with the awesome events that made the medical city such an exciting place. Welcome then to the Affairs of the city…
A special episode to celebrate our 150th Chapter, with a look at the rather seedy side of London in the 15th century- its sex life. This is a city where the sheer bewildering variety of events in this field leave us wondering what to focus upon. Threesomes with Franciscan monks; respectable political figures profiting from the sex trade; women pimping out their daughters; and what appears to be the first recorded case of a transwoman sex worker; all come along in a remarkably fluid era where many of the ideas of how we imagined sexuality in the Middle Ages was conceptualised seem to run into a city whose intent was to break as many rules as possible. Obviously, this episode contains adult content.
behind and weaving in and out of the Story of London for many chapters now, had been the seemingly endless war with the French. But now, Henry V was to march to France, take the port of Harfluer and then accidentally walk into the greatest battle of his life… The story of the Battle of Agincourt and above all, the wild and wild celebrations that took place in London to celebrate it are told in this weeks chapter of the Story.
In January 1414 a small bunch of religious extremists came together to enact the plan of their leader, a veteran solider and captain; a small group of assassins would, posing as actors, attend a Christmas party of the young King Henry V, kill him and as many members of the Royal Family as possible, and then three days later lead an armed force to purge London and then the rest of the country of those Christians who opposed them… the story of the Lollard rebellion of Sir John Oldcastle and the role of the heretics of London is often overlooked, but the brutal judicial killings of dozens of members, many of whom were hung and burnt at the same time, is one which would haunt London for years.
Henry V had just been crowned; but the first crisis of his reign was an attempted insurrection against him in London; a group of religious extremists banded together to kill him… but why? Who were the Lollards and how did events get so serious? In this, the first of two episodes on the rebellion, we look at the secret history of the group, and see that for decades, they had existed hidden in plain sight within London’s streets, growing in number but seemingly ignored by the city authorities…
The reign of Henry IV was coming to an end, and London shivered through tough times; a decrease in population, a wave of bankruptcies, a spike in anti-social behaviour, and a growing desire to avoid civic leadership plays out as the King sickens and his eldest son quietly takes the reigns of power briefly. But across in France, events were spiralling out of control just as the kings health begins to fail…
Five years of London history that crams a surprisingly large amount into it… from desperate battlefield surgery, to why the Guilds of London are called ‘worshipful companies’; from open marriages for cash, to never ending economic troubles; this chapter covers a busy period, filled with rebellions, battles, piracy, dodgy latrines, and of course the rebellious fishermen of Barking.
Henry IV was king; a new start, a new hope, a new world… and quickly, very quickly indeed, everything started to fall apart. London found itself in the front row as the regime was assailed on all sides and an intense few years followed. A fast-paced chapter focusing especially on life in the city, and featuring a couple of riots, many executions, the screams of men being burned alive, urban renewal, the death of poets and visiting foreign dignitaries. Welcome to the 15th century, things are getting wild…
In 1398 King Richard II of England was all-powerful and seemingly all secure upon the throne of the land. Two years later he was dead, wasted away in a dark, dismal cell, and England had a new king. In this episode we examine how the King fell from power and also how London managed to avoid being involved in almost all of it. The fall of the “White Hart’ (the white stag which Richard used as his personal symbol) was swift and opens a new century and new era for London going forward…
The Story returns with an episode that examines one of London’s loveliest folklore tales- the tale of Dick Whittington and his cat; beloved of pantomimes and children’s books, This week we peer behind the scenes to look at the actual events in London behind the elevation of this man to Mayor of the City… and the dangerous political climate he found himself in.
A tale of an increasingly erratic king, members of the royal family being smothered to death with a mattress, a shocking wedding, show trials in Westminster, a royal posse racing across the English countryside in the middle of the night and more; welcome to the harsh truth behind the myth.
King Richard II was to have an incredibly large impact upon London- without warning or fuss, he fell upon it and effectively destroyed it as a political force. What drove him to this? Why did he strike so true? And with the Mayors of London suspended, and the residents facing a fine the like of which the city had never seen before in its history? How was it that London managed to survive this sudden attack. A look at this paradoxical young king, how he erased the entire London political status quo without violence, and why the London to emerge was never to be the same again.
The great political saga that had rocked London for the last decade or so APPARENTLY was over; but out in the streets the old forces which had instigated so much chaos found new issues to fall out over and London seemed about to engage in a new era of infighting and politics… and yet, within only a few short years? Everything changed. London united as it had not done in decades, and started to come to terms with strange events taking place within the city; jousts held upon London Bridge… and the sudden appearance of a crime fighting wizard. Honestly!
Come join us as the Story of London deals with the years when London had to cope with many strange things.
And so the story comes to its surprising ending… having destroyed their political rivals, having gained the favour of the King AND his enemies, having destroyed the Jubilee book, Nicolas Brembre and Nicolas Exton seemed unassailable in their control over London and her politics. But events elsewhere suddenly changed the political calculations, and as Brembre began a new campaign to go after the Mercers, the Saga of the Jubilee sped towards its shocking and bloody conclusion.
In 1387 a book was burned outside of London’s Guildhall by the fishmonger turned mayor Nicolas Exton. But the story of that book, of who made it, of why they made it, and what it contained, is a story of a hidden aspect of London’s life in the 14th century. This special episode of the Story of London looks back over the Jubilee Saga to see how it has danced in and out of the endless arguments and debates that gripped London in that decade… and sets the saga up for its bloody conclusion.
Nicolas Brembre was mayor. Again. His political opponents were jailed. He had the ear of the King. All seemed to be going well for the wool merchant, turned politician. But down the river Thames, in Westminster, national events began spiralling out of control and the young king and Parliament seemed to be on a collision course. Trying their best to navigate this unexpected twist was London, and the Mayor had to find the correct approach to take. A country gripped with fear of invasion is the backdrop of an episode that will lead to the destruction of a certain book…
The ongoing struggle between the two political giants of the City, Nicolas Brembre and John de Northampton, was about to reach its crescendo. Brembre was Mayor for a second time, but de Northampton had learned well what to expect from his last term in office; and so a game of cat and mouse erupted on the streets, leading to riots, snatch squads, secret arrests, attacks upon the Guildhall and sudden beheadings on Cheapside. The epic saga of The Jubilee takes a bloody and violent turn as once again, London is gripped by forces of political violence.
