London

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Westminster Abbey by Canaletto, 1749.jpg|thumb|[[Westminster Abbey]], as seen in this painting ([[Canaletto]], 1749), is a [[World Heritage Site]] and one of London's oldest and most important buildings.]]
After winning the [[Battle of Hastings]], [[William the Conqueror|William, Duke of Normandy]] was crowned [[King of England]] in newly completed [[Westminster Abbey]] on Christmas Day 1066.<ref name="london_015">{{Cite web |last=Ibeji |first=Mike |date=17 February 2011 |title=History&nbsp;– 1066&nbsp;– King William |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/normans/1066_06.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922053048/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/normans/1066_06.shtml |archive-date=22 September 2009 |access-date=29 March 2021 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> William built the [[Tower of London]], the first of many such in England rebuilt in stone in the south-eastern corner of the city, to intimidate the inhabitants.<ref name=london_016>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/architecture_02.shtml |title=A History of British Architecture&nbsp;— White Tower |last=Tinniswood |first=Adrian |author-link=Adrian Tinniswood |publisher=BBC |access-date=5 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213124332/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/architecture_02.shtml |archive-date=13 February 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1097, [[William II of England|William II]] began building [[Westminster Hall]], close by the abbey of the same name. It became the basis of a new [[Palace of Westminster]].<ref name=london_017>{{Cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/history/building.cfm |title=UK Parliament&nbsp;— Parliament: The building |date=9 November 2007 |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=27 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311032051/http://www.parliament.uk/about/history/building.cfm |archive-date=11 March 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 12th century, the institutions of central government, which had hitherto followed the royal English court around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed, for most purposes at [[Westminster]], although the royal treasury came to rest in the [[Tower of London|Tower]]. While the [[Westminster|City of Westminster]] developed into a true governmental capital, its distinct neighbour, the [[City of London]], remained England's largest city and principal commercial centre and flourished under its own unique administration, the [[City of London Corporation|Corporation of London]]. In 1100, its population was some 18,000; by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000.<ref name=london_019>{{Cite book |last1=Schofield |first1=John |last2=Vince |first2=Alan|author2-link=Alan Vince |title=Medieval Towns: The Archaeology of British Towns in Their European Setting |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-8264-6002-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qu7QLC7g7VgC&pg=PA26 |page=26}}</ref> With the [[Black Death]] in the mid-14th century, London lost nearly a third of its population.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ibeji |first=Mike |date=10 March 2011 |title=BBC – History – British History in depth: Black Death |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_01.shtml|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430191039/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_01.shtml |archive-date=30 April 2011 |access-date=3 November 2008 |publisher=BBC|language=en-GB}}</ref> London was the focus of the [[Peasants' Revolt]] in 1381.<ref name=london_020>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/richard_ii_king.shtml |title=Richard II (1367–1400) |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430191132/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/richard_ii_king.shtml |archive-date=30 April 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

London was a centre of England's [[History of the Jews in England (1066–1290)|Jewish population]] before their [[Edict of Expulsion|expulsion]] by [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] in 1290. Violence against Jews occurred in 1190, when it was rumoured that the new king had ordered their massacre after they had presented themselves at his coronation.<ref name="Jacobs">{{Cite web |last1=Jacobs |first1=Joseph |year=1906 |title=England |url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5764-england |website=[[Jewish Encyclopedia]] }}</ref> In 1264 during the [[Second Barons' War]], [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]]'s rebels killed 500 Jews while attempting to seize records of debts.<ref name=Mundill2010>{{Citation |work=Continuum |ol=24816680M |isbn=978-1-84725-186-2 |location=London |title=The King's Jews |url=https://archive.org/details/kingsjewsmoneyma00mund |first=Robin R. |last=Mundill |lccn=2010282921 |oclc=466343661 |year=2010 |pages=88–99}}</ref>