The History of the Tower of London

William, the Duke of Normandy, was victorious at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and with it became the King of England. He was nicknamed “William the Conqueror” and realized he needed to rule with a powerful arm over his new kingdom. London, as it has throughout its history, was a proud city, and the citizens had obvious concerns about their new Norman king. The city was restless and ready to explode. William understood that in order to get the people behind him, he must first subdue them.

Building the Tower
The obvious answer of how to rule over people was to show a symbol of power. He put forth a plan to build a fortress on the edge of the River Thames that would soar above the city and be in constant view of London residents. It was a sign of who was in power.

The fortress was first made with a wooden palisade in late 1066. William still wanted something stronger and a symbol of Norman long-lasting power. He recruited a Norman monk named Gundulf, who was a trained architect, to create a magnificent castle.

In 1070, construction began on the White Tower. Caen stone, a strong and pale stone from a Norman quarry, was shipped into London. Large blocks of stone were brought into London, ship by ship, from across the channel. Ships unloaded the blocks onto barges and floated them up the Thames to the Tower. Ragstone from Kent was also brought in to help form the core of the building.

The walls were built 15 feet wide at the base, so they could not withstand an enemy’s attack. Slits in windows were placed at the top of the tower for archers to strike down those attempting to overthrow the king. At the top of the castle, a chapel was built because of the belief that kings were divinely installed.

When it was completed, the White Tower stood nearly 90 feet tall. The white façade gleamed in the sunlight. At the time of its creation, it was the largest stone structure in England. William achieved his goal by building the Tower. It was said the Tower “struck fear in the hearts of those that saw it.” It was a reminder that they were conquered and that Norman power ruled them. William did not get to witness the completion of the tower, but his legacy continued.

Henry II
When Henry II came to power in 1154, England was still in turmoil after a civil war between his mother, Empress Matilda, and her cousin, King Stephen. Empress Matilda was the daughter of King Henry I and was his only heir. On his deathbed, he had all his barons swear their allegiance to his daughter. His nephew Stephen sped towards London upon hearing of Henry’s death. He gained the support of many English barons and had himself crowned the new King of England. Matilda, who was also the widow of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, refused to give up her royal birthright, and invaded England.

Matilda controlled the southwest, and Stephen ruled in the southeast. Powerful barons during this time also controlled local areas and used the civil war to settle their own local disputes. Stephen was eventually captured during the Battle of Lincoln, and Matilda ruled the throne. However, chaos continued throughout England. During her time, Matilda was seen as arrogant, which turned numerous people off, and she was never crowned Queen.

Stephen had been released from prison during a prisoner swap and still held the title of King. Stephen’s son had an unexpected death, leaving Stephen without an heir. Stephen adopted Matilda’s son Henry II, 20-years-old at the time, marking him the heir to the throne. The deal was that Stephen would remain king until his death and Henry II would then take the throne. Stephen died in October 1154, and Henry II peacefully took over the crown.

Henry II wanted to restore the monarchy to its royal importance and set his sights on the Tower of London as a symbol of royal power. His great-grandfather’s Tower still rose high above London. He surrounded the White Tower with a stone barrier and built defensive towers at the corners. He dug a moat around the castle and shaped embankments. Curtains were installed to line the walls, shaping the Tower into a luxury palace. The treasury was also stored at the Tower during this time, and pennies were minted and treasures were watched by guards.

Also during Henry’s reign, the first lion in London was brought in. Foreign rulers who were impressed by Henry and the palace gifted him objects from their kingdoms. It was said that the lion’s roar could be heard throughout London. The lion became a symbol of royal power and became part of the art found within the walls of the Tower. Henry also turned the Tower into an ill-fated prison. Henry presided over the courts, and those who were against him stayed in cold cells, feet away from grandeur.

Richard the Lionhearted and King John
Henry died in 1189, and his son Richard the Lionheart was crowned king. Richard enjoyed being on the battlefield more than ruling from within a palace, and he joined the Third Crusade shortly after being crowned king. Before he left for the Holy Land, he ordered the Tower’s defenses to be strengthened. He wanted London to remain safe even if the King wasn’t there to defend it. A better moat was added, making it more of a military base than a royal residence. Prisoners, treasures, and weapons were housed in the Tower, showing that he could rule England even when he’s out of the country.

Yet, Richard’s brother John (of Robin Hood fame) took advantage of his brother’s absence in 1199. John was paranoid about being unseated and used the Tower as his protective home. He placed the royal regalia within the castle. The tower guarded not only him and the throne but also the gold.