In the aftermath of the Peasants Revolt, London’s ongoing political tensions roared back to life, and the seemingly endless dance between the various factions of the city suddenly dominate everything. London was forced to unify again in the face of the dangers of a furious King’s Uncle and suddenly the John de Northampton gains control of the city and sought to destroy his rivals. Betrayal, intrigue, double dealing and secret arrests abound as we see how the hero of the revolt (former Mayor Walworth) loses everything and the great game for the future of the city moves towards a violent confrontation.
In this special episode we cover the last two days of the Peasants Revolt of June 1381- the destruction and carnage of the previous few days is dwarfed by the mayhem that is to follow; the Archbishop of Canterbury is hacked apart before a baying crown; scores of foreigners are massacred in the streets and the young king forced to hide out in a house in Blackfriars, as the city descends into utter chaos. But quietly, and behind the scenes, the Aldermen of London began flexing their muscles. From saving large numbers of Germans, to orchestrating the plan to kill the rebel leader, this is a story of how the Mayor and his allies were to emerge triumphant in the face of absolute horror.
June 1381- and the peasants revolts slams into London… but what really happened on those crowded and violent streets. The Story of London finally gets to examine the opening part of a terrible few days, where we see far from being angry yokels falling upon an unsuspecting city, rather it is the residents of London who use this as an excuse to settle old scores. From neighbour turning on neighbour in Southwark, from the suburbs of Smithfield, to the Temple and the Savoy, London erupted in flame and destruction, as buildings were set alight, torn down and people murdered.
Yet what role did the Mayor and Aldermen play in all of this? Stalwarts opposed to the violence? Secret facilitators? Or men trying to thread an impossible needle, desperately seeking to stay one jump ahead of the terrible violence?
Of all the events of Medieval London that seemingly came out of nowhere and impacted upon the city, few matched the sudden ferocity and violence of the ‘Peasants Revolt’ of 1381. From Essex and Kent, two vast hordes of rural workers suddenly appeared at the edge of the city, demanding to se the king and leaving in the wake a score of burned houses, and murder and mutilation. But what had triggered this? And what did the events in the weeks before herald for our city?
In the last episode we saw how the ‘Stapler’ faction of London’s Aldermen had betrayed the ‘Radicals’ and gained the concessions they wanted from Parliament, but refused to support the Radicals demand for the return of London’s traditional rights. And this leads to a political backlash.
Welcome to an episode that drags us into the heart of explosive politics, as political control swung from one faction to another, as the very way the city picked its leaders was changed drastically, and the intrigue and politics was played out over a backdrop of riots, insults, executions, and salacious comments about a Prince’s heritage. Welcome to the most intense internal civil war the city had seen since the Magna Carta, a place where the city itself was said to be ‘armed, arrayed in red and white’.
A bumper episode that focuses on the last, pathetic years of King Edward III; an increasingly isolated monarch, being controlled by cunning courtiers and his glamorous mistress causes a political miasma that leads to the most explosive parliament for decades.
But alongside this, London boiled as three, and then four, new political factions began to dominate the body politic; London became a place filled with violence and protest, ruthless deals, nepotism, alliances made and broken, and increasingly fraught risks. The opening salvo of a civil war that was to rock London to its core. Join us as we explore the first part of the Saga of the Jubilee of London.
After a short Christmas break, The Story of London returns with a deep dive into the life and early career of that most distinguished of London poets- Geoffrey Chaucer. This week we follow his life, and his career in service of the crown, leading to the moment he gained possession of one of the more desirable residences in London. Meanwhile around him, London was carrying on with all the frantic energy of the 14th century city- child kidnappings, prosecutions for fake news, and bakers with leprosy all to be found in our first episode of the year.
The story continues with a three-part episode; we look at the behind the scenes economic reasons why London’s trades were becoming more organised and how this was driving massive new political factions being born upon it’s streets; we examine the third outbreak of the plague, once again killing thousands of the cities residents, and we witness the declining health and fortunes of that most imperious King, Edward III, as the skies darkened and terrible times threatened the people…
We return with a fast paced episode documenting five busy years in the city; in the aftermath of the second outbreak of the plague, London began to organise itself. And in doing so, ushered in a new era of rules and regulations. London in this era becomes a place filled with stories- of inept con-men; violent vendettas between fishmongers; rotten wine being dumped on the head of vintners; ever so dodgy fast-food being sold on the streets of Billingsgate and a plot to murder the King’s bison… apparently.
On the surface, London was busy BEING London and doing all the things London liked to do in the 13th century; complaining about the state of their public toilets, attacking Italians, moving dung off the streets, and working out how to exploit big changes in the Kings foreign policy. But out of nowhere the Plague returned. The second outbreak, the ‘Secunda Mortalitas’, and as London tried to cope with it, one horrific aspect of this version of the Black Death seems to have been… this version targeted children.
Just after the Black Death, the character and nature of the rule of King Edward III changed… and suddenly the nation around London began to sow the seeds of a profound alteration of its very essence. This weeks episodes ranges far and away from our city, covering events in France, and in the royal court, but focuses on how after the plague Edward began to change the very fabric of the city. From a bevvy of new royal buildings both in and around London, to the building of the first version of Big Ben- a huge tower in Westminster that rang out the hours for the next few centuries. And on top of this? The reason behind the wildest and most glorious celebration London had seen in decades.
The Black Death has passed… and now the disaster begins. In the aftermath of the plague, London finds itself in a new political climate; without fuss and fanfare many of its ancient rights are removed, and we study a few years where new political fortunes were made. This week we follow a myriad of stories, but crucially how a secretive fraternity based in a local London parish church, was to become increasingly powerful and create one of the more powerful factions in London’s political history.
It’s time to visit a city being blamed for the economic consequences of the pandemic, and who is trying to cope with a wave of negative press towards one class of resident… the hated ‘Engrossers’
The saga of the Black Death continues as The Story of London spends an episode detailing the epidemic in London continuing into 1349. As the weather warmed up and the massive death toll of the winter gave way to a fresh onslaught that Spring, we follow as London tried its best to cope with the chaos this caused, and the effects it had, upon rich and poor, old and young… and the plethora of orphans created by this disaster.
