Brief history of London

43: Roman invasion led by the Emperor Claudius establishes a stronghold on the River Thames (Londinium).

60: Boudicca, queen of an indigenous British tribe, leads an attempted uprising against the Romans in which Londinium is burnt to the ground and over 80,000 Britons slaughtered in response.

410: Roman occupation of Britain ends.

604: St Paul's Cathedral is founded by the first Saxon Bishop, Mellitus.

793: First recorded Viking invasions of England.

1066: The Normans invade Britain and William the Conqueror kills English king Harold in the Battle of Hastings.

1067: William the Conqueror begins construction of three fortresses, including the Tower of London.

1348-75: The Black Death kills half the City's population.

1381: Peasant's Revolt led by Watt Tyler.

1509: Henry VIII becomes king.

1599: The Globe Theatre opens on Bankside.

1605: Guy Fawkes attempts to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

1665-66: Plague kills more than 110,000 Londoners.

1666: Great Fire of London destroys over half the city including the old St Paul's Cathedral.

1707: English and Scottish parliaments merge and the Kingdom of Great Britain is born.

1708: St Paul's Cathedral is completed.

1735: Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister, moves into 10 Downing Street.

1762: George III acquires Buckingham Palace.

1828: London Zoo opens.

1829: Metropolitan Police Force of London is established.

1836: Opening of the capital's first railway - a local passenger line between London and Greenwich.

1837: Opening of the first intercity rail route - London to Birmingham.

1843: Nelson's Column is completed after three years.

1863: London Underground opens.

1871: Queen Victoria opens the Royal Albert Hall.

1894: Tower Bridge opens.

1908: London hosts the Summer Olympics.

1915: London is bombed by German Zeppelins during World War I.

1939-45: London suffers heavy casualties and severe damage during World War II. Over 30,000 London civilians die and more than 50,000 are seriously injured.

1948: London hosts the Summer Olympics.

1952: Extensive use of coal causes 'The Great Smog', which kills 4,000.

1956: The 'Clean Air Act' is passed.

1965: First Notting Hill Carnival takes place.

1966: England win the FIFA World Cup Final at Wembley in front of 98,000 fans.

1966: The Beatles begin recording 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' at Abbey Road Studios.

1981: First London Marathon.

1984: Thames Barrier officially opened by HM The Queen.

1990: Over 200,000 people march to Trafalgar Square in protest against the new Poll Tax. The day ends in mass rioting and is seen as a major contributing factor to the downfall of the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

2000: The Millennium Dome and the BA London Eye are among many projects that promote London as the 'Millennium City'.

2005: London wins the bid to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2012.

2005: Suicide bombings by terrorists injure 750 and kill 56.

2006: HM The Queen celebrates her 80th birthday.