Wednesday, December 28, 2005
This Day in Medieval History
On this day in 1065, Westminster Abbey was dedicated. The building was started by the last of the Saxon kings, Edward (son of Ethelred the Unready--that is, Ethelred the poorly advised). Edward died just a few days after the building was dedicated and his death set the stage for the Norman conquest (Harold, son of Godwin, claimed that Edward had made the nation over to him on his deathbed. But William, Duke of Normandy, said Edward had left the kingdom to him in his will. William won). Although the original building was pulled down and rebuilt by Henry III, the extant building has been the religious center for nearly all of England's royalty in that all but one king or queen since William the Conqueror have been crowned in it.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 6:55 AM 