The Story of London reaches Book 5 of its epic saga… covering the era between the arrival of the Black Death to the rise of the Tudor Dynasty. And era of great change for the city and the country as the 100 Years Wars ended and the insanity of the War of the Roses erupted… welcome then to London’s Roses.
The year is 1348 and everything changes… welcome as we take a detailed look at what London was doing in the year of the arrival of the Black Death; and how it coped when the terrible disease took hold of the city, leaving hundreds dying every day. We close out book 4 of the story, with a guide to how London responded to the first advent of the disease that was to shape the City for centuries to come.
We rapidly race to the end of Book 4 of the story, with a chapter filled with London spending fortunes to rebuild parts of the walls, the king triggering a national political crisis, fake rugs, drunken spur makers, and canons being fire as gun crews learned how too use them…
6 years in the life of the city as it tried to stay on top of ongoing economic difficulties, mayors suddenly dying, and above all, a war like no other. Across the channel, in the fields of northern France, Londoners helped make up a brutal army that fell like angels of death upon the French, and a glorious series of victories graced the English… but something far more terrifying was on its way. Welcome to the story of London in the years before the Black Death.
So after chapters focused on London, its time to cast our gaze outwards for an episode… as Edward III, the young, dynamic and energetic King of England, finds himself dragged into a war with Scotland, which in turn leads to a war with France… and how this, mixed with complicated French dynastic politics, to produce the conditions that led to the start of the 100 Years War.
Covering how the country slid into this war, the seemingly constant set backs and occasional brilliant victory at sea, and Edward virtually bankrupting the nation, ‘Thunderbolt’ sets up the situation in London, with the king turning up in the Tower and trying to purge his entire government for backsliding. Wild times abound.
The story returns with a wild episode, focusing on London’s vibrant life in the era; from rich orphans, to skinners-turned-burglars; from bolshy shopkeepers, to successful tent makers, this episodes looks at the little people of London in a busy decade. We see the first ever mention of gunpowder weapons (six canons hidden in Guildhall), encounter drunken outbursts at official ceremonies, the king demanding a LOT of cash from London, and ultimately, a massive street fight between some angry fishmongers and a new mayor.
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We have reached the reign of King Edward III, easily one of THE most important King’s in English history, and begin this episode with a guide to the influences upon the young teenager who had taken the throne, how London was trying to get back to ‘normal’ after the follies and passions of the rule of his father, and more than that? How a glorious celebration upon Cheapside almost turned into total disaster.
Pomp, circumstance and poor building standards combine to describe a near disaster on Cheapside…
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The final part of the epic saga of the reign of Edward II and his impact on London comes to its bloody conclusion; when the Queen rebels against the King and launches an invasion of England, the result is a savage eruption of mass violence and death on London’s streets. But this month long anarchy cannot cannot stem the ongoing internal political conflicts in the city, and the final bevvy of London’s great political leaders try and prevent it slipping into anarchy… as we cover the conclusion of three decades of change in the cities tale…
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Rebellion stirred, the position of Mayor was restored and London hoped to get respite from the capricious king… but it was a ray of hope that was not to last. And in the years that followed, London was to see it come under the most sustained political attack in its history. Each and every one of its right, of its liberties were to be eroded as the city was to basically become the plaything for Edward II and Hugh Despenser… this is London defeated!
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In 1316 the City had managed to calm down a little under a pragmatic alliance of a radical mayor, and a leading conservative Alderman, who allied with the Lords Ordainer’s to keep a lid on things. But economic issues, trade opportunities, and a terrible famine destabilised this alliance and then? Then one of the greatest political operators in the cities history, the King’s new favourite Hugh Despenser, unleashed a terrible Inquisition upon the city, turning faction against faction, and dividing London so he could have the King take over and the Mayors be abolished… the brilliant cunning of this serpent of a man revealed as the Livery Wars continue… and London inches towards an explosion of violence. Support the podcast (if you feel like it) here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck
The city of London finds itself torn between two competing factions- the radical elements, hostile to foreigners, and supporters of the Lord Ordainers, who finally get a Mayor who supports them… and the conservative, monied merchants, who seek to prevent London breaking to far away from the King are reduced to silent opposition. But as the King’s favourite is murdered, the war in Scotland turns, and political fortunes of the nation swing wildly back and forth? An unlikely alliance emerges to prevent the City descending into turmoil. Our second anniversary celebration continues with a second episode this week, detailing this most intense and complex of city political rows…
We celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Story of London with the first of two episodes dropping this week, as we return to the story of the birth of London’s livery companies. As London was dividing between its political factions, the nation as a whole became caught up in the issues related to the King’s favourite, Piers Gaveston; and this episode explores why he became one of the most contentious people in England and how the national factions began to impact upon London. Above all, how three mayors in quick succession (a goldsmith, a pepperer and a mercer) all tried to keep London balancing on a tightrope…
Edward I was dead… a new era was about to begin in the story of London. But to understand what was to come we need to go back in time a decade or so. Because under the surface, deep political divisions were brewing in London; the city was at odds with itself over how it should be ran. This episode we go back a few years to examine the events that had taken place over the last 5 episodes, but in a new light; as we focus on a series of growing political issues that were to cause savage bloodshed on the streets of the city. And this episode? A small, much overlooked and utterly forgotten document that was to drive the cities politics into violence…
One of the most famous executions in London during the medieval period was that of William Wallace, the great hero of Scottish indepedence. And yet, there was more to his execution… why was he dragged all the way TO London to be killed? And why were the great and the good of the City so heavily involved in seeing him to his grisly fate? These questions, plus the building of medieval Southwark’s most famous inn, the White Friars being the victim of a vicious smash and grab robbery and the death of King Edward I, all coming up in this episode…
The Great Robbery of the Crown Jewels and the entire Royal Treasury of Westminster had been discovered and the culprits found… or had they? This episode we look at the FULL circumstances behind the robbery, follow the story of the vast cabal of criminals who pulled off this most daring raid and discover that London and many of its most important citizens (as well as many of its poorer ones), went to extraordinary lengths to cover up London’s role.
