The Story of London

The final part of the epic saga of the reign of Edward II and his impact on London comes to its bloody conclusion; when the Queen rebels against the King and launches an invasion of England, the result is a savage eruption of mass violence and death on London’s streets. But this month long anarchy cannot cannot stem the ongoing internal political conflicts in the city, and the final bevvy of London’s great political leaders try and prevent it slipping into anarchy… as we cover the conclusion of three decades of change in the cities tale…

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Rebellion stirred, the position of Mayor was restored and London hoped to get respite from the capricious king… but it was a ray of hope that was not to last. And in the years that followed, London was to see it come under the most sustained political attack in its history. Each and every one of its right, of its liberties were to be eroded as the city was to basically become the plaything for Edward II and Hugh Despenser… this is London defeated!

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In 1316 the City had managed to calm down a little under a pragmatic alliance of a radical mayor, and a leading conservative Alderman, who allied with the Lords Ordainer’s to keep a lid on things. But economic issues, trade opportunities, and a terrible famine destabilised this alliance and then? Then one of the greatest political operators in the cities history, the King’s new favourite Hugh Despenser, unleashed a terrible Inquisition upon the city, turning faction against faction, and dividing London so he could have the King take over and the Mayors be abolished… the brilliant cunning of this serpent of a man revealed as the Livery Wars continue… and London inches towards an explosion of violence. Support the podcast (if you feel like it) here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefeck

The city of London finds itself torn between two competing factions- the radical elements, hostile to foreigners, and supporters of the Lord Ordainers, who finally get a Mayor who supports them… and the conservative, monied merchants, who seek to prevent London breaking to far away from the King are reduced to silent opposition. But as the King’s favourite is murdered, the war in Scotland turns, and political fortunes of the nation swing wildly back and forth? An unlikely alliance emerges to prevent the City descending into turmoil. Our second anniversary celebration continues with a second episode this week, detailing this most intense and complex of city political rows…

We celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Story of London with the first of two episodes dropping this week, as we return to the story of the birth of London’s livery companies. As London was dividing between its political factions, the nation as a whole became caught up in the issues related to the King’s favourite, Piers Gaveston; and this episode explores why he became one of the most contentious people in England and how the national factions began to impact upon London. Above all, how three mayors in quick succession (a goldsmith, a pepperer and a mercer) all tried to keep London balancing on a tightrope…

Edward I was dead… a new era was about to begin in the story of London. But to understand what was to come we need to go back in time a decade or so. Because under the surface, deep political divisions were brewing in London; the city was at odds with itself over how it should be ran. This episode we go back a few years to examine the events that had taken place over the last 5 episodes, but in a new light; as we focus on a series of growing political issues that were to cause savage bloodshed on the streets of the city. And this episode? A small, much overlooked and utterly forgotten document that was to drive the cities politics into violence…

One of the most famous executions in London during the medieval period was that of William Wallace, the great hero of Scottish indepedence. And yet, there was more to his execution… why was he dragged all the way TO London to be killed? And why were the great and the good of the City so heavily involved in seeing him to his grisly fate? These questions, plus the building of medieval Southwark’s most famous inn, the White Friars being the victim of a vicious smash and grab robbery and the death of King Edward I, all coming up in this episode…

The Great Robbery of the Crown Jewels and the entire Royal Treasury of Westminster had been discovered and the culprits found… or had they? This episode we look at the FULL circumstances behind the robbery, follow the story of the vast cabal of criminals who pulled off this most daring raid and discover that London and many of its most important citizens (as well as many of its poorer ones), went to extraordinary lengths to cover up London’s role.

A saga within a saga; in 1303 a daring band of robbers raided and plundered the royal treasury of King Edward I, making off with a fortune in gold, silver, precious items and jewels. What was worse was that the robbery seemed to have been an open secret known by dozens in and around London… but no one seemed to have bothered to tell then king for weeks. The story of the circumstances, the people and the events involved in this epic tale begin the first part of this, the story of ‘The Westminster Job’.

We take a break from the recent events by looking at London’s behind the scenes economic situation; and the rise of the importance of what was for a while one of cities most important places- the lost street of Soper’s Lane. Why did dozens of merchants move here and what has this to do with the sudden and dramatic changes in the fortunes of London’s merchants? And why did the rope-makers of London go from craftsmen to multi-faceted merchants with powerful import/export businesses? All of this in a bumper issue all based around that most golden of rules… follow the money!