1078

...

Gundulf began work on the White Tower, the Tower of London. ¹

1091

...

London was hit by a terrible storm, possibly a tornado. Damage was done to the Tower of London, the old wooden London Bridge and many churches and buildings.

1141

June

Matilda and her supporters entered London for her coronation. Her supporters included David I, king of the Scots. Geoffrey de Mandeville who controlled the Tower of London, abandoned his king as he saw Matilda had the upper hand. He joined her side and offered her the Tower of London. He did this to ensure he kept the Earldom of Essex which made him one of the most powerful barons of the time.

1143

September

King Stephen arrested Geoffrey de Mandeville at a meeting of the Royal Court. Mandeville had tried Stephen's patience with his disloyalty and the king did not want the Tower of London (which Mandeville controlled) fall into the hands of Matilda. Mandevilles castles and title of Earl of Essex were taken from him, and he became an outlaw. ¹

1153

...

Richard de Lucy was appointed the title of Constable at the Tower of London, an extremely important position, by King Stephen.

1189

(to 1199)

While Richard I was away on Crusade, William Longchamp, the Bishop of Ely and Chancellor ordered the enlargement of the bailey surrounding the keep Tower in London. A new ditch and bank were constructed with a new section of curtain wall.

1191

October 6

Bishop William Longchamp held the Tower of London against Prince John's supporters for only three days. The Bishop surrendered the Tower and escaped to continue his support for King Richard. ¹

1220

(to 1240)

Henry III made large alterations to the Tower of London including new curtain walls, an improved water filled ditch, and a water gate, so the King could enter the castle directly from the Thames. ¹

1235

...

The Tower of London was home to a menagerie of exotic animals given to the monarchs of England as gifts. In this year three leopards were given to Henry III. ¹

1261

May

Having obtained a papal bull (a formal proclamation issued by the pope) to absolve himself from the Provision of Oxford, King Henry III hired an army of 300 French knights as bodyguards and took up position in the Tower of London. His objective was to regain the absolute power that the Barons had taken away.

1263

...

On the pretence of removing his mother's jewels, Edward (I) entered the Knights Templar's Temple in London and ransacked the treasury, taking the proceeds to the Tower of London.

1275

(to 1285)

Edward I spent large sums of money improving the fortifications at the Tower of London. A new moat was dug and a curtain wall was built around it. The land between the Tower and the river was levelled and new apartments were built on the shore. Edward had a complex of gates added which meant it was extremely difficult to attack the castle through the main land entrance.

1281

...

Edward I was responsible for the construction of the Beauchamp Tower at the Tower of London on the western side of the curtain wall. It got its name later on in 1397 when Thomas Beauchamp was imprisoned there by Richard II. The three storey tower was large enough to hold not only the captive, but members of his household as well. It has been used to hold other important prisoners since.

1285

May

Several Welsh holy relics were paraded through London in a procession from the Tower of London to Westminster.

1323

Autumn

Mortimer of Wigmore escaped from the Tower of London. ¹

1340

November

Edward travelled back to England and came ashore at the Tower of London. He was horrified to find the castle unguarded. His anger did not stop with those in charge at the Tower. Edward sacked many of his advisors including the Chancellor, John Stratford, the Archbishop of Canterbury. ¹

1348

(to 1355)

At the Tower of London King Edward III had a water gate constructed at the base of the Cradle Tower. This allowed access to royal apartments directly from the river.

1351

...

Edward III founded a new Cistercian abbey near the Tower of London. Monks from Beaulieu Abbey populated the new abbey. ¹

1413

Autumn

As the leader of the Lollards, the friend of the King was arrested and sent to the Tower of London.

1413

November

Henry V had John Talbot arrested over a land dispute that must have escallated out of control. Talbot was sent to the Tower of London.

1445

May 30

After a triumphant entrance to London a few days earlier Margaret stayed at the Tower of London for a few days before going to Westminster Abbey where she was crowned.  ¹

1450

Summer

On his return from Normandy Matthew Gough was made Captain of the Tower of London. Gough was killed in the fighting with Jack Cade and the rebels on London Bridge soon afterwards. ¹

1451

...

Thomas Young, the member of Parliament for Bristol stood up and declared that Richard, Duke of York's claim to the throne should be considered. Thomas Young was quickly arrested and locked up in the Tower of London.

1453

November

With support of the other barons Richard, Duke of York won over the unpopular Edmund Beaufort, the duke of Somerset. He had only kept his position of power with the support of the King and without that support all was lost. Somerset was arrested and sent to the Tower of London.

1460

July 19

The Lancastrian garrison holding the Tower of London surrendered. Lord Scrope tried to escape but was seen and killed by the river, but most of the garrison escaped. ¹

1465

Summer

Henry had been helped by Lancastrian supporters in the north but was finally captured at Waddington Hall. He was taken to London and put in the Tower.