A saga within a saga; in 1303 a daring band of robbers raided and plundered the royal treasury of King Edward I, making off with a fortune in gold, silver, precious items and jewels. What was worse was that the robbery seemed to have been an open secret known by dozens in and around London… but no one seemed to have bothered to tell then king for weeks. The story of the circumstances, the people and the events involved in this epic tale begin the first part of this, the story of ‘The Westminster Job’.
We take a break from the recent events by looking at London’s behind the scenes economic situation; and the rise of the importance of what was for a while one of cities most important places- the lost street of Soper’s Lane. Why did dozens of merchants move here and what has this to do with the sudden and dramatic changes in the fortunes of London’s merchants? And why did the rope-makers of London go from craftsmen to multi-faceted merchants with powerful import/export businesses? All of this in a bumper issue all based around that most golden of rules… follow the money!
In the final years of the 13th Century, England was gripped in a crisis caused by a series of ongoing wars all around them; economically, socially, as well as militarily, the country was being pushed to its limits. And in this episode, which details a lot of what was going on around it, the City of London, and a former mayor of London, saw an opportunity to exploit this situation for their advantage… and to try and blag from the brutal Edward I the return of something long thought lost…
The Story of London returns with England slipping into a huge war with Scotland (and Wales, oh and France) and the circumstances behind this. In London we see the circumstances behind the rising of Charing Cross (and its sister Cheapside Cross) and the city continue under the Wardens, but we also have Vikings (no, honestly, they still around), 4 year old Scottish queens, Gascony pirates, and why someone fortified the Savoy. All of this and more…
London was without a mayor; a new regime of a City Warden ran the city, and the community tried to come to terms with what that meant. But while this was going on, while fairs were being held, and exotic animals were being shipped to the Tower of London and the stench from the rivers became bad… forces beyond everyones control were about to impact upon the city… and London’s Jewish community was about to be destroyed, leading to a horrific incident, on a sand bank, far down the river Thames…
In 1280 London was carrying on, seemingly as it had always done; a thriving, bustling city by the banks of the Thames, with a Mayor who ran the city and a bridge across the river which was known across Europe. By 1285 BOTH these things were gone; the Story reaches five years where London’s fortunes took a dramatic turn, as terrible weather, a hostile King, and above all, a scandalous murder and a salacious cover up, destroyed the iconic symbols of the cities indepedence.
The story of London returns to the onward rush of events as we cover the years 1275-1280- the oligarchs choices of mayors run the city without serious political opposition; the day to day difficulties of the growing city always there; there is redevelopment of some prime real estate; a war in Wales and the hiring of mercenaries… and something else. In the shadows of hate and anger, London witnesses over 600 citizens killed simply because they were not Christian.
After all the excitement of the recent events, we slow things down a little, as we examine the bylaws, rules and regulations that governed daily life in London. What WAS it like to live in London in the early reign of Edward I. An episode filled with rules about prostitutes, street cleaners, bad haircuts, grim advertisements, and gutters. So much about the gutters!
A Chapter in two halves… firstly the story of the 8th Crusade, and how Edward I of England was to find himself in the Middle East; fighting off assassins, avoiding winter storms and furious at everyone seemingly all the damn time. But it’s also the story of one of THE biggest political arguments in London’s long history; two men claim to be mayor. One has the support of the people. The other? The Oligarchs. And with a dying King, who will prevail? Let’s find out in the tale of the years leading up to the coronation of Edward I.
As a special 100th episode, we cover the final years of Henry III’s reign; and witness an extraordinary few years for the city; in between deadly floods and churches collapsing, the City descends into a series of wars in the shadows- be it gangs of Londoner’s prowling the streets at night and murdering each other; secret inquisitions leading to mass purges of citizens; subtle campaigns of manipulation against foreign merchants, or even a whole bunch of folks trying to avoid their tax bills, this is a London of grand passion and vicious conflict.
So, London had just been part of a huge rebellion against the King. And they had lost. The clampdown by the victorious royal forces continued, and London was systematically stripped of its ancient rights, privileges and positions. So how should London respond to this? Well… apparently? Stage ANOTHER rebellion it seems. A Chapter filled with politics, violence, murder, hastily erected defences and a bunch of guys nipping down the river and looting Westminster. I mean… what’s the worst that can happen?
After the battle of Lewes, the resident of London sang wild songs lampooning the supporters of the King and rejoicing in the victory of Simon De Montfort. But the end of the next year however… it was done. London had picked the wrong side and now, stripped of the position of mayor, and its sheriffs, with the King ordering the most brutal clampdown ever seen in the city, the residents of London had to cope with the end of an era.
A bumper episode as finally all the things that have been building during the long reign of Henry III come to a head… a massive bank robbery; a terrifying moment for the Queen; a genuine pogrom; vigilante gangs wandering the streets of the city and tearing down whole buildings; and the armed forces of London finding itself in a field in Sussex… facing down a wall of horsemen led by a furious prince. A prince who was furious at just them! The story covers a much overlooked important couple of years in the history of the city.
England slowly but with relentless inevitability, slipped into civil war… and London was dragged along with it. But while the actions of the powers that be made what was to come unavoidable, the City carried on as best it could; it was sometimes funny, sometimes proud, and sometimes fearful. And then, for reasons that will become clear, it found itself armed to the teeth. And this… this was never a good thing to do to London.
A country teetering on the verge of becoming a failed state… famine kills thousands and disease kills more; the economic is shrinking in the face of the pandemic; the king is away following wild dreams of foreign glory that could bankrupt the nation; powerful landowners move to seize power; everyone becomes convinced that a rash of poisonings are taking out the powerful… and London was going to have to cope with this, mobs killing French squires, what we THINK is the city’s first ‘bank robbery’ and finding itself unsure IF it should side against the king who had vexed them so much. This is 1258, and it’s one hell of a year…
London faced relentless attack upon it by the regime of Henry III- city officials would find themselves dragged into the courts again and again, as the King seemed determined to find any excuse- no matter how stupid, to extract money from it. But take this, foreign policy misadventures, a devastating famine that killed thousands, and a terrible flood? Even the distractions caused by royal visits and wild animals being placed in the Tower of London could not derail the City from hurtling headlong towards an inevitable conflict with the crown… matters political and legal dominate as the Story carries on.
