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I. History of London Between 10-40 A.D. Emperor Claudius conquered Britain and integrated it into the Roman Emperium. The Celtic fortress Londinium was conquered by the Romans in the year 43 A.D. With the construction of the first bridge over the Thamse, BILD Londinium got the importance of a junction, and not just the Romans used this bridge on their way up to the north but also local traders. Thus the small settlement developed to a city after Roman pattern, to a centre of culture, administration, military and trade.In 286/287 A.D. Carausius, commander of the Roman Marine rebelled against the Emperor and appointed himself as ruler of Britannia. Londinium became his capital. Then in 449 A.D. ,with the decay of the Roman Empire the Romans were driven out of Britannia and Londinium lost its importance for a long period of time.In 604 A.D. Londinium got the capitol of the Anglo-Saxon empire „Essex“ and changed its name to Lundenwic. Later, 796 A.D., it became the royal residence of the Anglo-Saxons. Between the years 839-1035 London was besieged, conquered and destroyed by the Danish vikings a several times. These attacks stopped one year later whenWilliam the Conqueror conquered Britain and was crowned king in Westminster Abbey which was inaugurated in 1065 BILD.A few years later William signed a Charter which granted London city liberty and self-administration and also The Tower of London was built on his behalf. BILD. Since William, London is regarded as the real capitol of whole Britain.From 1176-1209 A.D. the first bridge of stone in London, the “Old London Bridge” was built BILD. It lasted up to 1832. Then, in the next century, London revolted against the rule of the monarch and strived after political independance. About the end of the 12th century a own Lord Mayor was elected , in 1351 a own touwn council.In the next centuries London grew steadily and became more and more important.The city was spilling over its walls and it had become home to one in every 20 people living in Englang. In 1660 the number of inhabitants of London was about half a million, but then the Great Plague reached London in the year 1665 and had disastrous consequences. Almost the half of Londons inhabitants died. BILD One year later the next enormous catastrophe followed : The Great Fire. BILD It raged from the 2nd to the 6th of September in 1666 and burned down 13200 houses and 87 churches. Four fifths of the city were destroyed.The next century brought much changes for London.
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