The Tower of London is one of the world’s greatest medieval castles, famous for massive fortifications and bloody executions, but the Tower was also a luxurious medieval palace, reaching its full glory in the 13th century under two famous builder kings: Henry III and Edward I.
Its full name today is His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, the Tower of London - it is still an official royal residence, harking back to when medieval kings called it home.
Dan Snow has special access behind heavy closed doors as the Tower puts its medieval palace on display - from magnificently decorated royal bedrooms to gambling pieces, and a tiny toy knight that a prince or princess may have played with. Curator Charles Farris reveals the secrets of royal life inside these walls.
As well as building the palace, Henry III and Edward I extended the Tower’s defences, supersizing it to create a major symbol of royal power, dominating London. With Tower archaeologist Alfred Hawkins, Dan explores the unique original portcullis that was built into the Byward Tower as it was constructed 750 years ago, and investigates beautiful medieval wall paintings, designed to warn potential fraudsters of the risks of cheating the royal mint.
This is revealing and intimate insight into the life and power of the medieval Tower of London.
_______
To find out more about the Tower’s medieval palace, visit: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/the-medieval-palace
Up Next in There's no such thing as the Dark Ages
-
The Black Death 2: Pandemic
By early 1349 the plague had engulfed southern England. Dan Snow reveals how the whole country now descended into fear as the disease rampaged on, leaving no one safe.
-
The Trials of Joan of Arc
We all know the name, Joan of Arc. But who really was this celebrated voice of the people of France? For some she is a simple peasant girl - one of the people. For others, she is a champion of nation and church. For the English, she was simply the enemy.
Dr Eleanor Janega is on a mission to deci...
-
Medieval Cold Case: Stirling Castle S...
30 years ago, nine skeletons were discovered buried within the grounds of Stirling Castle, Scotland. Their identities remain a mystery, but injuries found on them suggest that they all suffered brutally violent deaths.
Dr Jo Buckberry, a battle trauma expert at the University of Bradford, believ...
7 Comments