Those who stood up against King John were imprisoned in the Tower. Barron and bishops who found themselves at odds with him became enemies of the king. Behind the thick walls, prisoners were chained and punished and even starved for their attitude toward John.

Richard was involved in a siege in France when he was struck by an arrow. The arrow missed major organs and initially wasn’t considered serious. The wound became infected, and Richard the Lionheart died on April 6, 1199. With no rivals, John strengthened his reign over England.

In 1215, barons invited a French prince, Louis, to claim the throne. He landed in 1216, further weakening John’s hold on the throne. Wars broke out between those loyal to John and the English Barrons. While John was on a campaign in eastern England, he fell ill with dysentery. He was taken to Newark Castle, where he died. His death brought satisfaction to the Barrons and John’s son Henry III was crowned king, and the French prince was sent home.

Henry III
Henry III was 9-years-old when he became King of England. Henry grew up in a turbulent time, so the Tower of London had not only become his home, but his protection. As he grew older, he made adjustments to the castle that made it both a beautiful royal palace and a powerful fortress. He enclosed the old Norman fortress with a new defensive ring. He added new towers, both for defensive purposes and for luxury. The bastions were made of stone, rivaling any fortress throughout Europe. Walls were covered with rich tapestries and curtains. He also built chapels, new apartments, and a garden. A deeper and larger moat was also constructed, making the fortress a formidable area for foes and friends alike.

Henry III died in 1272 from chronic illnesses and was canonized by the Pope a few months after his death. His son, Edward I (Edward Longshanks), succeeded him as king at 35. The new king was tall, strong, and a heroic warrior. He was known as “The Hammer of the Scots,” during his day for his ruthless treatment of the Scots. The Tower wasn’t only a building and a treasury for Edward, but the very symbol of Royal Power.

Edward I
Edward I expanded the fortress and built more defensive walls and enlarged the moat. He turned Traitors’ Gate into a much stronger entry and exit. He also held prisoners from his campaigns in Wales and Scotland, often times holding sons of Welsh princes as hostages to ensure obedience.

War of the Roses
The Tower remained a powerful fortress and oversaw little change until the War of the Roses between 1455 and 1487. During this time, the houses of Lancaster and York warred over who would become king. The Lancastrians originally held the Tower until the Yorkists captured it in 1460 after the Battle of Northampton. Henry VI was imprisoned in the Tower, and Edward IV of York became king.

While in prison in the Tower, Henry VI received word that his son Edward had perished during the Battle of Tewkesbury. He was 17-years-old when he fell. The first report out of the Tower was that Henry VI had died while imprisoned because of melancholy. His body said differently. The former king’s body was put on display, but visitors noticed head trauma and blood, showing that the king had been murdered. As horrible as that was, it wasn’t even close to the most horrible thing to happen within the Tower of London.

The Two Princes
Edward IV died in 1483, and his sons, Edward V and Richard, were taken to the Tower. Edward was 12-years-old and Richard was 9. At this time, the Tower of London was still a palace and fortress. Edward V was to be crowned king within the Tower’s walls. The two boys were placed in the royal apartments and guarded by their uncle, Richard, the Duke of Gloucester.

The uncle declared that the two princes were illegitimate and crowned himself king as Richard III. The princes remained in the tower and were never seen again. Word spread around London that the princes had been smothered in their sleep and bodies secretly taken from the Tower. The disappearance of the two princes remains one of England’s biggest mysteries. Years later, in 1674, reconstruction was going on inside the Tower. Workers found a trunk with the bodies of two young boys. It is believed these are the two missing princes. Their bodies were taken to Westminster Abbey, where they were buried.

Richard III was the last English monarch to die in battle. During the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485, he suffered blows to the head and died. He was 32-years old. Henry Tudor, who was Richard’s rival and had Lancastrian heritage, took over the throne. He took on the name Henry VII and he married Elizabeth of York, merging the houses together, ending the War of the Roses.

Henry VII
By the time the Tudor Dynasty started, the Tower of London was no longer a Norman keep, but a place of fear. It was a prison where kings perished, public executions were performed, and locals were tortured. The high and mighty fortress turned into a dark shadow that hovered above London.

Henry VIII
Henry VII took control of the crown in 1485, thus beginning the Tudor Dynasty. However, it was his son Henry VIII who is arguably the most famous king England has ever seen. It was during Henry VIII’s reign that the relationship between the King and the Pope ended, reshaping the church and religion throughout the world. The Tower became a central place in the Tudor Dynasty, where loyalty was front and center, and those that opposed often met the executioner’s ax.

Which brings us to one of the most famous stories that occurred within the Tower.

Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn was Henry VIII’s second wife. She was crowned during an extravagant wedding. The procession went from the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey. For those who visit London and walk this path, know that it isn’t a short and easy walk. Three years later, Anne was accused of adultery and treason and was placed within the Tower’s royal apartments. Four days after her sentencing, she knelt down on Tower Green and was beheaded with a single stroke of the ax. She prayed as her head was removed from her body. Viewers of the execution stated that her lips continued to move after the executioner lifted her head for those in attendance to see.

Catherine Howard
Anne wasn’t the only wife of Henry VIII to meet their fate at the Tower. Catherine Howard, Henry’s fifth wife, was executed for treason and adultery in February 1542. Catherine Howard was smitten with Thomas Culpeper, who was her cousin and an English courtier and friend of Henry VIII. Thomas and Catherine began a love affair before her marriage, and it continued. A love letter was found, putting both of their lives in peril. Thomas was executed before Catherine.

Edward VI
Henry VIII died on January 28, 1547, and his son, Edward VI, became king at 9-years-old. Edward was the son of J ane Seymour and Henry’s only male heir. During Edward’s brief reign as king, he turned the Church of England to a more Protestant way of worshiping. The Book of Common Prayer was translated into English and spoken during services. He abolished Catholic practices, angering many throughout England. He also got England involved in costly wars in Scotland and France.

One of his biggest mistakes was trying to prevent his half-sister Mary from inheriting the throne. Edward was a sickly child and had tuberculosis. Edward died at 15, but before he succumbed to disease, he named his Protestant cousin, Lady Jane Grey, heir to his throne.

Bloody Mary
Mary I was the daughter of Henry’s first marriage to Catherine of Aragon. She was also a devout Catholic. Mary quickly acquired support from Catholics throughout England and mustered an army. 9 days after Lady Jane Grey was named Queen, Mary arrived in London and deposed her and placed her in the Tower of London’s prison. A year later, Jane Grey was executed at 17, where Anne Boleyn also met her fate.

Mary earned the nickname “Bloody Mary” for arresting Protestants and those who opposed her, many of whom were placed within the Tower. She burned about 300 people at the stake during her reign. Elizabeth I must have been terrified when Mary had her arrested and imprisoned in the Tower.

Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I was Mary’s half-sister and was Protestant. Elizabeth was accused of a plot to take the throne and was brought through the Traitors’s Gate into the Tower. Elizabeth was given her mother’s old room. After two months of living in terror, Elizabeth was freed.

Queen Mary I died on November 17, 1558, probably of stomach cancer. She did not have an heir, so Elizabeth I took control of the throne. Elizabeth, so traumatized by her imprisonment, never returned to the Tower of London. She did, however, use it.

Sir Walter Raleigh was an explorer, a poet, and a scholar. He had founded the Carolinas for England. Raleigh found favor at Elizabeth’s court and charmed her with his good looks, wit, and stories. Raleigh secretly married one of Elizabeth’s ladies-in-waiting, Elizabeth Throckmorton. Elizbeth, in a jealous rage, placed the couple in the Tower of London. Elizabeth needed help to go after Portuguese ships for stealing her goods, and she released the couple because she needed Raleigh’s help to go after them. Unfortunately for Raleigh, he found himself back in the tower years later.

James I
James I, of the King James Bible fame, had Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London for his involvement in the Main Plot. After Queen Elizabeth died, there was a movement to place Arabella Stuart on the throne. James was born James VI of Scotland and was the son of Mary Queen of Scots. He was also the grandson of Margaret Tudor, making him a relative of Queen Elizabeth and giving him a rightful claim to the throne. He placed Raleigh and Arabella Stuart in the Tower.

Arabella died in the Tower in 1603 of starvation. Raleigh was imprisoned for 13 years. He was originally sentenced to death, but James changed his sentence to life imprisonment. Visitors to the Tower can see where Raleigh stayed. Raleigh was released to go on an expedition to the Americas to find El Dorado, the City of Gold. Raleigh sparked the King’s outrage during the expedition when Raleigh’s men attacked a Spanish outpost. The Spanish ambassador insisted on retribution, and King James once again placed the explorer back in the Tower of London. This time, Raleigh was led to the Old Palace Yard in Westminster, where he was beheaded.

When we think of King James I today, our thought go to the translation of the Bible and imagine him being a popular king. It was not the case. His reign was surrounded by conflict with parliament, mismanaging the country’s finances, and having relationships with men, such as Esme Stuart, Robert Carr, and George Villiers. The distrust of the monarchy and Parliament came to a head in 1605 with the Gunpowder Plot.

Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot
Guy Fawkes and his companions attempted to blow up Parliament and assassinate the king in 1605, called The Gunpowder Plot. Parliament member Lord Monteagle received a letter telling him to stay away from Parliament on November 5th. The letter told Monteagle to burn the letter, but he turned it over to the Privy Council , the King’s advisors. Fawkes was found guarding barrels of gunpowder and was taken to the Tower.

While in the Tower, Fawkes was interrogated and tortured and forced into a confession. His signature is barely legible after the intense beating. He gave up the names of the conspirators and where they lived. The conspirators were hunted down, captured, and drawn and quartered. Fawkes was led to his public execution, but he either jumped from the scaffold or was dropped. Either way, his neck was broken, and he died instantly. He was collected and drawn and quartered, nevertheless.

During the 17th century, the Tower was no longer a royal residence, but mainly a prison and an arsenal. Then came the English Civil War in 1642.

English Civil War
King Charles I and Parliament feuded over religion, money, and power. Charles believed it was his divine right as king to widen his power. Many believed his imposing of religious practices was too Catholic, and when 5 members of Parliament voiced their disapproval, they were arrested. They escaped, and a war between Parliament and Royalists set England on fire. Parliament won the war, and Charles I was executed.

After Charles I was executed, England became a commonwealth, and Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector. In Cromwell’s England, the Tower continued to be a state prison and arsenal. Military leaders and royalists were imprisoned in the tower for staying loyal to Charles.

Monmouth Rebellion
The last time someone was tortured within the Tower of London was after the Monmouth Rebellion. After Oliver Cromwell died because of poor health, power was passed onto his son, Richard. Richard did not have the people’s support, and unrest rose once again in England. General George Monck feared another great war and invited Charles II (son of Charles I) to return to England and take the crown.

Charles II
An angry Charles II had Cromwell’s body dug up, tried, and had his head cut off. The head was put on display outside Westminster Hall as a sign not to rise against the crown. Charles II died because of a stroke or Bright’s Disease in February 1685, leaving behind no legitimate children. His younger brother, James II, took over as king.

James II
James II was Catholic, which Protestants had a problem. James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, who was an illegitimate son of Charles II and a Protestant, attempted to take the throne. Scott gathered a large group of supporters from the west. Scott’s supporters met Royalists at the Battle of Sedgemoor and were easily defeated.

Monmouth fled and disguised himself as a woman. He was captured and brought to London, where he was tried and imprisoned in the Tower. He was beheaded on Tower Hill. Trials were held around England called “The Bloody Assizes” and those involved in the Monmouth Rebellion were rounded up and executed.

George I
The Tower of London was 650-years-old when George I became king in 1714. Long gone were the days when the Tower was a royal palace, and the new monarchs had little use for it as a venue for banquets or balls. During this time, the Tower continued its use as a prison, a storehouse, and a zoo.

As prisons go, it was still one of the most formidable prisons in all of Europe, with a legendary history. Jacobite rebels were sent there between 1715 and 1745. Those who desired a Stuart monarch were also sent to the Tower.

The wildest use of the Tower was its use as a zoo or a menagerie. The kings and queens throughout England’s history received wild animals as gifts, and they were sent to graze and put on display in the Tower’s yards. Lions, ostriches, monkeys, and bears could be found, caged and on display.

Georgian Era
The Georgian wars fought throughout the world meant a storehouse was needed for the massive amount of weapons. The Tower was a busy place of artillery coming in and going out. Tourism also began during this period, and visitors would pay a Y eoman Warder (Beefeater) to show them around the grounds and see the artillery and armor.

By the end of George IV’s reign in 1830, the Tower had little use. The animals were sent to a zoo in Regent’s Park. The armory was turned into a museum, but the prison continued to be in use. It was no longer a seat of power, but a visual of what once was.

Victorian Era
Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837, and the Tower of London was no longer looked upon with awe or with fear. The Tower continued to house some prisoners, but was mostly used as a barracks for the military. Soldiers drilled in the courtyard, where executions had occurred years earlier. Yeoman Warders showed visitors around, and ceremonial guards watched over the crown jewels.

The Victorian Era also brought changes to the structure of the Tower. People of that time romanticized Gothic architecture, and the style was revived. Restoration began on the tower to make it look even more medieval than it already had. Turrets, battlements, and stonework were added to the area.

The Tower of London during this time became one of Europe’s greatest attractions. Visitors came from far away to witness the Tower. Stories of Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, and Guy Fawkes captivated people around the world.

At the end of the Victorian Era, the Tower was a preserved historical landmark. Guards watched over the Crown Jewels, Beefeaters provided tours, and the Union Jack still waved in the wind, and the lore was there, but its intimidation was gone.