London and King Henry III were NOT getting on; and while the 7th Crusade was gloriously sailing towards disaster in Egypt, and the affairs of the nation carried on regardless, the city and the king would repeatedly clash as he provoked the place endlessly. And then? There was a huge fight in the beloved St Barts church. Who caused it, and why it led to mobs of Londoners prowling the streets and swearing vengeance on the VERY high powered offender, is covered this episode.
In October 1247 King Henry III led a grand procession from London to Westminster, carrying a sacred and holy relic the like of which London had never seen before. Its importance is overlooked because in the great scale of things- it didn’t amount to much in the long history of the city. But at the time? It captured a pivotal moment, as the King and City continued to fall out, and the seeds were being sown for something VERY ugly in London’s future.
We return to all things London with an in depth look at the events of the early part of the 1240’s; we have earthquakes, storms, prophecies, politics, factions, new buildings being built, old buildings being revamped, processions and a whale suddenly finds itself at London Bridge! It’s also an insight into one of confusing eras of London’s political history as two mayors, Mr Tovey and Mr Bat, begin to reflect the growing divisions in the city.
The Story takes a brief break from the regular narrative of events, with a look at two things that were impacting upon the city. The first was the ongoing crusades, and we look at the stories of the 5th and 6th Crusades along with the ‘Barons Crusade’ as this will become increasingly important later on, and then examine the perilous economic situation London was facing. Economics drives politics and politics drives history, and much of what was to come is explained here.
The story continues with an insight to six years in the cities history; we have a minor but important confrontation between the bishop of London and a bunch of French moneylenders; two royal weddings (both of which were scandalous for differing reasons), ongoing political tensions, wild street parties, drought, ambitious civil engineering and more. There are even some Vikings… in the distance but still. Vikings! The Story of London continues the cities amazing history.
Crime has always been a feature of urban life; but during this era a series of criminal cases are reported… which highlight a growing conflict between the authorities of London and the crown. But arguments about jurisdiction and authority soon obscure deeper debates and passions in the city. An episode that brings to life the alien nature of justice in the 13th century.
We kick off Book 4 with the story of a man executed for supposedly having a fight over a wrestling match… but his death could well have been the result of the chaotic aftermath of the recent Civil War. An episode about why Westminster started growing, a massive expansion of the Tower of London, the arrival of new orders of monks to London, and how the symbol of one of the men mentioned in this episode is seen on the streets of London to this day.
The Story of London reaches Book 4 of the saga of the city… covering the years 1219 until 1348, and bringing to life the extraordinary tale of the city during the early Plantagenet Kings…
The wild, violent and crazy few years were coming to a close… London stood defiant; most of the country was within the regime of it’s French Prince, and their enemy was a 9 year old boy. And yet, somehow Henry III secured the English throne and London’s part in this great usurpation attempt is forgotten about. Why? Well, in this final episode of the Third Book of the Story of London, we explain how.
The Magna Carta had left London virtually independent as a city, beholden only unto the Committee of 25 signatories of the document. But the game was not over yet, and the political skill of King John soon drove London into taking its boldest move ever… inviting a French Prince to cross the sea and come take the throne of England. As the nation descends into utter chaos, what motivated the city in these amazing few months…
May 17th, 1215: the day London was taken by an armed force for the first time. This being said, powerful forces within London helped them do this, and the city was to not just be under military occupation. The Mayor of the city was staging a putsch, and by his acts, not only was the city to see a score of arrests as political opponents were rounded up… by this act the regime of King John collapsed. Presenting a fresh insight into the creation of the Magna Carta from London’s point of view.
The story begins to examine the crucial role London was to play in the political saga that led to the Magna Carta, as King John goes from being on the verge of glory, to being cast down into the pits of weakened despair. Who was the new faction who seemed to be in charge of the city, and what was their relationship to the Barons? And how did London find itself starting a civil war…
We return to a London in the middle of a wild few years… the Great Fire of Southwark; the destruction of Baynard’s Castle; a plot to kill King John; an invasion by the French; three crusades and the death of the cities first Mayor, all conspire to make London in these few years, a very intense place to be.
We arrive at the first dozen years of the reign of ‘Bad King John’; and enter a decade where the principal focus of the Kingdom was the disintegration of the great Empire of Henry II. But who was John? What drove this King? And how did events in these years dictate the events to come?
The story takes a moment to reflect… there has been a lot going on over the last few years, but for all the events happening elsewhere, what can we work out was going on ‘behind the scenes’ in London itself? How did economic and societal factors drive London politics; and were the actions of the oligarchs of the city driven by greed… or survival? An in depth look at trade, the relations with the crown, and the arrival of a new King.
A very special episode of the Story, as we examine the circumstances around one of London’s most overlooked but important characters; William FitzOsbert aka William Longbeard, who man who appears to have briefly almost took over the city and defied the highest powers in the land… so who was he? And what did he do? And why does his tale complete the story of the First Mayor of London? Let’s find out shall we…
The story of the First Mayor of London continues as we cover 4 intense years of English political history; the King’s Crusade rages across the Holy Land; the King of France seeks to destroy the Angevin Empire; Prince John is endlessly trying to take the throne, and the Mayor of London is to find the city called upon to do a most ancient duty… and in the distance, something terrible was coming to the city.
The story finally reaches the pivotal moment in London’s history; the arrival of the first mayor. But what exactly WAS a mayor in this era? Where had this idea come from? How did this new post in the city come about? And above all, just WHO was this first mayor and what was his remarkable background? A detailed look at this most remarkable of circumstances that changed the way the city would be run forevermore…
While London recovered from from the bloody massacre upon its streets, events elsewhere rapidly began to spiral out of control. The King was lumbering towards the Holy Land, ineptly making scores of enemies along the way, while in England various factions began to draw up battlelines. And London suddenly found itself at the heart of all of this… and yet, London had seemingly changed.