1470

October 6

The Earl of Warwick and Clarence entered London. King Henry VI was released from the Tower of London. Henry was crowned King of England for the second time.

1471

April 11

The Earl of Warwick was in Coventry and apparently unwilling to confront Edward, so Edward and Richard marched south to London. London was under the control of Warwick's brother, George Neville the Archbishop of York, but the Londoners were Yorkists and they welcomed the return of their true king. Once inside the city Edward had the Archbishop arrested and along with King Henry VI put in the Tower of London.

1478

February 18

The Duke of Clarence was privately put to death within the walls of the Tower of London. ¹

1483

April 30

Richard of Gloucester, assisted by the Duke of Buckingham rode to Stony Stratford where they met with the young Prince Edward under the pretence of offering their condolences for the death of his father. Instead, they captured Edward and took him directly to London and safe keeping in the Tower. Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers was arrested and imprisoned at Sherriff Hutton Castle, near York. ¹

1483

July

At some point the young King Edward V and his brother Richard disappeared. Whether they were murdered in the Tower of London and by whom is not known, but they were not seen of again. Later, in 1491, a man called Perkin Warbeck appeared in Ireland and claims were made that he was really Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, one of the princes in the Tower.

1498

June

Perkin Warbeck was able to escape from captivity but was recaptured at Shene, Richmond. He gave himself up on condition of being spared and confessing that he was an imposter. After a public disgrace he was taken to the Tower of London.

1499

Summer

Plans were formed to free the Earl of Warwick from the Tower of London and put him on the throne of England. The plans could have also included or been assisted by Perkin Warbeck. The plot was uncovered and both Warbeck and Warwick were accused of treason.

1499

November

Perkin Warbeck executed at the Tower of London. ¹

1499

November

Both Perkin Warbeck and Edward, Earl of Warwick were executed at the Tower of London, found guilty of treason. Edward had been held captive in the Tower since the age of ten when Henry VII became King of England after defeating Edward's uncle Richard III at the battle of Bosworth. Perkin Warbeck had claimned to be one of the two Princes in the Tower who had mysteriously disappeared during the reign of Richard III.

1501

...

King Henry VII held a tournament at the Tower of London. ¹

1510

...

Edmund Dudley was a key administrator during the reign of King Henry VII. He was able to amass a large amount of money while undertaking financial transactions for the King. After the death of Henry VII, Dudley and his co-conspirator Sir Richard Empson were arrested and found guilty of treason. They were executed for their crimes. While awaiting trial, Dudley was held at the Tower of London.

1512

...

A fire at the Tower of London damages St. Peter's chapel within the castle grounds. ¹

1536

May 19

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was executed for treason and adultery at the Tower of London.

1542

February 13

Catherine Howard was executed on Tower Green within the Tower of London. She had been found guilty of adultery and therefore treason and sentenced to death.

1542

November 24

The battle at Solway Moss ended in a terrible defeat for the Scottish when they were overrun by a much smaller force of English troops led by Sir Thomas Wharton. Several high-worth Scottish prisoners were taken and transported to the Tower of London for future ransom. The shock of the defeat is supposed to have been so great for the Scottish king, James V, that he died just a few weeks later.

1549

March

Thomas Seymour, the Protector's brother, had married the late king's widow Catherine Parr. Suspicion fell on Thomas after the untimely death of Catherine in late 1548 and it was suspected that he wanted to marry Elizabeth, Henry VIII's daughter. He may have also tried to bribe the young king Edward VI into giving him more power. Thomas was arrested, charged with treason and sent to the Tower of London. Without much of a trial he was exectuted.

1553

August 3

Mary Tudor arrived at London to a huge welcome. Entering through Aldgate she was met by Elizabeth, Anne of Cleves and many others. Mary quickly ordered the release of her supporters that had been locked up at the Tower of London. The Duke of Northumberland and his supporters were placed in the Tower of London to await trial and execution.

1553

August 22

John Dudley was executed along with others accused of treason.

1553

October 4

The archbishop of York was arrested on charges of treason and sent to the Tower. His homes were raided and his riches were stolen.

1554

April 11

Sir Thomas Wyatt was executed at Tower Hill for leading the rebellion against Queen Mary. Wyatt denied that Elizabeth had been involved in any part of rebellion. ¹

1558

November 24

Several days after the death of her sister Mary, Elizabeth entered London. She made her way through the crowds of loyal Londoners to the Tower where she stayed for a few days while she sorted out her affairs and selected her advisres.

1583

November

Francis Throckmorton was found guilty of carrying messages with details of an assassination attempt to murder Queen Elizabeth, an invasion by Spain and the freeing of Mary Stuart from captivity. Along with the Earl of Northumberland, Throckmorton was put in the Tower of London before being executed for treason. Before his death, Throckmorton revealed that Queen Mary knew about the plot. ¹