The Origins of London

Table of Contents

• Roman London
• Reasons for Settling in Britain
• Aside: London Political Parties & The Anglosaxon Nationalism
• Post Roman Britain & The Great Migration
• Counties of Britain & The Formation of a Kingdom
• 1. Londinium & The Romans
• 2. Ludenwic & the Danes
• 3. Westminster, King Alfred & the Defeat of the Danes
• Aside: British Political System
• The House of Commons & Upwards Power
• House of Lords & The Downward Power System

Roman London

The Romans founded an urban settlement on the Thames called Londinium around 48 BC, serving as an outpost for the Roman Empire. At the time, the area around London was heavily forested and occupied by tribal agricultural societies that were not organized. When the Romans discovered Britain, they attacked from the South but often failed due to the Cliffs of Dover. To mitigate this, they sailed into the Thames and settled where their boats could survive, which we know as the settlement of Londinium.

Reasons for Settling in Britain

The island of Britain was a valuable prize for the expanding Roman Empire because of its abundant natural resources, including tin, lead, copper, and iron, which were necessary for trade and warfare. Additionally, Britain provided a strategic military advantage to the Romans, as it was located close to the continent and could serve as a base for future military campaigns in the region. The Roman Empire also sought to control the trade routes in the North Sea and the English Channel, and Britain was a key location for this purpose.

When the Romans settled, people already occupying Britain did not coexist with the Romans as their methods of living were vastly different. The Romans were generally urbanized, while the current inhabitants were mainly moving tribal societies. Nevertheless, the Romans built a defensive city in The City of London to export goods to their large empire. Although the Romans founded London, that’s pretty much all they did as they had to leave due to tensions within Britain.

Aside: London Political Parties & The Anglosaxon Nationalism

• UKIP → UK Independence Party (Trumps / Brexit)
• BNP → British National Party (Racism)
• EDL → English Defense League (KKK)

These three political parties represent Anglosaxon Britain, which tends to believe that Britain should be kept Anglosaxon, the composition of tribes that are primarily German. Anglosaxon is not an authentic cultural identity & Anglosaxon exceptionalism is pretty stupid due to the false rhetoric of Anglosaxon supremacy and historical inaccuracies of the feats of the Anglo-Saxons.

Post Roman Britain & The Great Migration

As the Roman presence in Britain left, very few cultural identities were left in Britain. It is important to note that the Romans went independently due to their concerns rather than in conflict with the British tribes.

Following the Roman Exodus, The Great Migration (500-700 AD) occurred when many immigrants from Europe came to Britain with a similar cultural identity to the current inhabitants of Britain. With this migration, a lot of different counties start to form within Britain.

Counties of Britain & The Formation of a Kingdom

1. Londinium & The Romans

Once the Romans left, we entered the period called The Dark Ages , as there were few historical records. However, we know some information about the foundation of the smaller regions of London. The first settlement, the Roman city of Londinium, is utilized by the tribes for agricultural hubs. Ludenwic was settled as a small fishing village.

2. Ludenwic & the Danes

Later, the Vikings began conquering the Eastern/Southern counties and eventually conquering Britain. However, by the 8th and the 9th centuries, the Vikings had stopped their conquering and finally settled North of the Thames around Ludenwic, signifying the Thames as a natural boundary.

3. Westminster, King Alfred & the Defeat of the Danes

In the South, King Alfred established a prosperous part of Britain called Wessex. He partners with King Olaf of Norway and begins defeating the Danes and expanding Northward. With these battles, he seized many Viking territories (Westminster) and became the first King of England.

To maintain his land, King Alfred had to split up his Kingdom with more minor rulers to consolidate his Kingdom while maintaining control. This led to the beginning of Feudal England. Alfred relocates from Wessex to Thorny Island off of the Thames to keep more control over the entire Kingdom, founding Westminster, the last settlement of historic London.

King Alfred established the capital city with this Kingdom, built from The Government, the Statues, and the Treasury.

Aside: British Political System

A religious, medieval system that is convoluted and confusing. Two main branches comprise the British Political System: The House of Commons (Elected)  and The House of Lords (Hereditary)

The House of Commons & Upwards Power

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and it comprises elected Members of Parliament (MPs) from all parts of the UK. The House of Commons comprises 650 elected Members of Parliament (MPs), each representing a constituency in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. The number of MPs from each country is determined by population size, with England having the most significant number of MPs. The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that holds the most seats in the House of Commons and is responsible for leading the government.

House of Lords & The Downward Power System

The House of Lords is part of the political system that maintains power through Religion, historical presence, and family name. The Monarch is the head of the House of Lords.

• The Hereditary Peers are the Ancient Upper Chamber that has been Loyal to the Crown historically.
• The Life Peers are the people who are appointed by the Congress that serve lifelong terms without an election. There is no limit to the number of peers you have so governments tend to stack during their terms to align with their own interests.
• The Bishops (Christian Religious Leaders) get to vote as well in Political System

Although the House of the Lords generally seems to be able to abuse its power, they often act as an essential intervention method within the British political system. The House of Lords often enacts policies that transcend their time in office, which generally serves what the people need rather than elected officials' needs for their terms. Regardless, the system does propagate downwards, where the monarch has a direct connection with God, and authority trickles down onto the subjects of Britain.