The story returns with an episode dedicated to just a few months in the city’s saga… but a dark, terrible few months that were to see the city changed forever. We are in the year 1189 and the circumstances around the elevation of King Richard I, which led directly to the darkest moment in the cities history; how this useless King was to scar the city forever with his ineptitude and selfishness within only a few weeks, sets up the next part of the tale of London’s first mayor…
The end of the reign of Henry II is one filled with high level visits from dignitaries to London, the implosion of the Royal Family, a new status quo in Europe, and headline grabbing events in the Middle East dominating even domestic politics… welcome to start of the tale of the elevation of the first mayor of London.
The story returns with a seemingly ‘quiet’ decade from London’s history; but one filled with many mundane things- including legal reforms, much gossip and above all, the rebuilding of London Bridge in stone. Welcome to the calm before the next storm… picture rights for episode cover: "London Bridge. City of London Boundary Dragon. East Side." by amandabhslater is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
The Story continues by looking away from London for a few years; as we examine how and why Henry II invaded Ireland and the roots of the Irish diaspora of London, with a special chapter dedicated to examining some overlooked aspects of the event… why did Henry find himself, in the midst of the biggest political crisis of his reign, running off to intervene in a foreign country?
Returning and finishing the story of Thomas Becket, with a bumper episode that covers his elevation to Archbishop, why he fell out with the King, his intense theological war of words with the new Bishop of London and why, towards the end of his life, in a charged and emotive moment… London embraced their wayward son. The epic story of Thomas of London concludes.
The Story gets to the first part in the two-part saga of the life of Thomas Becket- the London boy who would go on to become Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury. And yet his story illustrates, perhaps perfectly, not just the tale of a man, but how the citizens of London navigated the powerful, unstable, and violent nation around them.
We have reached the first of a series of special episodes- an examination of the first document that attempts to describe the social life of Londoner’s in the 12th century… so who was William FitzStephen, and what was the city he described? Welcome to London in the year 1174…
London was once the financial capital of the world, and still is a significant player in this realm. But when, and how, did this role start? The Story of London reaches the decade where London’s position as a credit and banking centre begins to emerge, as an unlikely combination of circumstances and communities begins to create something unique… and this begins to impact upon the city itself.
The Story of London reaches the opening years of the reign of Henry II; foreign merchants start growing in power in the city; the Knight’s Templars make a spectacular land grab, and while the oligarchs who run the city continue to run things for their own benefit, a powerful new group emerge from within the streets of London itself…
The Story continues as we come to the end of ‘The Anarchy’- that wild rambling civil war unlike any before; the nation around them slowly drags itself towards a most unusual solution, and in the meantime London deals with the Thames freezing over, the death of the most charismatic man in the city, a new local family basically takes over St. Paul’s cathedral… and something much darker begins to grow…
The Anarchy continues, and London finds itself in the thick of it! As the civil war continues to slow burn itself across England, this chapter examines how London copes and then profits from this. It also covers how London politics may well have instigated a second front in the war, the way the 2nd Crusade was going on while this was happening (and how this impacted on some of the figures in the Story) and how these events were linked to events in London’s distant past.
1141 is one of the most important, and overlooked, years in the story of the City of London, and this episode is dedicated to telling its tale in full. Why had The Anarchy erupted? Why was it different from other civil wars? How did the city cope with being on the losing side? And how did London help turn the course of this war upon it’s head? All hell breaks lose… and I try to do this story justice.
While England was sliding into civil war, London itself seemed mostly unconcerned; a new class of Oligarchs were enjoying the benefits of London’s new Commune status, and this episode serves as an introduction to some of them; their personalities, friendships, nepotism and rivalries. It also explains why the new Bishop of London was fired by the Pope, what Rahere of St. Bart’s did next, and why London may have wondered if they had picked the wrong King…
Away to the south, in the furthest corner of his realm, King Henry I was dying… and events were to be unleashed that was to see London transformed. A look at the opening salvos of The Anarchy, how London was involved from the very beginning, why London got so involved and how all the events of the last few generations seemed to come to a head in a court case…
We arrive at the period of 1130 to 1135; the age of The Pentecost Fire of London; the birth of Bartholomew’s Fair; sundry legal issues and the King, Henry I made a deal with London- creating a new, generous charter for the City. A suspiciously generous Charter for the city… which begs the question- was it a fake? All of this and the tale of an odd hermit and his impact upon tourism in London today in this weeks episode.
The story returns to all things London with an in-depth look at a decade where London’s spirit, the one that made it the place to defy Kings and which had been hiding since the Norman’s showed up, began to wake up… a chapter filled with miracles, and above all, the passion of the city.
A special episode looking at the situation in Normandy during the early 1120’s- how did the sons of William I get themselves so wrapped up in such a mess, how it involved the French, and then, ultimately, how it leads to the biggest disaster of Medieval English history- a shipwreck like no other, and the consequences of it. Welcome to The Ghost of The White Ship.
We celebrate our first year anniversary with an episode that tries to get into the heads of 12th Century Londoners; how did they think about things & what did they have to cope with living in London at the time? A look at how people came to terms with the difficulties in writing, overcrowded streets, sudden infant death, and new migrants arriving. Full script will be available here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
A bumper episode crammed with detail as we try and get through events in London during the first decade of the 12th Century; churches were built; volcanos in Iceland ruined crops; there was ANOTHER invasion from Normandy, we have a brilliant new Queen; Jewish and Christian scholars engaged in debates; and the first escape from the Tower of London took place. Oh, and 200 priests staged a pitiful protest about proposed changes in inheritance laws. A wild decade ahead. https://www.realpolitik.zone/the-story-of-london/
The Story returns to London with a look at the realities of the ‘splendour’ of medieval rule; the rash of church building across the city; a fairly unique animal pest problem and the usurpation of the throne of England… AGAIN! Two fascinating years in the life of London. Full script will be placed here in the next week or so: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
A special episode dedicated to examining the conditions that led to the First Crusade, and the side effects that Crusade had upon England, and London. We are not going to try and tell the story of the crusade, but just go try to place the crusade into context, and get a glimpse of the social, economic, theological and political impact it was to have at the time and in the years to come.