World War I
By the time World War I began in 1914, the Tower of London was more museum than fortress. World War I changed that. Soldiers were garrisoned in the Tower, and the storerooms were once again filled with weapons and ammunition. The prison also once again opened its cold cells for England’s enemies.

Eleven Germans were arrested for spying and were sentenced to death. The Tower was their home until their execution by firing squad. It was the first execution at the Tower in over 170 years. The spies were tied to a chair, blindfolded, and shot by a guard. The first spy was executed on November 6, 1914, and the last spy was executed on April 11, 1916.

World War II
England found itself again at the center of another world war. A prison was needed, and no better one available. As soldiers slept and drilled within the Tower, captives found a new home inside the graffiti-filled walls. The most famous prisoner during this time was Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s deputy. He had fled to Scotland and was captured and sent to the Tower in 1941. He was then sent to the famous Nuremberg Trial and sentenced to live in prison at Spandau Prison in Berlin.

The last execution at the Tower occurred in 1941. Josef Jakobs, a German spy, was captured after he parachuted into Britain. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to death. He was executed by a firing squad.

During World War II, London was bombed throughout the war, and the Tower was a target. It was bombed many times, and some buildings were demolished. The fortress, however, withstood the attacks just as it had throughout English history.

After the war, the Tower of London went back to being a museum, but the wars added to its already legendary status. The new visitors could see bullet holes in the walls where the spies had been executed.

The Tower of London had become a global symbol of the United Kingdom. Since it had undergone bombings and fire, money was raised to restore the Tower. The military no longer had a use for the Tower, and new archaeologists showed an interest in uncovering the Tower’s mysteries. The crown jewels continued to be observed by tourists under the watchful eye of the King’s Gaurds. Beefeaters used creative storytelling in walking tourists through the Tower’s past.

In 1988, the Tower of London was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, visitors walk through the haunted halls of what was once the most terrifying place in England. Graffiti on the walls tells the story of those who were unlucky enough to be enemies of the monarchy.

Famous prisoners:
Ranulf Flambard, 1100: The Tower’s first prisoner and the first to escape.
William Wallace, 1305: Scottish rebel leader of Braveheart fame and was kept at the Tower until execution.
King John II of France, 1356: Captured at the Battle of Pitiers and kept at the Tower until a ransom was paid.
Richard II, 1399: Held in the Tower before being moved to Pontefract prison, where he died.
Charles, Duke of Orleans, 1415-1440: Captured at Agincourt; prisoner for 25 years
Two Princes, 1483: Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, 12- and 9-year-old princes placed in the Tower by their uncle, never to be seen again.
Ann Boleyn, 1536: Second wife of Henry VIII; imprisoned and executed on Tower Green.
Catherine Howard, 1542: 5th wife of Henry VIII; held and executed for adultery.
Lady Jean Grey, 1554: The “Nine Days’ Queen” Imprisoned and executed with her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley.
Sir Thomas More, 1534-1535: Statesman and philosopher; executed for refusing to recognize Henry VIII as head of the church.
Margaret Pole, 1538-1541: Arrested for her close connection to the Catholic Church and her sons participated in open rebellion. Her execution is famous for taking 11 wacks to sever her head. It was believe she moved and the executioner was inexperienced.
Thomas Cromwell, 1540: Henry VIII’s chief minister; imprisoned and executed for treason and heresy.
Elizabeth I, 1554: Imprisoned by her sister Mary I during Wyatt’s rebellion and later released.
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, 1601: A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I; imprisoned and executed after rebellion.
Jacobite rebels, 1715-1745: Captured during and after uprisings, and some were executed on Tower Hill.
Guy Fawkes, 1605: Interrogated in the Tower and tortured before execution.
Sir Walter Raleigh, 1603-1616, 1618: Explorer and writer; imprisoned and executed.
William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1640-1645: Imprisoned during the English Civil War and executed.
Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, 1747 – The last man to be executed by beheading in Britain after the Jacobite rising of 1745.
Henry Laurens, 1780: The father of John Laurens and the only American to be confined in the Tower of London. His ship was intercepted by the British Navy, and he was accused of treason. He was exchanged in a prisoner swap for Lord Cornwallis.
Arthur Thistlewood, 1820: Cato Street Conspirator; briefly imprisoned before execution.
German spies during World War I, 1914-1916: Eleven spies imprisoned and executed by firing squad.
Rudolph Hess, 1941: Deputy Fuhrer of Nazi Germany; held after flying to Scotland.
Josef Jakobs, 1941 – German spy; last person executed at the Tower by firing squad.

If you are planning on visiting the Tower of London, book tickets in advance. I highly recommend taking a tour with a Beefeater before you explore on your own.