London after the Norman Conquest

Timeline

1. c. 1061–1066City of London · City of LondonBefore the conquest, London was the most important port and commercial center on the lower Thames, with dense settlement within the walls, St Paul's Cathedral, and numerous guild workshops coexisting. The city enjoyed considerable autonomy, governed by officials elected by its citizens, maintaining a close but relatively independent relationship with the royal house; its wealth came chiefly from trade, handicrafts, and river transport.
2. 1066–1068Tower of London area · Tower HamletsAfter the Battle of Hastings, William I marched on London, and the city submitted after resistance and negotiation. William was crowned at Westminster Abbey in December 1066. To control this wealthy city, he built the Castle of London (predecessor of the present Tower of London) on the north bank of the Thames, guarding the eastern entrance to the city with an earthwork fortress and stone tower, and also built the Castle of Baynard. William also issued a charter confirming London's existing laws and privileges of self-government in exchange for loyalty.
3. c. 1068–1070Walled city of London · City of LondonNorman castles altered the spatial layout of eastern and southwestern edges of the City of London, with military fortresses and citizen residential areas existing in juxtaposition. Norman nobles and French speakers moved in, but trade, guilds, and port functions within the walls continued. Under Norman rule the city became a center of taxation and administration, while the original Saxon traditions of self-government were preserved within the framework of the charter, laying the foundation for London's later status as England's foremost city.