History doesn’t stop for Christmas, so it’s worth looking at some of the events that have transpired during the festive season - in particular, the big day itself. Here’s the story of William the Conqueror’s Christmas Coronation Disaster! THREAD 1/ 
Most of us know the tale of the Norman Conquest. Believing a promise to make him the next King of England had been broken by Harold Godwinson, William of Normandy & his men crossed the Channel and won a victory over Harold’s forces near Battle in East Sussex in October 1066. /2
Following the formal ‘surrender’ of the Anglo-Saxons (resistance would continue for decades) William was eager to cement his position. Therefore, he opted to have himself crowned quickly, in London, at Westminster Abbey. The date was set for the 25th of December. /3
William could have merely been in a rush, or he could have had his reasons for choosing Christmas Day. Just over 250 years before, Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor had been crowned at Christmas in Rome - his memory was still very much alive. /4
Now, it must be remembered that at this stage, London and Westminster were very communities that were under a state of occupation. The Norman invaders were wary of insurrection from the locals, locals still very, very wary of new arrivals. Tension lay thick like winter fog. /5
The big day arrived, and William and scores of his warriors rode into the London. The inhabitants of London could not have helped but watch the procession pass by, wondering what it might mean for their way of life. They reached Westminster Abbey and the ceremony began. /6
Soldiers, both on foot or horseback were stationed outside the Abbey, and given strict instructions to react swiftly and brutally to any attempts to disrupt or invade the service. The crowds milling about outside would not have helped make the soldiers feel any less nervous. /7
Part of the coronation ceremony involved those present yelling their acclaim for the new king. Already incredibly wary of disruptions, the soldiers panicked and immediately went about setting fire to the houses surrounding the Abbey, as a way of dispersing the crowds. /8
Soon the flames started roaring outside and smoke began to filter into the Abbey. Terrified, most of those gathered to watch the coronation ran outside, leaving the monarch and a few bishops to get on with the job. With gritted teeth, William became the King of England. /9
Outside, in the confusion, deaths were reported as some struggled to get out of their dwellings, or were trampled by horses. It took hours for the flames to be contained and peace to be restored, with some of those supposed to be attending the ceremony acting as firefighters. /10
It was an inauspicious start to William’s reign, & for the entirety of his reign he would be constantly aware of just how fragile any piece was. As I said earlier, insurrections would continue for decades. One of the very first things he did was building the Tower of London. /11
So next time you have a presentation that goes tits up, or there’s an event where nothing goes right, spare a thought for Will. His coronation, literally, was a disaster - & on Christmas too! No matter how stressed you may be about Christmas, it won’t end in fire and riots! /FIN
