London’s early history.
In the 1666 the Great Fire
destroyed almost all of the City and a large area to the west. Thousands of
new houses were built, and Christopher Wren constructed St Paul's Cathedral
as well as many churches.
Stuart London
The first Stuart king, James I, came to the throne in 1603. In 1605 a group of
men tried to blow up both him and the Houses of Parliament. This Gunpowder
Plot failed. In 1625 Charles I came to the throne. Civil war broke out in1642
between supporters of the king and the parliamentary forces, led by Puritan
called Oliver Cromwell. Charles I was beheaded in1649 and Britain became a
republic known as the Commonwealth. In 1660 the monarchy retuned.
Saxons and Vikings
Later in the 5th century, Saxons settled just west of
Londinium and formed the town of Lundenwic. It was raided by Danish Vikings
in the 9th century. Alfred the Great defeated the Vikings in 886 and rebuilt the
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