London
London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom.
History
In 500, the young Arthur Pendragon drew Excalibur out of the Stone of Destiny in London, and was crowned King of Britain. ("Rock & Roll")
The last clan of English gargoyles also live near London in their secret country estate, Knight's Spur. The London Clan, of which Leo, Una, and Griff are members, is financially supported, at least in part, by their magic shop in Soho, which was founded over five hundred years ago. [1][2] The shop is owned and operated by members of the Clan, particularly Leo and Una. ("Rock & Roll", "M.I.A.")
In 1940, London was attacked by the Germans during the Battle of Britain, but the city was protected not only by the Royal Air Force, but also by Griff and a time-travelling Goliath. Today, a memorial stands near the Thames River commemorating Griff and Goliath's heroic defense of the city during World War II. ("M.I.A.")
King Arthur visited London after leaving Avalon in 1996. He encountered the Stone of Destiny and Griff whilst searching for Excalibur in Westminster Abbey, and was transported away from London shortly thereafter. ("Pendragon")
Later that year, Macbeth brought Hudson and Lexington to London to help him safeguard the Stone of Destiny in its move from Westminster Abbey back to Scotland. Here they encountered members of the London Clan, as well as King Arthur himself. ("The Rock")
Real World Background
While the presence of Brythonic tribes in (what is now known as) London have been dated to the Stone Age, it is understood that the area was largely unsettled before the arrival of Rome, due to the lack archeological evidence. Given that, the city of London was founded as Londinium around 47 AD. In 60 AD, the city was sacked and razed by Queen Boudica in retaliation of the Romans taking more than what was bequeathed to them from her late husband, the Iceni King Prasutagus. She was defeated a year later and city was rebuilt shortly after, but the city would be largely abandoned by the 5th Century after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
By the 7th Century, the city had become a significant port again, enough to gain the attention of the Vikings, who attacked London in 851, 886, and 994. [3] Following the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey.
By 1592, it was the home of William Shakespeare, with many of his plays performed at the Rose and Globe Theatres.
The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed more than thirteen thousand buildings in the city, requiring more than the span of a decade for the city to rebuild.
In 1884, the International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C. designated the meridian at Greenwich at the international standard for zero degrees longitude, establishing a consistent set of time zones around the world.
As depicted in Gargoyles, the Battle of Britain in 1940 brought about significant loss of life and damage to the city.
In 1968, London's Common Council realized that the London Bridge (the second bridge to carry that name) needed to be replaced and put it up for sale. It was purchased by the Missouri businessman Robert P. McCulloch for $2.4 million, who transported the bridge to Lake Havasu, Arizona.
Shakespeare's Globe, a modern reconstruction in the style of both the original playhouse from 1599 and its 1614 replacement, opened in 1997. [4]
As its capital, London is the seat of the United Kingdom's government, with members of Parliament convening at the Palace of Westminster and the Prime Minster taking residence at 10 Downing Street. The monarch, while largely ceremonial in the modern day, has their administrative headquarters at Buckingham Palace.
See Also
- London at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
