Year

1066
(Christmas
Day)
ten years after

Character
William, Duke of
Normandy

1189
1199

Richard the Lionheart,

the chancellor,
Richards brother, John
Johns son, Henry III

13th century
ten years after

the White Tower

1483~1485

Henry IIIs son, Edward

I
Richard III

1509~1547

Henry VIII

1660

Charles II

1837~1901

Queen Victoria

1901~present

Event
He was crowned King of England and he
ordered the building of an earth-andtimber castle.
The fort became a palace-fortress, a
stone tower.
The Towers defences were expanded by
the chancellor, while Richard was on
crusade. and it was completed by John.
He replaced the White Tower, former
royal accommodation, with a palace.
He made the Tower one of the great
castles of 13th century England.
The infant nephews of Richard III had a
tragic fate because the monarchs sent
to the Tower their possible rivals to the
throne, to put them to death.
The Tower became known above all the
chief prison of the state. Among the
prisoners of high rank who were killed
into the Tower are mentioned Ann
Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of
the kings wives, and Thomas More, who
refused to acknowledge Henry VIII as
Head of the Church of England.
After the Restoration, a garisson housed
there guarded the expanding of the
arsenal. The Crown Jewels and the
historic arms and armours were put on
public show.
The
Tower
became
a
national
monument.
It was visited each year by half a million
people, has become one of the worlds
great tourist attractions and is guarded
by the famous Beefeaters who take part

in colourful ceremonies organized there

on various occasions.