The reign of William II of England (William Rufus) is often overlooked, but was to have a profound impact upon the city; a decade of intense rebuilding after disaster, MORE disasters, political arguments and we meet the forefather of the London’s financiers- Ranulf Flambard. It’s time to explore the Red Storm Over London…
Welcome to 1086… and arguably the worst two years in London’s history. Famine, plague, fire and war all descend upon the unfortunate residents, as circumstances dictate the worst of all times. Detailing a horrendous couple of years in the Story of the city… check out support materials available on https://www.realpolitik.zone/the-story-of-london/
We end Season 2 of the podcast with an argument- why 1086 constitutes the end of an era in London’s history and also why it represents the start of the darkest time in the cities history. A wide ranging guide to why you could see the last Season as London rising to heights it would not see for centuries, before it comes crashing down.
In the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1077 London rebuilt itself, and the powers that be erected the great White Tower of London. This episode examines the foundation of the Tower, and also it’s two sister towers built on the other side of London, as well as the creation of churches within the city and the impact of the Domesday Book. Free script will be available via the weblink to this page.
In the aftermath of the Norman Conquest, London witnessed as England burned in rebellion and revolt… but what part did the city take in the terrible events which followed?
William the Conquerer is the new King of England… now what the hell does London do about this? A chapter that looks at the immediate aftermath of the arrival of the Norman’s, and how London tried to navigate it’s way around their new overlord. Some things remain the same, but some things forever changed.
The last few months of 1066 was to see London suddenly find itself as THE crucial focus of invasion of England, and a minor political figure from the city called Ansgar is about to become one of the most important men in the country, as we conclude the account of the city in one of the most amazing years in its history.
We finally reach 1066; King Edward of England is dying and London prepares for the grand ceremony to consecrate his new vast abbey down on Thorney Island… but in the shadows an ambitious English noble is about to plunge the nation into crisis.
In the decade before the Norman Invasion London had to come to turns with a reality it could not argue with: Harold Godwinsun and his family dominated English politics. But this meant London was helpless as this inept man steered the nations towards inevitable disaster… a harsh (but I think honest) look at Harold’s failures, events that cause the Norman Invasion of 1066.
Sometime in the 1050’s Edward the Confessor constructed two new buildings which were to play a pivotal role in the cities history going forward- Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster. But the stories of their creation hide a deeper secret about what was going on in the court of the king… Full script will be available on https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM soon.
The concluding part of A Godfather Trilogy is the one where we finally understand why I spent so much time on this little moment from English history- Earl Godwin returns in fire and fury and London finds itself besieged for the first time since the reign of Cnut… a full script will be available at https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
The epic conflict between King Edward and Earl Godwin properly erupts as they clash over power and influence… leading to a dramatic meeting in South London. A script and write up will be posted here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM in the next week or so.
Around 1000 years ago there began a political fight that was to change the fate of the nation beyond all others; a clash of two men, two ‘Godfathers’ of the nation, whose struggle for domination would cause profound changes to the fate of London. This is part of a three part special, which explains the backdrop to this argument. A full script will be available on https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM.
Warfare has changed a lot over the centuries; but somethings remain constant. This episode looks in detail at the power and might of the fleets of England in the 11th Century, and how London became not just the centre of them, but the focus of the power of England. A crucial episode in the story of London; a rough script will be found on https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM in the next few days.
A new King takes the throne of England… and London gets to witness a series of really unfortunate events. For years. We start the reign of Edward the Confessor with a plethora of natural disasters and how Londoner’s may have conceptualised the world to come to terms with them. A script will be available here:https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM in the next few days. As well as that- here is the link to the podcast mentioned in the show https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qgm8e4jMRuAssbgnXF0Hv?si=7iRw1NmdQT6WOec40JVvhw for all things Vikings (of the Irish Sea)
In June 1042 a wedding feast take places in Lambeth; who got married at that wedding and what happened at that wedding, and the stories of those people, offer a unique insight into the power politics that led to the rise of King Edward the Confessor. Feasts, politics and sly insults from Monks abound… A full script with pictures of this episode will be available on https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM soon.
The 1030’s were a tough decade for London. It started with Cnut as Emperor of Northern Europe; it saw natural disaster, political crisis and three kings having been in control. How London (and England) coped and how London ended up dictating who was going to rule after Cnut (or trying to) is the subject of this episode. Script will be available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM for any who want to read along.
London finds itself with a King who would be an Emperor; an episode trying to explain how Cnut went on to become overlord of Denmark, Norway, parts of Sweden and more… and how London was very much part of this. A version of the script will be available here for those who like to read along, https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM.
The complex and difficult relationship between Cnut and London carries on as we look at the reasons behind many of Cnut’s early political moves, the reasons why these are hard to fathom, and the most insane robbery ever carried out by a King of England. Script will be posted here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM But the bad South London accent is free!
England had been invaded and a foreign King sat upon it’s throne; as he ruthlessly consolidated power, eliminating any remaining threats to his new regime, London was to find itself on the receiving end of his retribution… a version of the script will be available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM for those who want to read along.
A Danish Prince leads his armies across England… the King grows ill… his rebellious son tries to marshal resistance… the year 1016 sees London as a beacon of hope in a desperate campaign making it briefly the eye of a storm. Full script will be available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM for those who wish to read along.
Two great and terrible calamities smash into England, leaving London possibly reeling. A giant wall of water pulverises England, followed by a second invasion by the Danes, and the rise of an unlikely saviour. Full script of this episode will be posted here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM for those who wish to follow along.
