The Tower Of London - The Biography

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Details: The Tower of London is an icon of England's history. William the Conqueror built the White Tower after his invasion & conquest in 1066, to dominate London & it has become infamous as a place of torture, execution & murder. The deaths of royals attracted most attention; the murder of Princes in the Tower, the beheading of Henry VIII's wives, Anne Boleyn & Katherine Howard, & Lady Jane Grey, Henry's great-niece, & queen for just nine days. Few prisoners recorded their experiences, but John Gerard, a Catholic priest imprisoned during Elizabeth I's reign, wrote of being questioned in the torture-room, which contained 'every device & instrument of torture'. After being hung from manacles, his wrists were swollen & he could barely walk. Members of the aristocracy could not be tortured, & those incarcerated for a long time used their time to write. Sir Walter Raleigh wrote his vast History of the World in the Tower. Control of the Tower was vital at times of crisis, during rebellions & civil wars. It has also been the country's principal arsenal, it housed the royal mint, the national archives, the crown jewels & wealthy Londoners' riches, & in the royal menagerie it contained one of the earliest zoos. Stephen Porter's landmark new history traces the evolution of the Tower & it's changing role, the many personalities who lived or were imprisoned there, & the 'voices' of contemporaries during the Tower's long history, spanning almost 1000 years. Ideal For: This book is ideal for those who have an interest in the history of England & London.