London becomes the center of commerce

   Since Canute's time London always remained the main city and commercial centre. It even had somewhat political importance but it has never been the centre of politics. Under the Anglo-Saxon rules the capital was situated in Winchester and Edward the Confessor built his Palace at Westminster. Later the importance of Westminster grew after the Great Norman Palace has been built here. Westminster became the centre of justice and Royal courts.
   Later, the parliaments were to meet regularly in the chapter house of the Abbey and then in St Stephen's Chapel at the palace. Occasionally they gathered at the popular Royal Palace of Eltham, not far away in the countryside south of the river.
   The influence of the Church was great. It can be clearly seen in the buildings. Stone and nice buildings always belonged to various religious communities. Old St. Paul's, with its vast wooden steeple (destroyed by lightning in 1561), was believed to be the greatest cathedral in Europe, a Wonder of the World. The new era in the history of London starts when Dominican arrived to London to take care of the poor and homeless. Thanks to the Churches needs it was requested to construct new buildings. For this even the wall of the city between the river and the Ludgate have been demolished. Later Carmelites and many other churches appeared under the pressure of needs of the Religious Comunities. Like the Christ Church, Blackfriars
   The trade continued its developing and widening fields of its activity. Lots of new markets were organized at that time. The guilds of traders and craftsmen were created in order to help the workers. By the 15th century, cloth production was England's biggest industry and large amounts were being exported from London. The City, thus strengthened, was able to finance the attempts by Edward III and Henry V to conquer France.
   Later plenty number of wars took places and covered the whole territory of Britain - The War of Roses, Battle of Barnet, which was decisive in struggle between two regimes of the Kings, and many other fights. In the reign of Edward's brother, Richard III, Westminster Abbey was the scene of Queen Elizabeth Woodville's claim for sanctuary with her youngest son. He was persuaded to leave for 'safety' in the Tower of London; but he and his brother, the ''Princes in the Tower',' were never seen alive again.