After his successful Norman conquest of England in 1066, William the Conqueror started a massive building project to legitimize his position as king of England and to inspire fear among the defeated Londoners. This building project would come to be known as the Tower of London, which has served as a place of protection, execution, and imprisonment, with many compelling tales throughout its history.
William the Conqueror had started what would become arguably the most famous landmark in England. About ten years after his conquest, he built what would become known as the White Tower, the center of the castle. The inner ward of the castle was added during the time of Richard the Lionheart, and the outer extensions were built during Edward I’s reign. The vast field of red poppies outside the Tower were added in the 20th century, each poppy representing a fatality during WW1.
Despite being seen as a formidable fortress, the Tower wasn’t always impregnable. It was breached in 1381 by a peasant revolt that ignited during the early years of Richard II’s reign. Too young to rule alone, Richard left his ruling power to his counsellors and advisors, who were detested by the peasants. In the midst of this rebellion, these senior nobles took refuge in the Tower while the peasants surrounded the Tower outside. Richard was able to escape the Tower safely, but the nobles were trapped as the peasants stormed in. The treasurer and chancellor of the English council were both killed.
One of the most intriguing mysteries in English history is the Princes in the Tower. When the prosperous king Edward IV died in 1483, his younger brother Richard III ascended to power, intent upon stamping out any challenges to his position. In his effort, he captured two boys: Edward V (son of Edward IV) and his younger brother Richard (the Duke of York), and locked them in the Tower. From then on, no one knew what had happened to them, they simply disappeared. Some suspect that it was Richard III who ordered the murder of these two boys eventually, but we probably will never know. Their bodies were found about 200 years later by some workmen.
Today the Tower serves mainly as a popular tourist attraction, having lost its medieval uses. Hundreds of tourists flock to the Tower to experience its history first hand, visit the Bloody Tower of the two princes, or glimpse at the crown jewels, important royal artifacts that have been preserved for about 500 years. Despite the Tower’s decline in defensive use, it is still home to well known ceremonial practices, such as the Ceremony of the Keys every evening.
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