The Story of London

In 1493 a young german found himself involved in what was a seemingly minor affair, caused by an incident with a young woman, and a slight sexual scandal. But this incident played out as London was seething with anti-German sentiment and anger; people were being laid off, wages were being cut, fortunes were suddenly being lost and because of the actions of a small bunch of powerful and great men 9and also the actions of a young con-man pretending to be the Duke of York), London was to find itself dealing with violent riots, armed men on the streets and an international incident on Thames Street!Join us as we discover how a small incident involving a rich German merchant, a young female servant and her employer illustrates the growing conflict between King Henry VII and the City of London…Cover includes a detail of ‘Portrait of a Man’ by Andrea Solari (c1490)

The story returns for a brief moment outside the normal timeline to ask ourselves some crucial questions- here, at the start of the Tudor age, what was the prevailing mindset of the Londoners of the period? How did they conceptualise themselves and a world that was brutal compared to our own conditions? How did they fundamentally differ from people living today? An important set of questions because it will hopefully help explain everything that is to come.A deep dive into attitudes towards health, diet, grief, alcohol, risk assessment and faith.Cover shows a detail of ‘Venus and Mars’ by Sandro Botticelli, c.1485

Welcome to the Age of the Tudors… and we begin with an busy episode filled with Henry VII’s immediate impact upon the city, a epidemic killing thousands and two Mayors, a marriage of a Mercer that reveals hidden insights into life in London, the formation of the Beefeaters, and why the merchants of The City and the new King, found themselves getting off on the wrong foot… all of this and more to be found in this weeks Chapter.Cover contains a detail of “A Young Man,” painted ca. 1490 by Andrea Solario.

Covering the reign of Henry VII, all the way to the death of his granddaughter, Elizabeth I, the 6th Book of the Story of London is an immense dive into the life of the city- its people, its events and its ever changing face. W wild and detailed account of life in London, where some of the residents were to embed themselves into our very national consciousness, and where the children of poor residents were to rise to the highest levels of society. A wild and fascinating journey lies ahead… welcome then to Book 6 of The Story of London- Glorianna!Cover features the ‘Whitehall Mural’ by van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger, 1667

And this is it… a bumper Chapter as we focus on the event that was to change the history of London irrevocably; how the hell a complete non-entity like Henry Tudor was able to suddenly and dramatically take the throne of England; and along the way, have London witness an amazing local woman with impressive powers of reinvention; arguably the most awkward statement ever made by a king in the cities history, and the prototype of all future pushy showbiz mothers… Book 5 of The Story of London, concludes with the final twist in the Wars of the Roses.