London (Late 12th Century)

Timeline

1. 1190–1193London · EnglandIn 1190 Richard I departed on the Third Crusade, and London was governed by regents such as Longchamp; the City of London and the court at Westminster maintained tax collection and justice in the king's absence, while Thames port trade continued to support the kingdom's finances.
2. 1193–1194London · EnglandWhile Richard was imprisoned, his brother John and the regent Longchamp vied for control in London and across England; Londoners and the Church became objects of courtship by both sides, and the city showed independent political weight amid the succession crisis.
3. 1196–1200London · EnglandIn 1196 Richard I granted Londoners the privilege of electing their own sheriff each year, strengthening the City's tradition of self-government; by century's end the markets and guild networks around London Bridge had expanded, making it a key node of North Sea–continental trade.