The Danish King leads a huge force across England, aiming at London, which hunkered down to prepare for the last stand of King Æthelred… two of the most dramatic, violent and amazing years in London’s history are about to take place. A full script with illustrations will be available on https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
We continue the deep dive into the changes taking place in London during this era; this time looking at how it grew, new buildings, how it started to run itself, the prolific action of churches and more. Full script, with maps and illustrations, will be available here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
The first in a special two part episode where we really dive deep into the changes taking place in London; this part focuses on the economic and trade explosion that appears to be taking place in the city during this era. Script with pictures and maps available here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
The Story of London takes a moment to examine one of the great urban myths of London- the idea that the nursery rhyme ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ was based on a real life attack by some Vikings in or near the year 1013. Was it true? Where did the idea comes from? Let’s find out… and full rough script will be found here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
This is it… the start of the end game of King Æthelred of England; three years of destruction, mayhem, murder, intrigue, false hopes, and growing problems in both England AND Denmark was to set up for another battle at the walls of London. Carnage awaits us… A copy of the rough script used for this episode can be found here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
In the winter of the year 1009, an overlooked conflict broke out on the river Thames; on one side the fleet of the most feared Vikings in Europe. The other? London. This chapter explains how this campaign came about, and how and why London triumphed. A wild ride of a story, with a free rough script available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
London was to witness one of the darkest moments of the era with the St. Brice’s Day Massacre; but what actually happened? Did the King really order the deaths of all the Danes of England? And how did that impact London going forward? A rough script for this episode is available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
Fresh from the defence of the city, the residents of London suddenly have to cope with some dramatic changes. A new Bishop of London exploded upon the city, with barnstorming sermons and a ferocious legal mind… and the King suddenly began a new, aggressive foreign policy. Rough script used for this episode to be found here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
London suddenly, and without warning, found itself facing a giant fleet sailing right up the Thames to sack the place but the Vikings were running into a town who had come a long way from the small village it use to be. What follows? Sounds like a bloodbath… the first battle of London had begun. A rough script for this chapter can be found here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
As England lurches from crisis to crisis, London finds itself growing, becoming more influential and eventually spearheading a new offensive against the Viking raiding fleets… only to be met with betrayal at the highest level. Rough script available for any to read here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
So in order to get to just how drastic some of the future actions by London were to be, we need to look at what drove them to do what they will do. This episode (which has way too many Vikings in it), looks at the political and military crisis tracking place in England and elsewhere that would trigger the events that would see London become the capital of England. Rough script is available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM for folks to read along if they want.
London during the 10th century began to transform into a town known for its strong religious feelings; a chapter that examines some of the causes of this, plus how it was to witness the chaos caused by the sudden death of the King… rough script of this episode available here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
We get stuck into tenth century London with a detailed look as to the era when the city began to go from A Saxon town, to THE Saxon town and why this process began during the reign of King Æthelstan. Rough script of this episode to be found here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
We return to the Story of London by briefly going over the events in Britain going on around London, and which would influence London over the next few decades. A massive series of wars between the Kings of Wessex and the forces of the Vikings… welcome, then, to the Great Game. Rough script available for listeners here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
We come to a natural end in the Story of London; all that was past is prologue. This is a special episode, where we go over the history of the place in a nice short summery, condensing the previous 17 episodes in a nice re-cap. After all, we have covered a LOT of territory. Link to the rough script used is here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
We return after a brief hiatus with a slightly longer look at the start of the 10th century- an episode that tries to reconstruct what London looked like, when EXACTLY London Bridge was rebuilt and more than that… explore the birth of the London mob. A copy of the rough script will be shared to https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
Continuing the tale of the war of 893-897; London faced the prospect of a large Viking fleet upriver that promised to bring war and destruction upon the town… and yet greater threats lay hidden in its future. An episode that takes us to the end of the reign of Alfred the Great. Rough script available here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
London was about to discover it was no longer utterly helpless in the face of Viking raids. For the first time the residents of the town were empowered to mobilise as an army… and over the course of a war that is much overlooked these days, suddenly found they had teeth… a copy of the rough script of todays episode is available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
We finally reach the year the City of London as we know it was created- 886. But the story behind it, and the confusion it seems to generate, are examined in a wild episode involving war, political gestures and Viking’s Vikinging other Vikings.
You can follow along the fought script used for this Chapter as well as links to support it here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
The second part of this bumper section, we now examine the actions of the other two candidates for the murder of London- the Viking leader Guthrum and Alfred the Great. Links to the rough script used in this episode (and all the others so far) to be found here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
A special two part episode, as we try and work out who was responsible, ultimately, for the death of Saxon London as it was. In the first part, we examine the role of the King’s of Mercia and the great Viking Leader, Halfdan… Links to all the scripts found here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
The Story of London gets to the part where the Viking attacks increase as we explore two things impacting upon it- the start of the reign of Alfred the Great and the Great Heathen Army! And how the Viking’s came to occupy the town… draft script and pictures/maps available here https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
The Vikings had raided London… how did the survivors cope and how did this change them? The Story continues looking at both the aftermath and potentially what created the identity of the city of come. A rough script and support materials can be found here: https://imgur.com/gallery/hajiHGM
An deep dive into both the evolution of the tactics and scale of the early Vikings and their impact upon London; how the small collections of pirates grew and escalated their attacks to the point they could take on huge towns, and accounts of the first two raids upon London in 842 and 851.
The second part of the special looking closely at the advent of the age of the Vikings; exploring why the residents of London would have seen these guys as highly fashionable merchants and not raiders for a whole generation… and exploring the complexity of the era in some depth. All music courtesy of artlist.io
The first of a two-part special; it’s 820, and London is part of the powerful and strong Mercian Kingdom; and yet within 15 years the world was to turn upside down, and on the horizon, something scary was looming…
We return to the story of London with the tale of the most powerful of the Mercian King’s of the city, and why London was producing coins with faux Arabic script on them… all music courtesy of artists.io
The story continues as we look at how Ludenwic (London) thrived and grew due to it’s relationship with the Kingdom of Mercia; also look at some of the wider implications of the towns story so far. All music courtesy of artlist.io
The story of London continues as we look at how the weak kingdom of Mercia ended up taking over the town of Ludenwic, starting a centuries long relationship with the city. All music courtesy of artslist.io.
The story continues as we look at how the weak kingdom of Mercia ended up taking over the town of Ludenwic, starting a centuries long relationship with the city.
The story of London continues with the tale of the formation of the Saxon settlement of Ludenwic, the market town built one mile west of the old Roman ruins, and the complicated and obscure changing world around it…
Welcome back to the second episode of the story of London; this one with added controversy. We do the entire history of Roman London in one episode. Why? Because… reasons…
All music courtesy of artlist.io
Welcome to the Story of London. Our opening episode quickly introduces the scale and size of what we will be trying to do, before getting stuck right into our first part of the story; an account of the region before the Roman’s came. What WAS there before London was built?
All music & SPFX courtesy of artlist.io